Ant is going to work, what should he improve on?

[Monster]

You are really underestimating Dallas. Cooper Flagg will be a beast and pairing him with AD and Kyrie forms one of the best Big 3s in the West. Kyrie should return before or by the all-star break and Dallas may not be beasts in the regular season but they'll be a very dangerous playoff team. Plus, Dallas has a really good supporting cast with the tandem of Lively and Gafford, Klay, PJ and Naji Marshall. Kidd is an underrated coach.

I'll reserve my opinion on Flagg until after he hits the NBA floor. He still has plenty of questions offensively. The media is propping him up as the next LeBron prospect, well, because LeBron is done. I don't see him as that. They also have a core that suffers from injuries throughout their careers and are aging. And no, I disagree that Kidd is underrated. He is appropriately rated - mediocre.

I used to think of Kidd as mediocre as his record is a bit above average but not spectacular. I began to appreciate Kidd as a coach when he outcoached Finch in the WCF and got his team to the finals. Looking back, he jumped right into coaching after his career and after a so-so first year in Brooklyn, Milwaukee traded two second rounders to get him and he took a 15 win Bucks team to the playoffs twice and helped develop Giannis who was pretty bad his first year before Kidd got there. Pretty much his first time that he had two superstar players together, Doncic and Kyrie, he did well. Either Kyrie or Doncic missed a lot of games in his other Dallas years. While I don't put him in the upper echelon of coaches like Spo, Kerr and Pops, he's above average. Coaches that can get to the finals, and especially those who win there, have my respect.

Kidd had some issues in a couple of his coaching stops but it seems like after his time as an assistant coaching with the Lakers he has chilled out and I agree he is a pretty good coach. I think he was actually a guy that depending on the roster was a good coach pretty much from the start but I remember he was also kinda power hungry. I had reservations about him too but I havent seen anything that suggests there are some sort of problems with him but I guess you never know. He has had some guys leave his coaching staff but they are going to be higher level assistants for younger coaches and he has brought is some pretty good coaches to fill those spots like Frank Vogel.

[rapsuperstar31]

This is kinda fun.

https://x.com/Huncho_Jman/status/194279 ... Zj2aA&s=19

Getting in that cardio! If I see him running on the street up or up a mountain Rocky Balboa style, I'm going to join him.

[Wolvesfan21]

Does Ant just need to work on pushing pace and unleashing him with TJ, Jaden, Naz, Clark, Rob, Donte 17 and 31? Dunks and 3s? 7 seconds or less? Dunks after dark? Kaaaaaaaahn!

I'm unsure if this is facetious, straight serious, or straight sarcasm.

In my eyes, there are two routes to go.

All in on the next 2 years: KD acquisition.

Playing for the now and the future with Ant: by making shrewd moves to supplement/amplify Ant's talents with the current roster, being very selective with our limited asset pool.

I think I am serious. Let's run it down team's throats.

My eye test didn't lie. The Wolves last year were 27th in transition PPG! Ant could seriously make life for himself so much easier if he played more like Giannis or younger LeBron, even Ben Simmons was a monster in transition too in his heyday. Get down the court and don't wait for them to set up and double you. Just get downhill and get to the rim! He could be impossible to stop!

27th is just bad when you have a guy like Ant with supreme athleticism, skill and speed. If he starts opening up the court more next year watch the fuck out! I do hope that Dilly and TJ play a bunch, which could spark the entire team to simply run more. Because we know both of those guys can do it and do it well.

[Lipoli390]

I'm unsure if this is facetious, straight serious, or straight sarcasm.

In my eyes, there are two routes to go.

All in on the next 2 years: KD acquisition.

Playing for the now and the future with Ant: by making shrewd moves to supplement/amplify Ant's talents with the current roster, being very selective with our limited asset pool.

I think I am serious. Let's run it down team's throats.

My eye test didn't lie. The Wolves last year were 27th in transition PPG! Ant could seriously make life for himself so much easier if he played more like Giannis or younger LeBron, even Ben Simmons was a monster in transition too in his heyday. Get down the court and don't wait for them to set up and double you. Just get downhill and get to the rim! He could be impossible to stop!

27th is just bad when you have a guy like Ant with supreme athleticism, skill and speed. If he starts opening up the court more next year watch the fuck out! I do hope that Dilly and TJ play a bunch, which could spark the entire team to simply run more. Because we know both of those guys can do it and do it well.

How much of that is Ant versus our coaching staff and the other players on they court with Ant?

[Q-is-here]

I think I am serious. Let's run it down team's throats.

My eye test didn't lie. The Wolves last year were 27th in transition PPG! Ant could seriously make life for himself so much easier if he played more like Giannis or younger LeBron, even Ben Simmons was a monster in transition too in his heyday. Get down the court and don't wait for them to set up and double you. Just get downhill and get to the rim! He could be impossible to stop!

27th is just bad when you have a guy like Ant with supreme athleticism, skill and speed. If he starts opening up the court more next year watch the fuck out! I do hope that Dilly and TJ play a bunch, which could spark the entire team to simply run more. Because we know both of those guys can do it and do it well.

How much of that is Ant versus our coaching staff and the other players on they court with Ant?

I'd say it's 75% on Ant, as he has the athletic ability to push the ball and be a one-man fast break but seems to prefer working more methodically. Having said that, if he is out there with a bunch of guys that want to run, like Dilly and TJ, then I think they can get him to run.

[Wolvesfan21]

My eye test didn't lie. The Wolves last year were 27th in transition PPG! Ant could seriously make life for himself so much easier if he played more like Giannis or younger LeBron, even Ben Simmons was a monster in transition too in his heyday. Get down the court and don't wait for them to set up and double you. Just get downhill and get to the rim! He could be impossible to stop!

27th is just bad when you have a guy like Ant with supreme athleticism, skill and speed. If he starts opening up the court more next year watch the fuck out! I do hope that Dilly and TJ play a bunch, which could spark the entire team to simply run more. Because we know both of those guys can do it and do it well.

How much of that is Ant versus our coaching staff and the other players on they court with Ant?

I'd say it's 75% on Ant, as he has the athletic ability to push the ball and be a one-man fast break but seems to prefer working more methodically. Having said that, if he is out there with a bunch of guys that want to run, like Dilly and TJ, then I think they can get him to run.

I agree because we've seen Ant do it, but it is much too rare. Seen him grab a board and simply go coast to coast for a dunk. It's so hard to stop him when he's running full speed downhill and your defense isn't set.

On the flip side, I do think that with guys who cannot run as well it makes a little less sense to push because passes will be limited. But it still did bother me that we were so bad in getting easy buckets. I also think once he's on the floor with guys who excel at pushing the ball he will join right in and love it! Probably adjust his mindset in the long run as well.

It's almost demoralizing too when you face a guy who keeps pushing the ball and your defense cannot stop him (Giannis, prime LeBron and Simmons, etc.). It's the worst thing to watch when your team gets getting the ball pushed down their throats.

[Lipoli390]

My eye test didn't lie. The Wolves last year were 27th in transition PPG! Ant could seriously make life for himself so much easier if he played more like Giannis or younger LeBron, even Ben Simmons was a monster in transition too in his heyday. Get down the court and don't wait for them to set up and double you. Just get downhill and get to the rim! He could be impossible to stop!

27th is just bad when you have a guy like Ant with supreme athleticism, skill and speed. If he starts opening up the court more next year watch the fuck out! I do hope that Dilly and TJ play a bunch, which could spark the entire team to simply run more. Because we know both of those guys can do it and do it well.

How much of that is Ant versus our coaching staff and the other players on they court with Ant?

I'd say it's 75% on Ant, as he has the athletic ability to push the ball and be a one-man fast break but seems to prefer working more methodically. Having said that, if he is out there with a bunch of guys that want to run, like Dilly and TJ, then I think they can get him to run.

You’re probably right with the 75%, but I’m not sure. I do think you’re spot on with your point about who’s on the court with Ant. He he has fast athletic teammates running the floor, Ant will respond by running with them. He’s wired that way. One thing for sure, we absolutely cannot remain near the bottom of the League in transition points and expect to get back to the Western Conference Finals over the improved Nuggets and Rockets. If the Clippers and Lakers stay healthy they’ll be tough competition as well. We should be able to run the Lakers and Clippers off the court with Ant, Rob, TSJ, Jaden, Naz, Donte and Clark if Finch lets them go and expands the rotation to keep everyone fresh. The only players on the roster who don’t fit that approach are Rudy and Randle.

[Lipoli390]

https://www.si.com/nba/timberwolves/min ... rget-field

[60WinTim]

Cool (and others) will appreciate what’s printed on the front of ANT’s pants as he posed with A-Rod and Lore today! (Tap on the pic to see the full phrase)

https://x.com/timberwolves/status/1943840189505581531

[Lipoli390]

Cool (and others) will appreciate what’s printed on the front of ANT’s pants as he posed with A-Rod and Lore today! (Tap on the pic to see the full phrase)

https://x.com/timberwolves/status/1943840189505581531

lol!!! The right phrase printed in precisely the right spot. Let’s hope it’s more than a slogan for Ant going forward.