Nowhere to go but up - Wolves at Bobcats GDT

[WildWolf2813]

By the way, I hope we’re at a point where a healthy Clark plays at least 20 minutes per game. His perimeter defense in the rotation is critical to this team.

Clark has everything Finch wants in a prospect except actual PG skills.

[Q-is-here]

By the way, I hope we’re at a point where a healthy Clark plays at least 20 minutes per game. His perimeter defense in the rotation is critical to this team.

Clark has everything Finch wants in a prospect except actual PG skills.

Good thing he wasn't drafted to play point guard!

[Wolvesfan21]

Defense showed up finally.....

[Q-is-here]

Defense showed up finally.....

More specifically, Rudy showed up. He finally started contesting shots out of the drop rather than just dropping and allowing guys to get off clean looks. He was a monster in the 2nd half. Not sure we can expect that from him every night though.

[Q-is-here]

By the way, I hope we’re at a point where a healthy Clark plays at least 20 minutes per game. His perimeter defense in the rotation is critical to this team.

If he ever starts hitting the 3-point shot again, then he will entrench himself as the "8th starter" and Shannon/Dilly will be fighting for 9th man minutes. Really a shame how Shannon has become a shell of what he was in the pre-season and last year's playoff (albeit brief) stints. We know it's in him to do better!

[Wolvesfan21]

Defense showed up finally.....

More specifically, Rudy showed up. He finally started contesting shots out of the drop rather than just dropping and allowing guys to get off clean looks. He was a monster in the 2nd half. Not sure we can expect that from him every night though.

100%, 88 Def Rating when Rudy played last night, an even unbelievable 150 when he was off!!!!!!!!!

We go from best defense in the league to the worst with one guy! We can't compete without Rudy out there for some reason (not just this game, this season).

[Wolvesfan21]

By the way, I hope we’re at a point where a healthy Clark plays at least 20 minutes per game. His perimeter defense in the rotation is critical to this team.

If he ever starts hitting the 3-point shot again, then he will entrench himself as the "8th starter" and Shannon/Dilly will be fighting for 9th man minutes. Really a shame how Shannon has become a shell of what he was in the pre-season and last year's playoff (albeit brief) stints. We know it's in him to do better!

TJ will turn it around for sure. 100% the guy is legit. Not sure why he's not playing up to his speed, but he'll be fine.

Clark is huge also, we just got to have that guy play every night. Without his defense we are stinky poo poo.

[DNatagal]

I thought last night would have been a good time to throw Beringer out there at the start of the 4th after Rudy played the entire 3rd. But I am not the coach.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Abe's Next Day (and another hour) DVR Review:

- Every other game or so, Julius Randle spins into a double team and loses the ball. We can all see it coming on television... surely, his teammates see it coming. Do they not yell that it's coming on the court?

- That nose on Divincenzo. Reminded me of Steve Nash a bit (with less blood). But damn... what a gutty effort. He started 1 - 7 on threes (1 - 4 pre injury), then hit 4 of his final 5. That's not easy. Heck, I wouldn't want to be within 10 feet of another human with a nose like that.

- Prediction: Bones Hyland will be out of the rotation (or even off the team) by the ASG. After Reid scored 10 straight points, Hyland took a no-pass forced three. That's beyond terrible. I don't know what he does at a high level, or even consistently at above average level.

- Mike Conley seems to miss at least one bunny every game. It's an old man thing.

- LaMelo Ball is a losing basketball player. Immensely talented, but damn, I'd hate watching any team he's on. Yuck.

- Great 3rd quarter by Gobert. It helped that Charlotte took a bunch of terrible shots and missed them badly.

- Nice composure from Dillingham. Played under control, a little pesky on defense.

- Jaylen Clark was +19 in 19 minutes. And it felt like it. Eventually, he's going to have to hit shots though... the better teams will take advantage.

- TJ Shannon seems lost. What's his role?

- Julius Randle remains crazy impressive consistently good this season. EVERY game has been a plus efficiency game.

[Lipoli390]

By the way, I hope we’re at a point where a healthy Clark plays at least 20 minutes per game. His perimeter defense in the rotation is critical to this team.

If he ever starts hitting the 3-point shot again, then he will entrench himself as the "8th starter" and Shannon/Dilly will be fighting for 9th man minutes. Really a shame how Shannon has become a shell of what he was in the pre-season and last year's playoff (albeit brief) stints. We know it's in him to do better!

TJ will turn it around for sure. 100% the guy is legit. Not sure why he's not playing up to his speed, but he'll be fine.

Clark is huge also, we just got to have that guy play every night. Without his defense we are stinky poo poo.

I agree on both TJ and Clark. We tend to rush to conclusions on extremely small sample sizes. Players have rough patches and need to play through them. That’s especially true for inexperienced players. Unfortunately, we have a head coach who doesn’t have the patience to let that process play out for our younger or less experienced players. As a result, we are not developing our draft picks the way we should and are squandering their value.

Cooper Flagg was the top pick in this year’s draft and widely regarded as a generational prospect. He’s averaging 32.5 minutes per game while scoring 13.4 points and shooting only 37.3% from the field and 28.6% from behind the arc. Mike Conley averaged 26 minutes per game in 53 games his rookie season while averaging only 9.4 points, 4.2 assists and 2.6 rebounds.

Cooper Flagg gets 32.5 minutes per game while shooting 37.3% from the field as a PF. Meanwhile Dillingham averaged only 10.5 minutes per game as a rookie and is getting even less playing time so far this season. If you extrapolate Dilly’s rookie stats to the 32.5 minutes Flagg is averaging, Dilly’s averages last season would have been 14 points, 6.2 assists, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.2 steals. Note that Dilly’s shot 44% from the field and nearly 34% from behind the arc — both substantially better than Flagg’s shooting numbers. The Wolves recent draft picks — Dillingham, TJ and Clark — have to get significant, consistent minutes if we want them to develop and help this team become a sustainable true championship contender with Ant and Jaden. I actually think all three - especially Clark - can help us a lot right how. If they get the sort of playing time they need to develop then all three can certainly be very positive contributors for us the second half of the season or at least by the end of the season.