The Sky is Falling Thread - 2 best and 2 worst so far

[apollotsg [enjin:6592798]]

and we are up 17 and 10 in the 1st and 4th quarter (in losses) - usually the two most important quarters. What does that mean?

[TAFKASP]

Rumor has it KAT is sick of losing and plans on requesting a trade. I wouldn't get to wound up just yet as I'm the guy starting this particular rumor and my track record is, well, lacking. On the other hand if/when it happens, remember, you heard it here first! I'll be like that guy who predicted back in 2014 the Cubs/Indians 2016 game seven would go into extra innings, I'll be famous!

[Coolbreeze44]

Let's get 20 games in. I realize this is very frustrating, but we simply can't push the panic button yet. We have shown how good we can be in stretches, just need to figure out how to maintain it. One thing that would help: Thibs needs to come with the first subs sooner. He's waiting until late in the first quarter, and then we find ourselves with all 5 reserves on the court for too long of a time period. I know this doesn't explain the 3rd quarters, but it does help to explain why those large 1st quarter leads have vanished.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

Can we stop putting so much stock in the part of the season where a large chunk of teams are tanking for lottery balls or getting rested for the playoffs? It's the beginning of the year now. Everyone is still in it so everyone is playing hard. The last quarter of the season is the worst time to evaluate a team.

[Brooklyn_Wolves [enjin:14608167]]

We beat up the Warriors that were gunning for the all time record !!! Come on.

[TAFKASP]

Can we stop...

Nope.

[Lipoli390]

We beat up the Warriors that were gunning for the all time record !!! Come on.

And we beat a Portland team competing for playoff position on their home court.

[Lipoli390]

Good news and bad news. The good news is that only 4 teams in the Western Conference have allowed fewer points per game than the Wolves so far this season and those teams are 4 of the top 5 teams in the conference. The bad news is that 9 Western Conference teams have scored more points per game than the Wolves. Even worse news is that there are 12 teams ahead of us in the Conference standings, including teams that aren't nearly as talented on paper as the Wolves -- namely the Suns, Nuggets, and Lakers.

But I'll finish with good news. We're only five games into the season.

[Lipoli390]

Picking up on my past post, this Wolves teams should be scoring a lot more than it has to date. Again, I'll suggest that possibility that Thibs' in-game micro-management of the offense that is stifling the offensive flow and natural talent of our players. A friend of mine and Bulls season ticket holder in Chicago warned me when we hired Thibs that Thibs calls all the plays on every possession and never lets go of the reins. He said that he heard from sources inside the Bullsorganization that it really frustrated the players. He said Jimmy Butler was OK with it because he really needed it, but the other players grew tired of it.

Maybe it will work here with out young guys. I hope so because I don't see Thibs changing that aspect of his coaching. He's nearly 60 years old and has been coaching this way his entire life. I have this terrible fear that this will end in a year or so with a lot of unhappy young players entertaining offers to go elsewhere to escape mediocrity along with Thibs' relentless screaming and micromanagement.

[KiwiMatt]

KAT needs to play more of the low post bruiser role as opposed to the stretch four, especially playing next to Dieng. He's been effective playing on the perimeter, but we really need a big body in the low post both offensively and defensively. This is where we miss Pek. Dieng has been a great weakside shot blocker so far this season, but I feel KAT hasn't made no progress defensively.

Aldrich has his limitations, Bjelica hasn't found his late (last) season form and Jordan Hill looks half baked all the time. We really are missing KG and Pek. What was once a loaded front court now looks very thin.