Bench and minutes distribution criticism

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

MGH has hardly accomplished anything while playing in terms of "doing shit". But sometimes less is more. When Shabazz was playing that role, he had a typical scorer's mentality and that meant less shots for the more efficient players. MGH clearly defers and focuses primarily on defense. The result is it allows our best play makers and shot makers to do what they do best.

I'm not sure if MGH is the answer in terms of our 2nd wing off the bench after Crawford. He needs to do more than just avoid mistakes and hustling. At some point, there will be wide open 3's he needs to sink and rebounds he needs to pursue. But it is amazing how a vastly less talented player like him that stays in his lane can be more effective than Shabazz.

[thedoper]

MGH has hardly accomplished anything while playing in terms of "doing shit". But sometimes less is more. When Shabazz was playing that role, he had a typical scorer's mentality and that meant less shots for the more efficient players. MGH clearly defers and focuses primarily on defense. The result is it allows our best play makers and shot makers to do what they do best.

I'm not sure if MGH is the answer in terms of our 2nd wing off the bench after Crawford. He needs to do more than just avoid mistakes and hustling. At some point, there will be wide open 3's he needs to sink and rebounds he needs to pursue. But it is amazing how a vastly less talented player like him that stays in his lane can be more effective than Shabazz.

I think the key is how you play with Crawford. Since he is option one when he comes out on the floor. You can't have 2 wings with a scorers mentality that play poor D out there together. This is why Bazz and Lavine were also so awful together on the 2nd unit. It's a tough role to defer over and over and then hit a shot with the shot clock winding down. Hope MGH can do it too.

[Big O [enjin:13874644]]

Serious question - not trolling! Would the team be better off with Wiggins coming off the bench as the first substitution for Butler? I think in part Andrew's issue is that he is now expected to defer to Butler on offense. It may do him some good to have a bigger role on the floor. MGH may be able to handle the starting roll on defense without too big of a drop off...

[thedoper]

Serious question - not trolling! Would the team be better off with Wiggins coming off the bench as the first substitution for Butler? I think in part Andrew's issue is that he is now expected to defer to Butler on offense. It may do him some good to have a bigger role on the floor. MGH may be able to handle the starting roll on defense without too big of a drop off...

I'm a big Wiggins backer and have thought of this too. I don't think that's a bad idea at all. But would that make Crawford the stater? That I worry about a bit.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Serious question - not trolling! Would the team be better off with Wiggins coming off the bench as the first substitution for Butler? I think in part Andrew's issue is that he is now expected to defer to Butler on offense. It may do him some good to have a bigger role on the floor. MGH may be able to handle the starting roll on defense without too big of a drop off...

I'm a big Wiggins backer and have thought of this too. I don't think that's a bad idea at all. But would that make Crawford the stater? That I worry about a bit.

I understand the merits of this idea, but Crawford is too much of a downgrade defensively and there isn't another wing I have enough confidence in to start. If we had a legit 3&D wing, it would make a lot of sense. MGH hasn't shown me enough to step into that role.

Andrew's main issue by the way is that he flat out lacks any high level skills that differentiates him from other players. Even before his December cold streak, he still wasn't that great of a shooter. And there is literally nothing else he does at a high level. His defense is OK-ish and he seems to keep the ball moving on offense. Otherwise, he embodies mediocrity. Jeff Green ladies and gentlemen!

[Monster]

Serious question - not trolling! Would the team be better off with Wiggins coming off the bench as the first substitution for Butler? I think in part Andrew's issue is that he is now expected to defer to Butler on offense. It may do him some good to have a bigger role on the floor. MGH may be able to handle the starting roll on defense without too big of a drop off...

I'm a big Wiggins backer and have thought of this too. I don't think that's a bad idea at all. But would that make Crawford the stater? That I worry about a bit.

I understand the merits of this idea, but Crawford is too much of a downgrade defensively and there isn't another wing I have enough confidence in to start. If we had a legit 3&D wing, it would make a lot of sense. MGH hasn't shown me enough to step into that role.

Andrew's main issue by the way is that he flat out lacks any high level skills that differentiates him from other players. Even before his December cold streak, he still wasn't that great of a shooter. And there is literally nothing else he does at a high level. His defense is OK-ish and he seems to keep the ball moving on offense. Otherwise, he embodies mediocrity. Jeff Green ladies and gentlemen!

One way to look at Wiggins is having him do the other stuff while he can't buy a shot rather than give him even more of an opportunity to backup shots.

What kind of starting minutes are you looking for MGH to do? The Ole Keith Bogans starting treatment as the Dunc'd On guys call it? I like MGH to some extent and I am also a Wiggins supporter. Like Q said i don't think MGH has shown enough you bench Wiggins for him. Crawford is much better utilized off the bench.

The reality is that if you trust MGH to play that decent placeholder role as a wing it's likely to have a similar effect playing him those minutes with Crawford and whoever else out there off the bench MAYBE like last night against Lyles even with Wiggins as a small ball 4. Really what MGH has shown in limited mins is the type of guy this team needs just a do your job guy nothing that spectacular.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Interesting hypothetical... mostly because I can't even imagine a similar scenario where a guy signs a $146.5M deal and subsequently gets benched in favor of a minimum salary guy.

Mentally, that would be a tough pill to swallow.

[thedoper]

Interesting hypothetical... mostly because I can't even imagine a similar scenario where a guy signs a $146.5M deal and subsequently gets benched in favor of a minimum salary guy.

Mentally, that would be a tough pill to swallow.

I can't see how his performance in the last 10 games can't be a tough mental pill to swallow already. Something needs to pull him out of this slump.

[Big O [enjin:13874644]]

Interesting hypothetical... mostly because I can't even imagine a similar scenario where a guy signs a $146.5M deal and subsequently gets benched in favor of a minimum salary guy.

Mentally, that would be a tough pill to swallow.

I think Wiggins is already struggling with being number 3 on the depth chart - his whole life he has been "the guy". If he was out on the court without Butler he gets to be the go to guy rather than standing in the corner waiting for someone to get double teamed. Zach did pretty well in this role last year.

[Big O [enjin:13874644]]

https://www.sbnation.com/2017/12/21/16805198/minnesota-timberwolves-nba-most-improved

Happy to see that I got a mention in the last paragraph!