thedoper wrote:These old school coaches seem to be having a bit of a resurgence.
Lol. Maybe. I love the way the Wolves are playing lately. So right now, I've imposed a moratorium on my own calls for Thibodeau's early departure. If we keep playing like this the rest of the season, even I would keep him as head coach next season. :)
Thibs, Doc, Carlise. Bikerstaff, MacMillan, then all the coaches with old school pedigree like Budenholzer and Synder.
The defensive turnaround for us is crazy, I think between the bench boost and the complimentary skills of Roco, Thibs has finally been able to do execute what he intended defensively.
Q12543 wrote:Dieng has actually impressed me lately on defense and I thought he was a lost cause. It helps when your perimeter guys aren't turnstiles.
Yeah, sometimes we forget that Gorgui was the defensive player of the year in the Big East in 2013...a conference known for its defense. His rim protection has been notably better the past couple weeks, but Jim Pete is also constantly praising his overall defense. Who knows...may be the RoCo effect.
Q12543 wrote:Dieng has actually impressed me lately on defense and I thought he was a lost cause. It helps when your perimeter guys aren't turnstiles.
Yeah, sometimes we forget that Gorgui was the defensive player of the year in the Big East in 2013...a conference known for its defense. His rim protection has been notably better the past couple weeks, but Jim Pete is also constantly praising his overall defense. Who knows...may be the RoCo effect.
Well, that's why I was a big fan of drafting him at the time. Then it turns out his defense really didn't transfer to the NBA.
It amazing how things have just sort of clicked into place, and it's the entire team. Hell, Teague was just hounding people last night. It's almost like we needed a certain number of conditions to be in place and only once all conditions were fully in place would a tipping point be achieved. That final condition was getting a defensive leader on the floor that knew how to communicate and motivate his very capable team mates. Enter RoCo.
Q12543 wrote:Dieng has actually impressed me lately on defense and I thought he was a lost cause. It helps when your perimeter guys aren't turnstiles.
Yeah, sometimes we forget that Gorgui was the defensive player of the year in the Big East in 2013...a conference known for its defense. His rim protection has been notably better the past couple weeks, but Jim Pete is also constantly praising his overall defense. Who knows...may be the RoCo effect.
Well, that's why I was a big fan of drafting him at the time. Then it turns out his defense really didn't transfer to the NBA.
It amazing how things have just sort of clicked into place, and it's the entire team. Hell, Teague was just hounding people last night. It's almost like we needed a certain number of conditions to be in place and only once all conditions were fully in place would a tipping point be achieved. That final condition was getting a defensive leader on the floor that knew how to communicate and motivate his very capable team mates. Enter RoCo.
I think a system change has helped Dieng...and Towns. Both guys are similar in their weaknesses and to some extent their strengths. In some ways they both probably have more guard type instincts than Typical bigs do. Dieng sometimes has played like he is Corey Brewer poking balls away from people using his weird quickness...from a guy that's slow footed. A switching scheme with some aggressiveness probably benefits both guys. Dieng you would think would be killed on switches but he has gotten down in a stance and moved his feet and not gotten blown past too badly most of the time. Towns can do just fine in these areas and for the most part Dieng is having to guard more bench types in those situations so not as bad when it does happen. Now the most unexplained thing BOTH guys are doing is actually being smarter at the rim not just going bonkers anytime someone comes into the paint. They are walling up more or just waiting for the guy and blocking their shot. Both guys are still leaving their feet to go for blocks but not in the same way it's often more in help defense which both are better and blocking shots that way. In the Spurs game Dieng had a block where I honestly think he just stood their flat footed and erased the shot. Will this trend continue? Idk but it's been nice to see.
Dieng I think as Jim Peterson has pointed numberous Times over the years often is in the right spot but nobody helps him. There is no Jamal level bad defender and Rose rotates to help quite often. Rose is a much better team defender than Jamal. Q mentioned this but it's another part. We didn't start the season with Bazz playing minutes either and even though I thought he was better in that area...(at least early on) I'd say he was still worse than anyone the Wolves are putting on the court (including Rose) and that might be putting it too kindly.
Ultimately I agree with Q it seems like a bunch of things have come together and Covington deserves a ton of credit. Thibs and his stafff likely deserve some as well even if it's obvious. Let's not leave out Teague who has been openly pining for the Wolves to Switch more for weeks.
I guess we all agree that Thibs is a defensive genius again? Pro Sports coaching is crazy. So up and down for these guys and their performance. Budenholzer was fired and now looks like a genius again. The Nate MacMillan hire was hugely questioned and he's done a great job with that young core. It an abstract alchemy, but Roco and Thibs seem like a match made in heaven. I just hope Thibs really does see that he cannot be worn down with ridiculous minutes.
thedoper wrote:I guess we all agree that Thibs is a defensive genius again? Pro Sports coaching is crazy. So up and down for these guys and their performance. Budenholzer was fired and now looks like a genius again. The Nate MacMillan hire was hugely questioned and he's done a great job with that young core. It an abstract alchemy, but Roco and Thibs seem like a match made in heaven. I just hope Thibs really does see that he cannot be worn down with ridiculous minutes.
I never thought he was dumb defensively, but scouting, schemes, and screaming only take you so far. What has clicked into place is a proper defensive leader on the floor that has actually gotten through to his fellow players. KG couldn't do it. Butler couldn't do it. RoCo somehow has.
I'm watching the Toronto game. The Warriors late 4th quarter comeback to force overtime is a lesson in the folly of isolation offense. The Raptors went with far too much iso with KW and Lowry, which stagnated their offense. After starting overtime with lots of ball movement and getting a lead, the Raptors again retreated to KW and Lowry iso play, which allowed the Warriors to tie the game again.
