Duke13 wrote:Not to beat a dead horse here, I've been concerned about Kat's maturity and leadership ability for quite awhile. Ever since his rookie year he seemed so scripted with his comments to the media and superficial. He never seemed like some comfortable in his own skin, always needing validation, which I think make it difficult to really connect with his peers. The way he reacted to his teammates successes during games has always as odd to me.
I think it was during the off season after his rookie year he made a comment about how he reached out to Bill Russell to get tips on how to be a leader. I remember thinking at the time he's really fake and disingenuous and I think his teammates can see right through it.
From the opening tip last night he had an agenda and that was to get back at the refs, it was all about him and the refs and not concerned about the team or beating the Pelicans. For me last night was extremely disappointing, I could care less about how bad we shot, it was sad because it further confirmed to me Kat hasn't matured and isn't really to ready lead a team.
Ant's not a perfect player by any means, but he's 20 years old. I think it's fair to critique him a bit different then Kat and Dlo based on age and experience. Ant's interview I found extremely sincere and professional beyond his years. You can't tell me guys like JO, JV and Jaden aren't gonna want to follow a guy like that?!?
I recommend ready Robson's assessment of last night game. Pretty good read
Great read. I couldn't help coming out of last night's game feeling frustrated with DLo and KAT. DLo is so casual out there and KAT immediately expects everything to go his way. The game was over in the first half despite Ant's best efforts. DLo and KAT have yet to show anything substantive in the league and they act like they deserve respect because their peers are succeeding. The worst part about the whole thing is we shot more free throws than NO last night and JV had two more fouls than KAT. For all his talent it is hard to see KAT as a leader of men.
Duke13 wrote:Not to beat a dead horse here, I've been concerned about Kat's maturity and leadership ability for quite awhile. Ever since his rookie year he seemed so scripted with his comments to the media and superficial. He never seemed like some comfortable in his own skin, always needing validation, which I think make it difficult to really connect with his peers. The way he reacted to his teammates successes during games has always as odd to me.
I think it was during the off season after his rookie year he made a comment about how he reached out to Bill Russell to get tips on how to be a leader. I remember thinking at the time he's really fake and disingenuous and I think his teammates can see right through it.
From the opening tip last night he had an agenda and that was to get back at the refs, it was all about him and the refs and not concerned about the team or beating the Pelicans. For me last night was extremely disappointing, I could care less about how bad we shot, it was sad because it further confirmed to me Kat hasn't matured and isn't really to ready lead a team.
Ant's not a perfect player by any means, but he's 20 years old. I think it's fair to critique him a bit different then Kat and Dlo based on age and experience. Ant's interview I found extremely sincere and professional beyond his years. You can't tell me guys like JO, JV and Jaden aren't gonna want to follow a guy like that?!?
I recommend ready Robson's assessment of last night game. Pretty good read
Thanks for posting that article. Admittedly I'm not the biggest Robson fan, but holy shit he completely gets it in this case. His analysis is so dialed in you would think he took days to write that article instead of hours. I can't articulate things as well as Britt, but I see the same things. It was just a few days ago I started the thread on KAT and his emotions hurting himself and the team. Every time I hear someone say how gifted and talented Towns is it makes me cringe a little bit. The truth he is those things, but that doesn't tell the whole story. And if you're not willing to to see or admit to the whole story you are missing the boat. In NBA terms KAT is a loser. It's all he's done since he entered the league. Sure, he has great talent and skill but he's simply not a winner. Neither is his running buddy DLO. It really bothers me that our younger players are learning the NBA experience from watching these two. I've advocated for moving Towns for multiple years now. He could still bring a good haul and maybe the real jolt our culture needs is something like a major trade to shake up the organization. We keep waiting for all this to correct itself, but isn't time to wonder if it ever will?
This is why I was cautious about chalking up victories in these games.
IMO the Wolves did not lose this game because of rebounding. They lost this game because they couldn't score. Russell I thought had another game he played D but wasn't good on offense. His shot never looked right. The offense doesn't look very good but there was also stretches of times they got wide open 3's and missed them. Meanwhile the Pels hit some prayers and Ingram was really cooking shitting the door.
Is rebounding a concern and also why the Wolves lost this game? Sure it was but when you can't make shots that's a pretty big deal. Vanderbilt had zero rebounds...as did Naz. I don't think playing Vanderbilt is the solution to the rebounding problem. Naz is a good player but he has struggled to some extent this season. I actually wish he was able to play some PF.
The defense wasn't bad in this game but I thought there were a few more breakdowns.
Beverly comes to play.
Towns idk at this point he has done nothing to make me thing he is the best player on a championship level team in terms of the mental aspect of the game. He isn't Demarcus Cousins but he isn't the level headed cerebral guy either. Fortunately the Wolves have Edwards as a very high end talent.
Russell has been bad the last 2 games offensively there is simply no sugar coating it. Tonight he wasn't the only one struggling on offense but he wasn't good.
I'm just throwing out a completely hypothetical situation here. What happens if the Wolves go on the road tomorrow night and beat a Bucks team that's missing a couple starters? What will the takes be, especially if Karl-Anthony Towns plays with emotional maturity and D'Angelo Russell makes shots reminiscent of the player he's been the past several years?
I totally understand that's a mighty big "if" but it's also entirely plausible if the team plays up to their talent level. I feel like fans are so disappointed in what was objectively a bad loss that they might be overreacting a bit. Most of us would have predicted a 3-1 start given the slate of games we had on the schedule. Let's see if the team comes out strong and surprises us.
Camden0916 wrote:I'm just throwing out a completely hypothetical situation here. What happens if the Wolves go on the road tomorrow night and beat a Bucks team that's missing a couple starters? What will the takes be, especially if Karl-Anthony Towns plays with emotional maturity and D'Angelo Russell makes shots reminiscent of the player he's been the past several years?
I totally understand that's a mighty big "if" but it's also entirely plausible if the team plays up to their talent level. I feel like fans are so disappointed in what was objectively a bad loss that they might be overreacting a bit. Most of us would have predicted a 3-1 start given the slate of games we had on the schedule. Let's see if the team comes out strong and surprises us.
It would be great. I hope these are real lessons that DLo and KAT are learning. Its their team, and they need to start showing that maturity.
Camden0916 wrote:I'm just throwing out a completely hypothetical situation here. What happens if the Wolves go on the road tomorrow night and beat a Bucks team that's missing a couple starters? What will the takes be, especially if Karl-Anthony Towns plays with emotional maturity and D'Angelo Russell makes shots reminiscent of the player he's been the past several years?
I totally understand that's a mighty big "if" but it's also entirely plausible if the team plays up to their talent level. I feel like fans are so disappointed in what was objectively a bad loss that they might be overreacting a bit. Most of us would have predicted a 3-1 start given the slate of games we had on the schedule. Let's see if the team comes out strong and surprises us.
It would be great. I hope these are real lessons that DLo and KAT are learning. Its their team, and they need to start showing that maturity.
I'd love it, as everyone here would. I know that if DLo and KAT both play well and we upset the Bucks, I will go full rube and be asking Q if I can change my win prediction. I think it's quite unlikely though. I was hoping for 3-1 to start the season, but expecting 2-2...and I think it will be 2-2.
Camden0916 wrote:I'm just throwing out a completely hypothetical situation here. What happens if the Wolves go on the road tomorrow night and beat a Bucks team that's missing a couple starters? What will the takes be, especially if Karl-Anthony Towns plays with emotional maturity and D'Angelo Russell makes shots reminiscent of the player he's been the past several years?
I totally understand that's a mighty big "if" but it's also entirely plausible if the team plays up to their talent level. I feel like fans are so disappointed in what was objectively a bad loss that they might be overreacting a bit. Most of us would have predicted a 3-1 start given the slate of games we had on the schedule. Let's see if the team comes out strong and surprises us.
If i see signs of continuity and playing as a team, I'd be truly excited. But if we beat them playing isolation basketball I'll be honest, I'll be much less excited. I'm not one to look at the schedule and predict wins, not my thing. As you mentioned in an earlier post, good teams (title contenders) lose to bad teams quite often, so if we win I wont be making any grand declarations.
Good time to be playing the Bucks with their injuries. But as long as Giannis and Middleton are out there leading the way they do, they will be tough to beat in Milwaukee.
I just want to take a step back for a moment. Yes, KAT has to grow up, get his emotions in check and stop whining. But equating his play so far this season or overall with DLO is way off the mark. Without KAT, the Wolves would be 1-2 or 0-3 instead of 2-1 so far this season. He had 32 points, 14 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steal and 2 blocks last night. He got to the line 8 times and hit all 8. He battled JV the beast on both ends time after time. He had 25 points the previous game and 30 points in the opener. And he's complemented his offensive prowess with good defense so far this season. I won't bother to review DLO's stats.
As for calling KAT a loser, I'll just remind folks that this team made the playoffs with KAT in the 2017-18 season when Butler was here. If Butler hadn't been hurt and missed so many games, the Wolves probably would have been a 4th seed that season. Would I take Embiid or Jokic over KAT as a big guy to build around? Yes. But those players have been "winners" because they've had players around them who helped them win. Even the greatest player of all time, MJ, was a loser until Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant showed up. KAT has been surrounded by G-League-caliber players and one talented player with serious flaws (Wiggins then DLO) every season here except the season when Butler was here. And in that one season, KAT was a winner.
Last night was telling. KAT had 32 points and 14 rebounds while Edwards had 29 points and 9 rebounds. No other player on the team came close to either on in scoring or rebounding contributions. In fact, except for Beverley, the offensive and rebounding production from the rest of the team was horrible. I guarantee that the Wolves would have lost last night with Jokic, Embiid, Gobert or anyone else instead of KAT on the roster. Going forward, the success of the this team will depend on the duo of KAT and Edwards. The question those two have the right players around them to be winners. That remains to be seen. We're only 3 games in.
