Game Report - Wolves v. Jazz

[rapsuperstar31]

The game was frustrating to watch in the 2nd half minus the final 1:45 of the 4th quarter. We have to remember that with Kat's illness we really didn't get a pre-season to get everyone acclimated and firing on all cylinders together. Kat looks weak out there, and he really needs to put on some weight. I'm not worried about him, he'll gain some weight as the season goes on and figure out his place in the new offense. Finch right now is the biggest problem, he needs to make this work, and if players aren't running the offense properly he needs to take them out to send a message to them. Losing to Utah won't matter 80 games from now, it might be the difference between finishing 3rd or 4th place, but it doesn't matter. What matters is getting everyone on the same page, running a good offense and playing defense/boxing out your man when a shot goes up.

[Lipoli390]

The game was frustrating to watch in the 2nd half minus the final 1:45 of the 4th quarter. We have to remember that with Kat's illness we really didn't get a pre-season to get everyone acclimated and firing on all cylinders together. Kat looks weak out there, and he really needs to put on some weight. I'm not worried about him, he'll gain some weight as the season goes on and figure out his place in the new offense. Finch right now is the biggest problem, he needs to make this work, and if players aren't running the offense properly he needs to take them out to send a message to them. Losing to Utah won't matter 80 games from now, it might be the difference between finishing 3rd or 4th place, but it doesn't matter. What matters is getting everyone on the same page, running a good offense and playing defense/boxing out your man when a shot goes up.

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Good points, Rap.

[TAFKASP]

After 8? Seasons it's getting hard to watch KAT's constant complaining. He's so skilled, and yet I want punch my TV a few times every game because of his childish antics.

[Coolbreeze44]

KAT is a moron. It's okay, you can say it.

There is no reason our perimeter defense should be bad. When you have a great rim protector, it should embolden the perimeter guys to press up on their man and make things difficult on the ball and in the passing lanes. Their really is no excuse other than early season cohesion for us to be poor on defense.

[D-Mac [enjin:19736340]]

I don't recall people loving the Kessler pick on draft night.

I liked Kessler a lot and he's looked great so far. How's that trade looking so far? We clearly miss Beverlys perimeter defense and fire too. TC is either going to be a genius or a bigger idiot than David Kahn... it's not looking great right now. Good luck making Gobert and Kat fit... if Finch can make it work in the regular season then he's a pretty good coach. How's it gonna look when our two highest paid players can't play together in the playoffs? Lol

[Lipoli390]

KAT is a moron. It's okay, you can say it.

There is no reason our perimeter defense should be bad. When you have a great rim protector, it should embolden the perimeter guys to press up on their man and make things difficult on the ball and in the passing lanes. Their really is no excuse other than early season cohesion for us to be poor on defense.

Cool - I wish I could say you're wrong about KAT.

[Coolbreeze44]

KAT is a moron. It's okay, you can say it.

There is no reason our perimeter defense should be bad. When you have a great rim protector, it should embolden the perimeter guys to press up on their man and make things difficult on the ball and in the passing lanes. Their really is no excuse other than early season cohesion for us to be poor on defense.

Cool - I wish I could say you're wrong about KAT.

We always hear how talented he is and we've been waiting for that talent to translate into success on the court. The problem is he nullifies most of his talent with immaturity and being a knucklehead. As you know, I would have traded him a long time ago. I think this year is crucial for him. Two fucking games and he and his Dad are already complaining about his role? Of course they are. He's proven nothing in his career except that he can lose and underachieve. He needs to find a way to play with Rudy. He needs to shut up and be a good teammate. He needs to grow up and not take himself out of games. And he needs to win, period. If it doesn't end up working out this year, I would seriously trade him in the offseason and get our draft capital back. I hope he comes through and leads this franchise the way you would expect him to, but I'm skeptical at best.

[Lipoli390]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mj2FFbFvA84

Check out Finchy's post-game presser after the Utah game.

The most telling part starts at around the 5:50 mark. Finch was asked about Wolves players getting caught in no-man's land where they weren't rebounding inside or contesting outside. The question was whether the problem is scheme, awareness or something else. Finch's response: "Honestly, it's want to. Guys have got to go pursue the ball. Lots of times guys are just standing around and watching...." Listen closely and hear the venom in Finch's otherwise low-key voice as he says "guys are just standing around and watching." It's exactly what I've noticed the past two games and it's really troubling.

Here are some other quotes from Finch:

- "We lost focus on our offense"
- "Played a little too cute"
- "On offensive the ball got sticky. Just not trusting ball movement in key moments."
- "Too much ball pounding..." (referring to OT)
- "Could have been way tighter on them . . " (referring to poor perimeter defense)
- "We just have to compete through those screens harder (again referring to poor perimeter defense)
- "We weren't physical enough . . . Need to get into guys and make them feel us." (Referring to poor defense)
- " Had plays (in OT) designed to get Ant the ball, but the ball got sticky."

Two emphatic, repeating themes in Finchy's remarks were lack of effort (defense) and lack of ball movement, i.e., sticky fingers (offense). The good news is that those two issues are fixable. The bad news is that both of those issues tend to reflect the fundamental character of players, which means they often don't get fixed. Finch said at the beginning of his presser that it's too early to get a sense of this team's character or identity (I can't remember which word he used). But the upshot of that comment was that he's not happy with the team's character he's seen thus far, but that it's too early to conclude that what we've seen will persist going forward.

As for individual players, the only positive comment Finch made about any of his players was about Jaylen Nowell. Finch said about him: "I have a lot of trust in Jaylen. He's been playing well." Although Finch didn't single any player out for criticism, I got the sense that a lot of his criticism was directed at KAT, especially the comment about having plays designed for Ant in OT but "the ball got sticky" and "too much ball pounding." Clearly KAT wasn't the only one with sticky fingers last night. Edwards and DLO were guilty as well. And his comments about guys just standing and watching, not competing through screens and not being physical enough were clearly applicable to a lot of Wolves players. But I suspect that Finch is really unhappy with KAT right now - as he should be.

[FNG]

Did Lip just Rick Roll us? The video he posted is a commercial for Shapiro hair replacement! I know some here have admitted to being tonsorially impaired, and they deserve an apology for this low blow from Lip.

[Lipoli390]

Did Lip just Rick Roll us? The video he posted is a commercial for Shapiro hair replacement! I know some here have admitted to being tonsorially impaired, and they deserve an apology for this low blow from Lip.

Lol. Not sure what happened. But at least I can feel good about having helped in some small way all the follicly challenged guys or persons of baldness out there.