Game Report - Wolves v. Knicks

[WildWolf2813]

I'm with LST, I'm about as down as ever on this team. I get that they made a valiant comeback and exhibited some nice esprit de corps, but that NYK team is mediocre at best....and they were without Noah....and they lost their starting SG.....and we were at home. We just shouldn't lose games like this.

Two depressing home losses in a row on what should have been winnable games is inexcusable. Moral victories be damned. We're digging a huge hole that won't be overcome by another late season surge. And we've seen how illusory late season surges are!

Agreed. I'm ready to throw in the towel.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Possibly something to build on. I'm not going to hold my breath though.

The main positive was Kat playing like a center. We don't need 47 points every night, but we do need him in the paint. He got there tonight.

One other observation: the Wiggins long 2's at the end of the game were just atrocious mind-blowingly stupid wtf are you doing! shots to take. Especially early in the clock. There is a great basketball player somewhere inside Wiggins but it's not going to happen for him until he starts thinking the game on a higher level. On the other hand the one on one defense he played against Mello on the last play was commendable. He learned from the game where Butler got him to jump early. Gotta credit Mello he made a helluva shot.

And the Wolves were in the Bonus for most of the 2nd half.

Ugh.

[Wile E Coyote [enjin:17432808]]

Good discussion!

I felt the same way as Lip, slightly encouraged despite the loss. The first game I can remember where the Wolves played fairly well in both the 3rd and 4th quarters.

IMO this game was lost much earlier than Melo's tough shot. We had so many terrible, empty possessions much earlier in the game, such as the many, many long Wiggins twos and the disastrous Dunn stretch.

I feel like Thibs the POBO has to rescue Thibs the coach from running his starters into the ground. We need to get a bench, plain and simple. The starters are beginning to figure things out, but they are playing 40 MPG because the bench is so poor.

The Knicks are a mediocre team that was down two starters (Noah and Lee). Still, there bench outplayed ours by a mile.

Last thought - we have not had many games where two of our big three get going. Wiggins and Zach both scored some, but neither was really enough of force to help Towns get the W. The previous game Zach was the one that needed help. If we just get two of the three cooking we should be in good shape during the starter's minutes.

[Wile E Coyote [enjin:17432808]]

With respect to improving the bench, I would try to move Bazz, Dunn, and Belly, all of whom have some value, for older more expensive players who will give consistent performances. While I don't like losing youth, you can't get something for nothing. We have enough youth in the starting lineup. Look how effective Joe Johnson and Boris Diaw are, for example, for Utah.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Gotta give it until about January before anyone should throw in the towel. December will be a telling month. We're going to find out if this team can step up.

@ NYK, @ CHA, vs SAS, @ TOR, vs DET, vs GSW, @ CHI, vs HOU, vs PHO, @ ATL, vs SAC, @ OKC, vs ATL, @ DEN, vs MIL

That's this upcoming month's schedule -- not an easy stretch by any means. If this team were to go 10-5 or 9-6 through that run of games, which I do think is possible, I'm confident everyone here would feel good about where we're at despite the rough start to the season. They just have to perform. For some reason, even after a loss, I feel good about last night. I think that last fight back into the game could be the start of some better basketball from our starters.

[Monster]

I'm with LST, I'm about as down as ever on this team. I get that they made a valiant comeback and exhibited some nice esprit de corps, but that NYK team is mediocre at best....and they were without Noah....and they lost their starting SG.....and we were at home. We just shouldn't lose games like this.

Two depressing home losses in a row on what should have been winnable games is inexcusable. Moral victories be damned. We're digging a huge hole that won't be overcome by another late season surge. And we've seen how illusory late season surges are!

Agreed. I'm ready to throw in the towel.

If you need to take a break do it. This team has been frustrating but if this is the bad stretch for this team they can be ok. Last year this team went 4-12 and 2-14 in December and January. If they can avoid having those types of pathetic stretches they have a shot or have a decent season. It makes me think back to the 2014-2015 Pacers who were 17-32 heading into February and ended up with 38 wins and just missing the playoffs. This team still has a shot at turning it around and having a season that isn't soul crushing for fans. If Sam could get the Wolves to play some pretty good Ball for a few months after 2 months of Sixer tanking like ineptness I think Thibs can turn this thing around.

[Wile E Coyote [enjin:17432808]]

Gotta give it until about January before anyone should throw in the towel. December will be a telling month. We're going to find out if this team can step up.

@ NYK, @ CHA, vs SAS, @ TOR, vs DET, vs GSW, @ CHI, vs HOU, vs PHO, @ ATL, vs SAC, @ OKC, vs ATL, @ DEN, vs MIL

That's this upcoming month's schedule -- not an easy stretch by any means. If this team were to go 10-5 or 9-6 through that run of games, which I do think is possible, I'm confident everyone here would feel good about where we're at despite the rough start to the season. They just have to perform. For some reason, even after a loss, I feel good about last night. I think that last fight back into the game could be the start of some better basketball from our starters.

That is a pretty rough stretch. Unless the Wolves trade for some bench guys I only see possible wins vs PHO, vs SAC, vs ATL, @DEN, and vs MIL. So maybe 3-5 wins?

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

Gotta give it until about January before anyone should throw in the towel. December will be a telling month. We're going to find out if this team can step up.

@ NYK, @ CHA, vs SAS, @ TOR, vs DET, vs GSW, @ CHI, vs HOU, vs PHO, @ ATL, vs SAC, @ OKC, vs ATL, @ DEN, vs MIL

That's this upcoming month's schedule -- not an easy stretch by any means. If this team were to go 10-5 or 9-6 through that run of games, which I do think is possible, I'm confident everyone here would feel good about where we're at despite the rough start to the season. They just have to perform. For some reason, even after a loss, I feel good about last night. I think that last fight back into the game could be the start of some better basketball from our starters.

Yeah, I agree that even the depressed guys like me would fell a lot different if we put up a 10-5 or 9-6 over that stretch...I'm just so skeptical that we can do it. We absolutely sucked in our "first 10 games prediction" thread...worst we have ever done, which is why I think the level of discontent is at an all-time high right now. I think I'll take your lead and fire up a "Next 15 games" prediction thread...let's see if we are better this time.

[Coolbreeze44]

I have always been a big Zach supporter, but I didn't see his game the way most of you did last night. I thought he was generally poor on both ends of the floor. What did I miss?

[AbeVigodaLive]

I have always been a big Zach supporter, but I didn't see his game the way most of you did last night. I thought he was generally poor on both ends of the floor. What did I miss?

Jim Pete... is that you?