Minnesota Sports Forum

I agree with most of what's been said here, and I'm very pleased with a win after starting the game so poorly, but I'll be the bad news bear of this thread...

Gorgui Dieng was terrible last night and has been the entire start to this season. He's still bad defensively, but he's also not making shots. Went 2-8 last night from the field with plenty of "WTF" plays. I can remember one in particular that upset me. Gorgui sealed Whiteside down low under the rim, Payne made a nice post entry pass to him. Instead of just rising up for the layup or two-handed dunk, Gorgui somehow managed to take that ugly Dirk fall-away shot from a step inside the free throw line. He took what was an easy look and made it really tough. Oh, did I mention Whiteside recovered and blocked the shot? I'm very displeased with Dieng this year. He's just not helping anything with that second unit. Payne might be creeping into his playing time if it doesn't change...

Camden wrote:I agree with most of what's been said here, and I'm very pleased with a win after starting the game so poorly, but I'll be the bad news bear of this thread...

Gorgui Dieng was terrible last night and has been the entire start to this season. He's still bad defensively, but he's also not making shots. Went 2-8 last night from the field with plenty of "WTF" plays. I can remember one in particular that upset me. Gorgui sealed Whiteside down low under the rim, Payne made a nice post entry pass to him. Instead of just rising up for the layup or two-handed dunk, Gorgui somehow managed to take that ugly Dirk fall-away shot from a step inside the free throw line. He took what was an easy look and made it really tough. Oh, did I mention Whiteside recovered and blocked the shot? I'm very displeased with Dieng this year. He's just not helping anything with that second unit. Payne might be creeping into his playing time if it doesn't change...

Or Pek may return! :)

60WinTim wrote:

Camden wrote:I agree with most of what's been said here, and I'm very pleased with a win after starting the game so poorly, but I'll be the bad news bear of this thread...

Gorgui Dieng was terrible last night and has been the entire start to this season. He's still bad defensively, but he's also not making shots. Went 2-8 last night from the field with plenty of "WTF" plays. I can remember one in particular that upset me. Gorgui sealed Whiteside down low under the rim, Payne made a nice post entry pass to him. Instead of just rising up for the layup or two-handed dunk, Gorgui somehow managed to take that ugly Dirk fall-away shot from a step inside the free throw line. He took what was an easy look and made it really tough. Oh, did I mention Whiteside recovered and blocked the shot? I'm very displeased with Dieng this year. He's just not helping anything with that second unit. Payne might be creeping into his playing time if it doesn't change...

Or Pek may return! :)

I agree with both of you guys. Gorgui looks lost out there at times on both ends of the court...disappointing after his excellent preseason. I'm willing to cut him a little slack last night because Whiteside is such a tough matchup...kudos to KAT for going 14 and 14 against that beast.

I'm the afterglow of a big win, let me provide a more positive spin though. While his defense has been lacking, Gorgui's scoring and rebounding have been just fine...12 points and 9 rebounds per 36 on 48.3% shooting. Not bad for 18 minutes backing up KAT, if only he could defend smarter. But the other silver lining...Pek is due back in just a few weeks. I know it's a stretch, but if Pek is healthy enough to be Pek, we all of a sudden have the best backup center in the league.

But if Pek can't play and G continues to struggle on the defensive side, Plan C becomes Payne. I think we all prefer Adreian being our PF depth to be called on when there are injuries or off-nights like Belly had last night, but he is long and tough enough to give us 15 minutes at center if absolutely needed.

Mstermisty wrote:Missed the game but just watched the replay, helluva win. I think Jim Pet summed it up perfectly when he said "these young dudes are comin'."

A few random observations:

--Bazz was huge tonight, making a big shots right when we needed them to keep us close until the other young studs could take over.

--Definitely the best game by Payne I have seen. Loved the trash talking.

--Wiggins is starting to look like the closer that this franchise has never had. That last drive to the hoop after he had just drove in and got fouled but no call gave me goosebumps. The bottom line is he is so uber-athletic he can basically get a pretty good shot anytime he wants. Lavine also can get a shot when he wants. Having two guys like this to go to at the end of the game is huge.

This was a great win, but now you have to go out and beat Orlando, then come home strong.

To be fair, Sam Cassell was legit. But yes... the franchise has lacked those types of guys and Wiggins has a chance to become a pretty damn good closer.

longstrangetrip wrote:

60WinTim wrote:

Camden wrote:I agree with most of what's been said here, and I'm very pleased with a win after starting the game so poorly, but I'll be the bad news bear of this thread...

Gorgui Dieng was terrible last night and has been the entire start to this season. He's still bad defensively, but he's also not making shots. Went 2-8 last night from the field with plenty of "WTF" plays. I can remember one in particular that upset me. Gorgui sealed Whiteside down low under the rim, Payne made a nice post entry pass to him. Instead of just rising up for the layup or two-handed dunk, Gorgui somehow managed to take that ugly Dirk fall-away shot from a step inside the free throw line. He took what was an easy look and made it really tough. Oh, did I mention Whiteside recovered and blocked the shot? I'm very displeased with Dieng this year. He's just not helping anything with that second unit. Payne might be creeping into his playing time if it doesn't change...

Or Pek may return! :)

I agree with both of you guys. Gorgui looks lost out there at times on both ends of the court...disappointing after his excellent preseason. I'm willing to cut him a little slack last night because Whiteside is such a tough matchup...kudos to KAT for going 14 and 14 against that beast.

I'm the afterglow of a big win, let me provide a more positive spin though. While his defense has been lacking, Gorgui's scoring and rebounding have been just fine...12 points and 9 rebounds per 36 on 48.3% shooting. Not bad for 18 minutes backing up KAT, if only he could defend smarter. But the other silver lining...Pek is due back in just a few weeks. I know it's a stretch, but if Pek is healthy enough to be Pek, we all of a sudden have the best backup center in the league.

But if Pek can't play and G continues to struggle on the defensive side, Plan C becomes Payne. I think we all prefer Adreian being our PF depth to be called on when there are injuries or off-nights like Belly had last night, but he is long and tough enough to give us 15 minutes at center if absolutely needed.

I look at it this way. Dieng has not played great. Even I (a Big fan of Dieng) can concede that point. That said, even not playing great, he's still carrying a PER of 12.5 which is better than Bjelica's 11.8. Not to say PER is the end all - it's not. But it does provide one measure of perspective. If this is his "bottom" then that's not really horrible is it? Dieng has a long enough track record at this point that I'm not at all worried about him. He'll be fine. This early in the season, one big game can make a huge swing in a guy's metrics. He's due.

Nice report Cool. I just watched that missed dunk on dickhead Whiteside. So close, but great effort and I like that fire! We can argue about what positions to put our young guys, but I'm impressed so far by our young core, with or without the Iron Horse leading the way.

BizarroJerry wrote:Nice report Cool. I just watched that missed dunk on dickhead Whiteside. So close, but great effort and I like that fire! We can argue about what positions to put our young guys, but I'm impressed so far by our young core, with or without the Iron Horse leading the way.

Welcome to the Whitehead is a dickhead club! God, he is an insufferable prick...love how our guys stood up to him all night! We refused to be intimidated even when he was dominating us.

longstrangetrip wrote:

BizarroJerry wrote:Nice report Cool. I just watched that missed dunk on dickhead Whiteside. So close, but great effort and I like that fire! We can argue about what positions to put our young guys, but I'm impressed so far by our young core, with or without the Iron Horse leading the way.

Welcome to the Whitehead is a dickhead club! God, he is an insufferable prick...love how our guys stood up to him all night! We refused to be intimidated even when he was dominating us.

Yes. Whitehead seems like a dick. BUT... it's interesting to see A. Payne being praised by multiple people for chirping for doing far far far less.

I think it's as simple as "he's not on our team so his bravado is grating" kind of thing.

AbeVigodaLive wrote:

longstrangetrip wrote:

BizarroJerry wrote:Nice report Cool. I just watched that missed dunk on dickhead Whiteside. So close, but great effort and I like that fire! We can argue about what positions to put our young guys, but I'm impressed so far by our young core, with or without the Iron Horse leading the way.

Welcome to the Whitehead is a dickhead club! God, he is an insufferable prick...love how our guys stood up to him all night! We refused to be intimidated even when he was dominating us.

Yes. Whitehead seems like a dick. BUT... it's interesting to see A. Payne being praised by multiple people for chirping for doing far far far less.

I think it's as simple as "he's not on our team so his bravado is grating" kind of thing.

Ha, good point Abe! Their guys chirping = prick, our guys chirping = tough! It's always been that way, and always will be.

Two things I really liked about the game last night:

1. Hack-a-Whiteside with 4 ½ minutes left and up by two (as opposed to playing the hack-a-game when down and trying to get back in the game)

2. Shutting Dragic down. He went 1 for 6 in the second half with just 2 assists and 2 turnovers. He was a force during the first half and gone in the second :)

Good job by Sam