Minnesota Sports Forum

60WinTim wrote:I'm sure LST will declare Pop out coached Thibs. And while that may be true, you can't ignore our young players being outplayed by vet players...

don't forget Thibs needs to play our garbage bench more lol

I'm sick of youth being a cop out for this team. They're gonna be young 3 years from now. If they never develop they'll be forever young because they'll rinse and repeat this entire process with a new set of guys.

The Wolves are Menudo if Menudo specialized in breeding losing basketball players.

WildWolf2813 wrote:I'm sick of youth being a cop out for this team. They're gonna be young 3 years from now. If they never develop they'll be forever young because they'll rinse and repeat this entire process with a new set of guys.

The Wolves are Menudo if Menudo specialized in breeding losing basketball players.

1 player in the playoffs (jokic) is a teams top 3 player in year 3 or less.

There is something to that excuse

BloopOracle wrote:

60WinTim wrote:I'm sure LST will declare Pop out coached Thibs. And while that may be true, you can't ignore our young players being outplayed by vet players...

don't forget Thibs needs to play our garbage bench more lol

Now I have been against LST on this all year but the bench played well tonight minus 2nd half Casspi.

Dunn played well

Portland lost (a klunker!). It's too bad we could not muster an anti-klunker the past 4 games, but we now start a stretch of games where some ground can be made up!

60WinTim wrote:Portland lost (a klunker!). It's too bad we could not muster an anti-klunker the past 4 games, but we now start a stretch of games where some ground can be made up!

Sorry tim it is over. They would have to win out to maybe get into the conversation.

Like every other year big offseason.

WildWolf2813 wrote:I'm sick of youth being a cop out for this team. They're gonna be young 3 years from now. If they never develop they'll be forever young because they'll rinse and repeat this entire process with a new set of guys.

The Wolves are Menudo if Menudo specialized in breeding losing basketball players.

Ricky Martin has nothing on Ricky Rubio.

BloopOracle wrote:

60WinTim wrote:I'm sure LST will declare Pop out coached Thibs. And while that may be true, you can't ignore our young players being outplayed by vet players...

don't forget Thibs needs to play our garbage bench more lol

I think both of Tim's comments are true...Pop clearly outcoached Thibs (well, to be fair, he outcoaches everyone), and our young players were outplayed by their vets. Thibs didn't go to his bench as much as Pop, but it wasn't the absurd difference he creates in most games. And I was at the game, and Wig was ridiculously tired in the last 5 minutes...tongue literally hanging out. Pop saw it and designed some plays to allow Kawhi to exploit the exhausted Wig...it was a complete mismatch at the end of the game after Wig played him really tough in the first half. But Tim is right...we probably lose last night even if the coaching was even, because the Spurs are simply a better team.

Bloop, not sure if your comment about Thibs needing to play the bench more is sincere or tongue in cheek. Last night the bench was a plus 25, and the starters were a minus 60, so I'm assuming your comment about the garbage bench is a shot at Thibs for not going to them enough, and you're right. And as I have pointed out, last night was not an aberration...our bench's +/- has been similar (or in some cases better) than our starters all season. YUgly at times, but generally effective...especially so last night.

But my biggest problem with Thibs last night was his continuing refusal to play our best plus/minus player...Tyus Jones, both last night and for the season. Tyus was a plus 10 in just 12 minutes, and was the catalyst in our terrific 2nd quarter...5 assists and 3 steals in the paltry minutes Thibs gave him. And he did this despite Thibs insisting on playing Tyus out of position...at SG rather than PG. Anybody watching the game last night could see how much better our second unit looked when Tyus was handling the ball rather than Dunn...it's just bizarre to me that Thibs gives the ball to Dunn when both of them are out there. And our entire section was screaming for Thibs to put Tyus in the game in the second half, but despite his great first half, Thibs only gave him a couple minutes in the second half. I don't get it, and neither did the crowd last night...it's like Thibs is watching a different game than the fans.

longstrangetrip wrote:

BloopOracle wrote:

60WinTim wrote:I'm sure LST will declare Pop out coached Thibs. And while that may be true, you can't ignore our young players being outplayed by vet players...

don't forget Thibs needs to play our garbage bench more lol

I think both of Tim's comments are true...Pop clearly outcoached Thibs (well, to be fair, he outcoaches everyone), and our young players were outplayed by their vets. Thibs didn't go to his bench as much as Pop, but it wasn't the absurd difference he creates in most games. And I was at the game, and Wig was ridiculously tired in the last 5 minutes...tongue literally hanging out. Pop saw it and designed some plays to allow Kawhi to exploit the exhausted Wig...it was a complete mismatch at the end of the game after Wig played him really tough in the first half. But Tim is right...we probably lose last night even if the coaching was even, because the Spurs are simply a better team.

Bloop, not sure if your comment about Thibs needing to play the bench more is sincere or tongue in cheek. Last night the bench was a plus 25, and the starters were a minus 60, so I'm assuming your comment about the garbage bench is a shot at Thibs for not going to them enough, and you're right. And as I have pointed out, last night was not an aberration...our bench's +/- has been similar (or in some cases better) than our starters all season. YUgly at times, but generally effective...especially so last night.

But my biggest problem with Thibs last night was his continuing refusal to play our best plus/minus player...Tyus Jones, both last night and for the season. Tyus was a plus 10 in just 12 minutes, and was the catalyst in our terrific 2nd quarter...5 assists and 3 steals in the paltry minutes Thibs gave him. And he did this despite Thibs insisting on playing Tyus out of position...at SG rather than PG. Anybody watching the game last night could see how much better our second unit looked when Tyus was handling the ball rather than Dunn...it's just bizarre to me that Thibs gives the ball to Dunn when both of them are out there. And our entire section was screaming for Thibs to put Tyus in the game in the second half, but despite his great first half, Thibs only gave him a couple minutes in the second half. I don't get it, and neither did the crowd last night...it's like Thibs is watching a different game than the fans.

Is forcing Dunn into handling the ball, like earlier in the season when it was point Wiggins, just Thib's showing he is the smartest guy in the room? Or is he actually playing the long game (development) while soft-tanking?

D'Natagal wrote:

longstrangetrip wrote:

BloopOracle wrote:

60WinTim wrote:I'm sure LST will declare Pop out coached Thibs. And while that may be true, you can't ignore our young players being outplayed by vet players...

don't forget Thibs needs to play our garbage bench more lol

I think both of Tim's comments are true...Pop clearly outcoached Thibs (well, to be fair, he outcoaches everyone), and our young players were outplayed by their vets. Thibs didn't go to his bench as much as Pop, but it wasn't the absurd difference he creates in most games. And I was at the game, and Wig was ridiculously tired in the last 5 minutes...tongue literally hanging out. Pop saw it and designed some plays to allow Kawhi to exploit the exhausted Wig...it was a complete mismatch at the end of the game after Wig played him really tough in the first half. But Tim is right...we probably lose last night even if the coaching was even, because the Spurs are simply a better team.

Bloop, not sure if your comment about Thibs needing to play the bench more is sincere or tongue in cheek. Last night the bench was a plus 25, and the starters were a minus 60, so I'm assuming your comment about the garbage bench is a shot at Thibs for not going to them enough, and you're right. And as I have pointed out, last night was not an aberration...our bench's +/- has been similar (or in some cases better) than our starters all season. YUgly at times, but generally effective...especially so last night.

But my biggest problem with Thibs last night was his continuing refusal to play our best plus/minus player...Tyus Jones, both last night and for the season. Tyus was a plus 10 in just 12 minutes, and was the catalyst in our terrific 2nd quarter...5 assists and 3 steals in the paltry minutes Thibs gave him. And he did this despite Thibs insisting on playing Tyus out of position...at SG rather than PG. Anybody watching the game last night could see how much better our second unit looked when Tyus was handling the ball rather than Dunn...it's just bizarre to me that Thibs gives the ball to Dunn when both of them are out there. And our entire section was screaming for Thibs to put Tyus in the game in the second half, but despite his great first half, Thibs only gave him a couple minutes in the second half. I don't get it, and neither did the crowd last night...it's like Thibs is watching a different game than the fans.

Is forcing Dunn into handling the ball, like earlier in the season when it was point Wiggins, just Thib's showing he is the smartest guy in the room? Or is he actually playing the long game (development) while soft-tanking?

Our bench has done a solid job all year "holding serve". This is not a bench designed to go out and recapture leads or break away. They are more of a defensive-oriented unit that normally doesn't make things worse.

As for Tyus, I think caution is advised. Yes, he's our top +/- guy on the season, but let's look at the Net Rating for the last 10 games:

Kris Dunn: +2.2
Tyus Jones: -4.8

Thibs used Tyus on a more of a spot basis earlier in the year, but lately he has been a regular part of the rotation. And his numbers appear to be coming back down to earth, as his offense especially has been nearly non-existent of late.