Minnesota Sports Forum

We can't only play defense at the end of games...but we have showed that we are capable of playing tough D

Okogie should be fined for those 2 flops.

DNatagal wrote: ↑Sun Nov 17, 2024 5:04 pm Okogie should be fined for those 2 flops.

Along with Conley flopping on a Booker touch late in the game!

We definitely got some favorable calls towards the end of the game. But we have been on the other side of that coin as well...

kekgeek wrote: ↑Sun Nov 17, 2024 4:46 pm A serious Jaden conversation needs to be had. He has been so bad. He is getting paid now and he has massively regressed

Not sure what happened to him. He was really good in the playoffs after a fairly lackluster regular season last year. One could argue that his best regular season was two years ago in the '22-23 campaign before he punched that stupid wall and took himself out of the playoffs. He's been an offensive question mark since then and now his defense doesn't look so great either.

My honey and I just sat down to watch the replay, only to find out NBA League Pass blocked us in Tucson because we're in the Phoenix market. So, box score only.

It looks like we got off to a bad start because of what I feared...Ant often isn't awake for afternoon games, and overlooking an opponent. Ant had one of his most efficient scoring games (24 on only 14 shots), but then I see he tied Jaden for worst +/- among the starters. How was his defense today? I'm wondering if he was on Booker with his 44 points.

DiVo hitting 5 out of 10 threes might be just what he needed to wake up before the tough stretch of games. We need that production off the bench.

On the flip side, when Naz goes 1 for 6 on his threes, we can't have him out there for 22 minutes. I assume his defense was a disaster again.

We need to rebound better...can't get beat on the boards 41-32. Nice to see 35 efficient points and 7 assists from Julius, and he is clearly the star tonight with his game winner. But 4 rebounds in 34 minutes is unacceptable.

After barely winning the last two games against undermanned teams, can we even say "a win is a win"?

That's a lot of negatives from me after a win. I'm going to cheer up and celebrate being 8-6 with a winnable game against Toronto coming up.

kekgeek wrote: ↑Sun Nov 17, 2024 4:46 pm A serious Jaden conversation needs to be had. He has been so bad. He is getting paid now and he has massively regressed

I think it's the legalized cannabis in Minnesota. Not that he didn't do it often before it was legal, but now that it's much easier to get he must be smoking all the time now.

Jaden's STOCKS are up again...he's just lacking a little confidence on the offensive end

What a buzzer beater by Julius. 0.1 left on the shot clock.

FNG wrote: ↑Sun Nov 17, 2024 5:40 pm My honey and I just sat down to watch the replay, only to find out NBA League Pass blocked us in Tucson because we're in the Phoenix market. So, box score only.

It looks like we got off to a bad start because of what I feared...Ant often isn't awake for afternoon games, and overlooking an opponent. Ant had one of his most efficient scoring games (24 on only 14 shots), but then I see he tied Jaden for worst +/- among the starters. How was his defense today? I'm wondering if he was on Booker with his 44 points.

DiVo hitting 5 out of 10 threes might be just what he needed to wake up before the tough stretch of games. We need that production off the bench.

On the flip side, when Naz goes 1 for 6 on his threes, we can't have him out there for 22 minutes. I assume his defense was a disaster again.

We need to rebound better...can't get beat on the boards 41-32. Nice to see 35 efficient points and 7 assists from Julius, and he is clearly the star tonight with his game winner. But 4 rebounds in 34 minutes is unacceptable.

After barely winning the last two games against undermanned teams, can we even say "a win is a win"?

That's a lot of negatives from me after a win. I'm going to cheer up and celebrate being 8-6 with a winnable game against Toronto coming up.

I know you didn't see the game, so I will try to answer some of your questions...

- Phoenix came out and played a very aggressive high-wall defense where they'd blitz the ball handler, especially when Ant had it. It largely freed up Randle for open shots or the ability to go to work one on one with space. I partially credit Ant for Randle's great game. But it meant Ant was getting off the ball early (as he is supposed to) and it took him largely out of the game in the first half.

- The Wolves made some great halftime adjustments to counter the blitzing defense, which led to a 66 point second half. Ant was more effective in the second half.

- They threw a lot of guys at Booker, including Ant and Jaden, but mostly Jaden to start. He wasn't very effective unfortunately plus Booker made a lot of tough shots to his credit. Eventually the Wolves doubled Booker and slowed him down.

- The negatives probably do outweigh the positives if we're being honest, but a win trumps those issues for now. Ant (who was also great late in this game again) and Randle aren't going to be able to bail us out all the time. We tend to open games with a lot of sloppiness and poor decision making, of which Ant and Randle are part of as well!

Abe's Only Slightly Behind Because He was Raking and Hanging Lights But It Gets Dark Early DVR Review:

- I'd be interested to check out a Phoenix Suns message board. There were some doozies in that one, including Conley's ridiculous flop, Edwards hugging Booker on the last possession... and even Randle's push-off (although that's rarely called in that situation).

- The first 30 minutes was about the Suns doing everything in their power to take the ball out of Edwards' hands... meanwhile for the 2nd straight game, the Wolves decided to just let the opposing team's hot player cook. Wins or not... the Suns came into the game without Durant and Beal. Make Tyus Jones beat you. Make Josh Okogie beat you. Make Nurkic or Plumlee beat you. Or Dunn. Or Ighodaro. NONE of them can create for themselves. When Tyus Jones is clearly the best scorer of the bunch... make them all scorers! Maybe the Wolves just figured Booker couldn't stay uber-hot for 48 minutes? I dunno. It worked... barely. Again.

- Rob Dillingham needs playing time. And it shouldn't be at the NBA level. #8 pick or not... he's not a serviceable NBA player right now. He's too small... but plays even smaller than he is. He's not quick with decisions. He's lost. He's completely lost on the court right now. It reminds me so much of those many lean years when we'd talk ourselves into the latest rookie... yet deep down it was obvious that it just wasn't there. Dillingham might become a legit NBA player. I just can't fathom it being this season. He has no idea where to be or what to do on the court.

- I know Gobert's value. We all do. But there's a reason teams can play the blitzing high-wall style. Gobert is a liability with the ball anywhere further than 3 feet from the hoop. Even then, he missed two dunks tonight. It's just a tough watch.

- The PG spot is officially a problem. Conley just doesn't have it. There's such a thing as a caretaker PG (see T. Jones)... and then there's Conley tonight. Only 2 shots in 30 minutes. Only 3 assists... including a blown 4-2 break that I've never seen from him. His +14 should be a cautionary tale for the +/- stat. He's actively out there just not trying to screw up at this point. He was a big reason the blitzing was working. I hope he comes around, but it's a struggle. And we all realize that Dillingham isn't the answer. Neither is NAW. Neither is Divincenzo.

- I'm bored with McDaniels. It's the same things we've discussed for years. Only now... opposing stars are torching him for 30 in a half.

- I chuckled at Ingles' stat line. Ingles got an assist for Randle's shot. I'm a rec league warrior at this point, one of those caretaker PG types... and I can't help but think I could get a couple/few NBA assists with the right scorekeeper.

- Hero ball wins another game. This team won't be good until they try harder on defense.

- 8 - 6 playing like THIS is a good thing, right? They will get better and it will be more fun moving forward, right?