Minnesota Sports Forum

Q-is-here wrote: ↑Mon Mar 10, 2025 9:31 am We're now in the top 10 in offensive and defensive rating.

Credit to Finch and the players for finally figuring out how to unlock the offense. It's been trending up for a couple of months now.

And it's translatable to the playoffs. It's up to the players to keep it going.

Gotta finish the regular season strong and avoid the play in!

The Warriors are on fire right now, but we're moving up with them.

Memphis and Houston look the most shaky ahead of us, and I could see us passing one or maybe both of them if things break well for us.

The Lakers look really freakin' good with Luka and LeBron, but they'll be without LeBron for awhile. I'm not sure it'll be long enough for us to catch up to them though.

I'm a little worried about the Clippers behind us, but I'm not gonna think about that.

We need to keep the offense clicking while also making sure not to let up on defense. Should be a good end to the season!

I can confidently say we will finish no lower than 7th. And I'm not going to rule out moving up the standings. But what's important here is what happens once we get in the playoffs. The Wolves are coming together and are definitely on an upward trajectory. I don't think any team, including OKC, wants to see us in the playoffs. We can beat any team with the possible exception of the Lakers, and that's only because there will be a lot of chicanery to get them to the finals. I'm fired up for the rest of the season.

if even 5 of those clutch losses (pick any 5) went our way, we'd be the 2nd or 3rd seed in the West again.

the last Utah L

the L to Memphis in January

the Washington L at home

the Milwaukee L at home no Giannis or Dame

and pick which L to Golden State or Portland you want back.

WildWolf2813 wrote: ↑Wed Mar 12, 2025 8:29 am if even 5 of those clutch losses (pick any 5) went our way, we'd be the 2nd or 3rd seed in the West again.

the last Utah L

the L to Memphis in January

the Washington L at home

the Milwaukee L at home no Giannis or Dame

and pick which L to Golden State or Portland you want back.

WW- you probably know more about Julius Randle than anyone here. I was not too pleased with him early in the season, but I've been pleasantly surprised by his play right before his injury and since his return. Which Ju would you say is more like the Ju you have watched during his Knicks tenure...the ball stopper we saw the first half of the season, or the playmaker who makes quicker decisions we are seeing now?

FNG wrote: ↑Wed Mar 12, 2025 9:26 am

WildWolf2813 wrote: ↑Wed Mar 12, 2025 8:29 am if even 5 of those clutch losses (pick any 5) went our way, we'd be the 2nd or 3rd seed in the West again.

the last Utah L

the L to Memphis in January

the Washington L at home

the Milwaukee L at home no Giannis or Dame

and pick which L to Golden State or Portland you want back.

WW- you probably know more about Julius Randle than anyone here. I was not too pleased with him early in the season, but I've been pleasantly surprised by his play right before his injury and since his return. Which Ju would you say is more like the Ju you have watched during his Knicks tenure...the ball stopper we saw the first half of the season, or the playmaker who makes quicker decisions we are seeing now?

Ha! I was going to pose a similar question to WW, too!

I think it is clear Julius has adjusted his game since his time with the Knicks, and how he started the year with the Wolves. And that applies to both sides of the court. WW was VERY anti-Randle when he was first acquired. I know he is still not sold because of what Randle has done in the playoffs. So, I wouldn't expect a complete flip by WW on Randle until he proves he can get it done in the playoffs.

.

FNG wrote: ↑Wed Mar 12, 2025 9:26 am

WildWolf2813 wrote: ↑Wed Mar 12, 2025 8:29 am if even 5 of those clutch losses (pick any 5) went our way, we'd be the 2nd or 3rd seed in the West again.

the last Utah L

the L to Memphis in January

the Washington L at home

the Milwaukee L at home no Giannis or Dame

and pick which L to Golden State or Portland you want back.

WW- you probably know more about Julius Randle than anyone here. I was not too pleased with him early in the season, but I've been pleasantly surprised by his play right before his injury and since his return. Which Ju would you say is more like the Ju you have watched during his Knicks tenure...the ball stopper we saw the first half of the season, or the playmaker who makes quicker decisions we are seeing now?

Depends on the year. When it's going good, it's this version. When he gets a new deal, it's pre-injury Randle.

I said this when he got traded, fans in NY used to call him Dubious Handles because he thought he could dribble his way out of anything and it led to so many turnovers. If he wants to be this version, he'll be a solid starter/6th man on good teams for the rest of his career. If he wants to get 20/10/4 and go home, he can do that in Charlotte.

I've seen some people talk about maybe leaving the door open to a Randle return. In a perfect world, he's our 6th man. If he realizes this version of Randle all the time can make a good living and be on really good teams, he'll embrace being poor man's Jokic all the time. But then he reverts back into old habits and that's what makes him frustrating.