Minnesota Sports Forum

I think KG's intensity will be a welcome change, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't have some concerns of how guys like Ricky will react. This is supposed to be Ricky's team now, and having KG step in with his popularity could challenge that.

I hope it will result in simply having another voice on the court defensively. I am looking forward to the defensive identity changing, and how KG will be able to instill some of the basic fundamentals that we lack as a team. I expect to see a big jump in rebounding, and tougher perimeter team defense by getting the other bigs to start calling out screens.

And I am sure they will be playing those one on Wednesday night!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZzEzDkeHzI

I think that of any of the teams, post-KG, this one has the best chance to thrive with KG's "leadership". For instance, I would not put KG on a team with KLove. I think Love would feel threatened by him and it would backfire. Even LeBron seems to be too intense for him. This team, however is full of guys who just want to win and win at all costs. Ricky, Dieng, LaVine, Wiggins, Bazz, Martin, and Pek do not come across as guys who are too good to hear what KG has to say. KMart and Pek will likely embrace it and the youngns seem eager to soak it up. This could be the final piece (glue) to finish the puzzle so to speak and start a winning trend again.

Phenom - I agree with what you said. It should be interesting.

If Love ever had a thought about someone else them himself. I wonder how he would look at the welcoming KG is getting back.

60WinTim wrote:Swiped this from Rubechat. I don't know how emotional the Tuesday presser will be, but I suspect Wednesday is gonna be intense.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef-f7EeDpYI

Awesome

Phenom's_Revenge wrote:I think that of any of the teams, post-KG, this one has the best chance to thrive with KG's "leadership". For instance, I would not put KG on a team with KLove. I think Love would feel threatened by him and it would backfire. Even LeBron seems to be too intense for him. This team, however is full of guys who just want to win and win at all costs. Ricky, Dieng, LaVine, Wiggins, Bazz, Martin, and Pek do not come across as guys who are too good to hear what KG has to say. KMart and Pek will likely embrace it and the youngns seem eager to soak it up. This could be the final piece (glue) to finish the puzzle so to speak and start a winning trend again.

I agree with that statement as it relates to Ricky, but I'm not sure how much it applies to the other guys. They are all competitors of course, but Ricky seems to be the guy most similar to KG in terms of intensity on the court. Obviously some internal fires burn more brightly, while others smolder beneath the surface, yet with just as much heat (Wiggins perhaps?). The guy that seems pretty ambivalent to me is Martin.

Q12543 wrote:

Phenom's_Revenge wrote:I think that of any of the teams, post-KG, this one has the best chance to thrive with KG's "leadership". For instance, I would not put KG on a team with KLove. I think Love would feel threatened by him and it would backfire. Even LeBron seems to be too intense for him. This team, however is full of guys who just want to win and win at all costs. Ricky, Dieng, LaVine, Wiggins, Bazz, Martin, and Pek do not come across as guys who are too good to hear what KG has to say. KMart and Pek will likely embrace it and the youngns seem eager to soak it up. This could be the final piece (glue) to finish the puzzle so to speak and start a winning trend again.

I agree with that statement as it relates to Ricky, but I'm not sure how much it applies to the other guys. They are all competitors of course, but Ricky seems to be the guy most similar to KG in terms of intensity on the court. Obviously some internal fires burn more brightly, while others smolder beneath the surface, yet with just as much heat (Wiggins perhaps?). The guy that seems pretty ambivalent to me is Martin.

I agree that Ricky burns with the same anything-to-win fires as KG, just in a much more presentable manner. I think he and KG are going to get along just fine. It was nice to see more fire from Wiggins last night when he took the T...he later said it led to him getting more calls late, so that might be a light bulb moment for him. Pek hasn't been shooting well, but I have seen some potential KG impact on his demeanor the past 2 games. I think Gorgui has the fire. Shabazz has a burning desire to be the best player he can be, but I don't know if that is the same as a burning desire to win. Payne's got it, but may not have the skills to go with it. I can't figure out Zach or AB yet. And I agree with Q's assessment of Martin, although I see more fire this year than I have in others.

I think KG will have a positive impact on all these guys.

longstrangetrip wrote:

Q12543 wrote:

Phenom's_Revenge wrote:I think that of any of the teams, post-KG, this one has the best chance to thrive with KG's "leadership". For instance, I would not put KG on a team with KLove. I think Love would feel threatened by him and it would backfire. Even LeBron seems to be too intense for him. This team, however is full of guys who just want to win and win at all costs. Ricky, Dieng, LaVine, Wiggins, Bazz, Martin, and Pek do not come across as guys who are too good to hear what KG has to say. KMart and Pek will likely embrace it and the youngns seem eager to soak it up. This could be the final piece (glue) to finish the puzzle so to speak and start a winning trend again.

I agree with that statement as it relates to Ricky, but I'm not sure how much it applies to the other guys. They are all competitors of course, but Ricky seems to be the guy most similar to KG in terms of intensity on the court. Obviously some internal fires burn more brightly, while others smolder beneath the surface, yet with just as much heat (Wiggins perhaps?). The guy that seems pretty ambivalent to me is Martin.

I agree that Ricky burns with the same anything-to-win fires as KG, just in a much more presentable manner. I think he and KG are going to get along just fine. It was nice to see more fire from Wiggins last night when he took the T...he later said it led to him getting more calls late, so that might be a light bulb moment for him. Pek hasn't been shooting well, but I have seen some potential KG impact on his demeanor the past 2 games. I think Gorgui has the fire. Shabazz has a burning desire to be the best player he can be, but I don't know if that is the same as a burning desire to win. Payne's got it, but may not have the skills to go with it. I can't figure out Zach or AB yet. And I agree with Q's assessment of Martin, although I see more fire this year than I have in others.

I think KG will have a positive impact on all these guys.

Isn't is a shame that you have to start barking at the officiating to begin getting calls. NBA officiating has always been a bit of a farce IMO. And regarding Zach, I think few on the team want to be great as badly as he does.