Minnesota Sports Forum

Q-is-here wrote: ↑Sat Jan 25, 2025 1:54 pm Indiana has been surging of late. It's notable because it's an example of a team that was in the conference finals last year, started off this year pretty damn slow, and now have worked their way out of it without making any major trades or coaching changes.

I'm just pointing to them as a hopeful sign for those of you that think Finch and Co. can grind and tinker their way out of our mediocrity without any deadline trades, etc.

Then you have Sacramento, where a coaching change seemingly jolted them into relevance! This is what makes the NBA interesting! Which path should the Wolves take?

(people tend to forget who the 4th team was in the NBA version of the "Final Four" last season because the NBA glitterati would rather fawn over the Knicks and pretend they were this close to getting to the NBA Finals last year).

Lipoli390 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 25, 2025 5:52 pm Interestingly, every game in the NBA is relevant to the Wolves in relation to either the Wolves prospects this season or the upcoming Wolves draft.

1. Celtics @ Mavs: Obviously, we want the Celtics to beat the Mavs as a rival to the Wolves in the standings
2. Pistons @ Magic: Detroit win over Magic has double benefit to Wolves chances of getting the DET pick
3. Raptors @ Hawks: Raptors win would help us on DET pick and Utah pick
4. Rockets @ Cavs: Cavs win would help Wolves close gap with rival Rockets in standings
5. Kings @ Knicks: Knicks win would help Wolves increase lead over Kings in standings
6. Jazz @ Grizzlies: Have to pull for the Jazz here to knock off rival ahead of us in standings, but Jazz loss helps secure a higher second round pick. So it’s a double edge sword of sorts.
7. Bucks @ Clippers: Obviously we wants the Bucks to knock off one of our close rivals in the standings this season.
8. Pacers at Spurs: A Pacers win would widen our lead over Spurs in standings and help our chances of getting the DET pick
9. Pelicans @ Hornets: Close call here. I’ll pull for the Hornets since their record is slightly closer to the Jazz record and would marginally help us on the Utah pick.
10. Sixers @ Bulls: Sixers win would help Detroit stay ahead of the Bulls, helping our chances of getting DET pick.
11. Heat @ Nets: Nets win would help us with Detroit pick and the Utah pick.
12. Wizards @ Suns: An unlikely Wizards win would increase our lead in standings over rival and bring Wizards record closer to Utah’s. Right now the Jazz have the 2nd worst record in the league, which means we’d get the #32 pick in the draft. Just need the Wizards to overtake them and we’ll have prick #31.

Q-is-here wrote: ↑Sat Jan 25, 2025 7:06 pm

Lipoli390 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 25, 2025 5:52 pm Interestingly, every game in the NBA is relevant to the Wolves in relation to either the Wolves prospects this season or the upcoming Wolves draft.

1. Celtics @ Mavs: Obviously, we want the Celtics to beat the Mavs as a rival to the Wolves in the standings
2. Pistons @ Magic: Detroit win over Magic has double benefit to Wolves chances of getting the DET pick
3. Raptors @ Hawks: Raptors win would help us on DET pick and Utah pick
4. Rockets @ Cavs: Cavs win would help Wolves close gap with rival Rockets in standings
5. Kings @ Knicks: Knicks win would help Wolves increase lead over Kings in standings
6. Jazz @ Grizzlies: Have to pull for the Jazz here to knock off rival ahead of us in standings, but Jazz loss helps secure a higher second round pick. So it’s a double edge sword of sorts.
7. Bucks @ Clippers: Obviously we wants the Bucks to knock off one of our close rivals in the standings this season.
8. Pacers at Spurs: A Pacers win would widen our lead over Spurs in standings and help our chances of getting the DET pick
9. Pelicans @ Hornets: Close call here. I’ll pull for the Hornets since their record is slightly closer to the Jazz record and would marginally help us on the Utah pick.
10. Sixers @ Bulls: Sixers win would help Detroit stay ahead of the Bulls, helping our chances of getting DET pick.
11. Heat @ Nets: Nets win would help us with Detroit pick and the Utah pick.
12. Wizards @ Suns: An unlikely Wizards win would increase our lead in standings over rival and bring Wizards record closer to Utah’s. Right now the Jazz have the 2nd worst record in the league, which means we’d get the #32 pick in the draft. Just need the Wizards to overtake them and we’ll have prick #31.

Mavs go down!

60WinTim wrote: ↑Sat Jan 25, 2025 7:17 pm

Q-is-here wrote: ↑Sat Jan 25, 2025 7:06 pm

Lipoli390 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 25, 2025 5:52 pm Interestingly, every game in the NBA is relevant to the Wolves in relation to either the Wolves prospects this season or the upcoming Wolves draft.

1. Celtics @ Mavs: Obviously, we want the Celtics to beat the Mavs as a rival to the Wolves in the standings
2. Pistons @ Magic: Detroit win over Magic has double benefit to Wolves chances of getting the DET pick
3. Raptors @ Hawks: Raptors win would help us on DET pick and Utah pick
4. Rockets @ Cavs: Cavs win would help Wolves close gap with rival Rockets in standings
5. Kings @ Knicks: Knicks win would help Wolves increase lead over Kings in standings
6. Jazz @ Grizzlies: Have to pull for the Jazz here to knock off rival ahead of us in standings, but Jazz loss helps secure a higher second round pick. So it’s a double edge sword of sorts.
7. Bucks @ Clippers: Obviously we wants the Bucks to knock off one of our close rivals in the standings this season.
8. Pacers at Spurs: A Pacers win would widen our lead over Spurs in standings and help our chances of getting the DET pick
9. Pelicans @ Hornets: Close call here. I’ll pull for the Hornets since their record is slightly closer to the Jazz record and would marginally help us on the Utah pick.
10. Sixers @ Bulls: Sixers win would help Detroit stay ahead of the Bulls, helping our chances of getting DET pick.
11. Heat @ Nets: Nets win would help us with Detroit pick and the Utah pick.
12. Wizards @ Suns: An unlikely Wizards win would increase our lead in standings over rival and bring Wizards record closer to Utah’s. Right now the Jazz have the 2nd worst record in the league, which means we’d get the #32 pick in the draft. Just need the Wizards to overtake them and we’ll have prick #31.

Mavs go down!

And the Spurs went down well before Lip made the post!

60WinTim wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2025 3:34 pm Jimmy Butler suspended indefinitely when he walked out after learning he would be not be starting tonight.

Sure glad the Wolves are not the only team to have the sour Jimmy Butler experience!

Q-is-here wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2025 6:35 pm

60WinTim wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2025 3:34 pm Jimmy Butler suspended indefinitely when he walked out after learning he would be not be starting tonight.

Sure glad the Wolves are not the only team to have the sour Jimmy Butler experience!

Pat Riley would do the NBA a big favor if he absolutely does not compromise and is willing to walk away from a deal that doesn't bring back fair value. Jimmy can rot for the rest of the season and face the consequences for his recalcitrance. It would send a good message to other star players that whining and sabotaging your way out of a team you don't want to play for doesn't get rewarded.

I can understand a player and his agent quietly requesting a trade to the front office while going about their business professionally. It's the way Butler (and some others prior to him) go about it that is so off-putting and bad for the overall NBA brand. "You must trade me to one of my hand-picked teams or I will become a disruptive presence!". It's blackmail!

Thank God Miami doesn't have Thibs in charge to enable this B.S.! We weren't so lucky....

Lipoli390 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2025 6:43 pm

Q-is-here wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2025 6:35 pm

60WinTim wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2025 3:34 pm Jimmy Butler suspended indefinitely when he walked out after learning he would be not be starting tonight.

Sure glad the Wolves are not the only team to have the sour Jimmy Butler experience!

Pat Riley would do the NBA a big favor if he absolutely does not compromise and is willing to walk away from a deal that doesn't bring back fair value. Jimmy can rot for the rest of the season and face the consequences for his recalcitrance. It would send a good message to other star players that whining and sabotaging your way out of a team you don't want to play for doesn't get rewarded.

I can understand a player and his agent quietly requesting a trade to the front office while going about their business professionally. It's the way Butler (and some others prior to him) go about it that is so off-putting and bad for the overall NBA brand. "You must trade me to one of my hand-picked teams or I will become a disruptive presence!". It's blackmail!

Thank God Miami doesn't have Thibs in charge to enable this B.S.! We weren't so lucky....

Absolutely agree!!