Re: More Home Cooking - Thunder at Wolves Game 4 GDT
Posted: Tue May 27, 2025 2:11 am
Turn the ball over 23 times and that will do it. They had 12 more shot attempts. It's simple math at that point. Nearly impossible to win.
Wolves fan commiserate here!
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https://forum.midwestvolleyball.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=31914
Turn the ball over 23 times and that will do it. They had 12 more shot attempts. It's simple math at that point. Nearly impossible to win.
I agree that their defense had a lot to do with Ant getting so few shots. But his refusal to move without the ball played even a bigger part. He is such a terrific catch and shoot scorer, but you aren't going to get those opportunities unless you move. Ant made great strides this offseason with his 3-point shot. What I want him to do this offseason is spend hours with Chris Hines watching how Steph Curry gets so many open looks despite defenses keying on him...he is constantly on the move. I want to see Ant moving and using big body screeners like Rudy and Julius to get open. But his mindset is to want the ball at the top of the key where defenses can throw 2 or 3 guys at him. Too often when the ball is in somebody else's hands, you can see Ant just standing and watching. That needs to change next season.Wolvesfan21 wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 2:06 amIt was their defense though. Once he got the ball he was doubled. Now maybe getting Ant in even more space at the top is the key for him to ISO and get cooking. But even then the OKC defense dictated with strong help defense and essentially showing him a triple team.Yosimar wrote: ↑Mon May 26, 2025 11:41 pmThe offensive rebounds were 19 to 19. TO’s were a big reason for sure. I said it going into the game they needed to win that battle.Wolvesfan21 wrote: ↑Mon May 26, 2025 11:27 pm
100% disagree, we lost because of 23 turnovers and giving up 19 offensive rebounds, some off ball defense should have been better too. Those offensive boards usually create wide open 3's or easy put backs also. It doesn't matter how good your defense is if you don't grab a damn rebound.
Jacking up shots 1 on 4 is simply idiotic. You know why those guys scored so well? Because Ant and Ju were doubled and tripled all night. Those guys were hitting wide fucking open shots, many created by Ant. He played fine. Not superb. I still would like to see his off ball defense improve along with his own rebounding. Same with Ju.
But this is simple. 13 shots in 41 minutes in what was essentially a must win game at home is unacceptable. Meanwhile your counterpart took 30 and scored 40. The whole he made the right play thing is nice and all but can you imagine a Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan taking 13 shots in a game of this magnitude?. Hell not even LeBron would be that passive. The fact is he wasn’t even doubled that much compared to other games. OKC just went out of their way to deny the ball as much as possible and meet him up high. He needed to do a better of job of fighting of those ball denials instead of just standing there and ball watching for way too much in this game. He was lucky the game was close, because if not he would rightfully be getting shredded for the disappearing act. Donte and NAW are not repeating those shooting numbers again.
In the end in these close games you need your best players to step up, OKC’s did and ours went out with a whimper.
Making the smart play is winning basketball. If you want to rip him for his subpar off ball defense and rebounding, sure. Offensively he was OK and more then not made winning plays. Those guys only cooked because Ant and Ju get doubled and tripled. You do understand that right?
Are you dense? You don't get it!!!! Conley is cooked. Ju sucks. OKC built a foundation of youth and didn't burn draft picks. They were patient in roster building. Wolves were NOT!!! And the so-called win now moves by TC are narrowing Ant's window.Wolvesfan21 wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 2:08 amWe already have too many young guys we can't play and two more top 31 picks this year too. IDK what the name brand of crack you're smoking. We need to dump more picks, we got too many!KG4Ever wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 1:15 amI've always been in favor of constructing a team to fit Ant's timeline, but TC came in wanting to make a big splash and fk'd up the timeline. TC aged this team bringing in Rudy, Conley and Randle. We had a young core of Ant, Jaden, Naz, KAT and TC traded away control of every FRP save 1 plus a great scorer in KAT and used up our capspace to age this team. TC has done great harm to this franchise.
We got two picks this year who probably (knock on wood) will never play in a meaningful minute of a NBA game, because we got too much depth and talent and picks usually flop. We don't need picks we need to dump them NOW for proven talent. How's Dilly treating us? Most draft picks flop. Not saying he is YET, but he needs a couple years to maybe become a potential plus NBA player. With his size he may never???KG4Ever wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 8:58 amAre you dense? You don't get it!!!! Conley is cooked. Ju sucks. OKC built a foundation of youth and didn't burn draft picks. They were patient in roster building. Wolves were NOT!!! And the so-called win now moves by TC are narrowing Ant's window.Wolvesfan21 wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 2:08 amWe already have too many young guys we can't play and two more top 31 picks this year too. IDK what the name brand of crack you're smoking. We need to dump more picks, we got too many!KG4Ever wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 1:15 am
I've always been in favor of constructing a team to fit Ant's timeline, but TC came in wanting to make a big splash and fk'd up the timeline. TC aged this team bringing in Rudy, Conley and Randle. We had a young core of Ant, Jaden, Naz, KAT and TC traded away control of every FRP save 1 plus a great scorer in KAT and used up our capspace to age this team. TC has done great harm to this franchise.
The same Trey Murphy that caused New Orleans to trade Ingram?KG4Ever wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 9:49 am 100% disagree. DLO trade cost us someone like Trey Murphy to pair with Ant and Jaden. We have no legit big three. Nobody will trade us a young two way star for the garbage we have to trade. Overpaid one way players like Randle is the best you can get. No thanks.
Directed at KG,WildWolf2813 wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 9:57 amThe same Trey Murphy that caused New Orleans to trade Ingram?KG4Ever wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 9:49 am 100% disagree. DLO trade cost us someone like Trey Murphy to pair with Ant and Jaden. We have no legit big three. Nobody will trade us a young two way star for the garbage we have to trade. Overpaid one way players like Randle is the best you can get. No thanks.
Huh?
Keep in mind, if they want that guy, Connelly is gonna have to draft him. There's no way around it.
How does the recent drafting of Rob Dillingham, Shannon Jr., and Jaylen Clark (not to mention Miller and Minott) fit into your narrative of the Wolves not building for the future?KG4Ever wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 8:58 amAre you dense? You don't get it!!!! Conley is cooked. Ju sucks. OKC built a foundation of youth and didn't burn draft picks. They were patient in roster building. Wolves were NOT!!! And the so-called win now moves by TC are narrowing Ant's window.Wolvesfan21 wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 2:08 amWe already have too many young guys we can't play and two more top 31 picks this year too. IDK what the name brand of crack you're smoking. We need to dump more picks, we got too many!KG4Ever wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 1:15 am
I've always been in favor of constructing a team to fit Ant's timeline, but TC came in wanting to make a big splash and fk'd up the timeline. TC aged this team bringing in Rudy, Conley and Randle. We had a young core of Ant, Jaden, Naz, KAT and TC traded away control of every FRP save 1 plus a great scorer in KAT and used up our capspace to age this team. TC has done great harm to this franchise.
I agree with you as well. We got too many guys right now who don't get minutes. Why do we need more guys rotting on the bench? How are these guys going to get better when they never play? That's reality.Q-is-here wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 10:20 amHow does the recent drafting of Rob Dillingham, Shannon Jr., and Jaylen Clark (not to mention Miller and Minott) fit into your narrative of the Wolves not building for the future?KG4Ever wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 8:58 amAre you dense? You don't get it!!!! Conley is cooked. Ju sucks. OKC built a foundation of youth and didn't burn draft picks. They were patient in roster building. Wolves were NOT!!! And the so-called win now moves by TC are narrowing Ant's window.Wolvesfan21 wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 2:08 am
We already have too many young guys we can't play and two more top 31 picks this year too. IDK what the name brand of crack you're smoking. We need to dump more picks, we got too many!
I get it wholeheartedly, but tanking also wasn't gonna be an option.Wolvesfan21 wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 10:07 amDirected at KG,WildWolf2813 wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 9:57 amThe same Trey Murphy that caused New Orleans to trade Ingram?KG4Ever wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 9:49 am 100% disagree. DLO trade cost us someone like Trey Murphy to pair with Ant and Jaden. We have no legit big three. Nobody will trade us a young two way star for the garbage we have to trade. Overpaid one way players like Randle is the best you can get. No thanks.
Huh?
Keep in mind, if they want that guy, Connelly is gonna have to draft him. There's no way around it.
No chance (well super close to zero) to draft one with a late 1st. Once every 10 years do you get a superstar in the late 1st or 2nd round in the entire NBA. 1 in 10 years divided by 30 teams. Do that math. For every Jokic there are hundreds of Ebi's who never play an NBA game.
You wanted a team with Ant and already winning 46 games to tank? How are you going to draft this superstar? Not going to happen. It's a pipe dream. With Ant you're not getting a top 10 pick. (I guess we did last year we took our shot).