Minnesota Sports Forum

Luka and Dallas fell to Golden State last night. The Warriors solved Luka and the Dallas offense, something Phoenix was unable to do. It seems like these teams overly reliant on one guy (40% usage throughout the playoffs for Luka!) eventually fall. Credit to Dallas for getting this deep into the playoffs!

The other flaw we saw from Dallas was Luka's defense. It's eerily similar to Harden back in his heyday. I don't think it's laziness as much as it's fatigue and frustration. You spend 20 seconds on the shot clock working your ass off to get the right matchup and then you drive the lane and don't finish, with perhaps a lot of contact too.

But more significant than all of this is the Golden State offense. If they had been this healthy throughout the regular season, they would have been right up there in wins with Phoenix. Klay is rounding into form finally and then they unearth Jordan Poole, who is turning into a top 5-10 NBA shooter. How the hell does Golden State find yet another elite shooter like this! So frustrating....Add the slashing and defense of Wiggins and Draymond's elite leadership and there you have it: Wester Conference champs.

Q-was-here wrote:Luka and Dallas fell to Golden State last night. The Warriors solved Luka and the Dallas offense, something Phoenix was unable to do. It seems like these teams overly reliant on one guy (40% usage throughout the playoffs for Luka!) eventually fall. Credit to Dallas for getting this deep into the playoffs!

The other flaw we saw from Dallas was Luka's defense. It's eerily similar to Harden back in his heyday. I don't think it's laziness as much as it's fatigue and frustration. You spend 20 seconds on the shot clock working your ass off to get the right matchup and then you drive the lane and don't finish, with perhaps a lot of contact too.

But more significant than all of this is the Golden State offense. If they had been this healthy throughout the regular season, they would have been right up there in wins with Phoenix. Klay is rounding into form finally and then they unearth Jordan Poole, who is turning into a top 5-10 NBA shooter. How the hell does Golden State find yet another elite shooter like this! So frustrating....Add the slashing and defense of Wiggins and Draymond's elite leadership and there you have it: Wester Conference champs.

They nabbed Poole with the 28th pick. How about Kevon Looney's play during this series, including 18 rebounds last night? They nabbed him with the 30th pick in the 2015 draft. Then of course, they drafted Curry at #7, Thompson at #11 and Green at #35. They obviously have an organization of scouts and decision-makers who know how to evaluate and select talent - not just shooters. And they also have shown patience with their young players. Let's not forget that Curry struggled through ankle problems early in his career before he looked like he'd become the player he is now. They've stuck with Looney since 2015. They stayed with Thompson through his two major injuries and surgeries. They show patience and then figure out how to get the most out of the players they have through the design of their offense and defense. That's what I'm hoping to see from Connelly.

Looney....another guy that makes me shake my head. Naz Reid is actually bigger and more athletic than Kevon Looney, yet Looney is 2x as effective defensively. Why is that? I mean, Looney is like 6'9 with shoes and 235 lbs on a good day. Yet we don't see him tumbling on the floor and constantly getting overwhelmed in the paint.

Jordan Poole was appropriately taken at #28 based on his body of work in college. As a rookie he can barely make 28% of his 3's and 39% of his 2's. He shoots 33% overall. Fast forward a mere two years to this year's playoffs and he's suddenly a world class shot maker. Not just Ok. Not decent. But elite. WTF!?!

Just ranting. I'm jealous.

Q-was-here wrote:Looney....another guy that makes me shake my head. Naz Reid is actually bigger and more athletic than Kevon Looney, yet Looney is 2x as effective defensively. Why is that? I mean, Looney is like 6'9 with shoes and 235 lbs on a good day. Yet we don't see him tumbling on the floor and constantly getting overwhelmed in the paint.

Jordan Poole was appropriately taken at #28 based on his body of work in college. As a rookie he can barely make 28% of his 3's and 39% of his 2's. He shoots 33% overall. Fast forward a mere two years to this year's playoffs and he's suddenly a world class shot maker. Not just Ok. Not decent. But elite. WTF!?!

Just ranting. I'm jealous.

Part of the reason Looney dropped in the draft was injury issues (pretty sure it was his hip) and those followed him early into his career he wasn't healthy for much of his rookie year. I was a fan of him in the late first early 2nd of that draft. GS "stuck" with him partly because they were able to keep him for a pretty cheap contract.

Like Naz, Looney came out after his freshman year. Both guys had a relatively modern offensive skill set in college. On the other end they were fairly different. Naz was more like a center in movement wasn't in shape and wasn't explosive vertically. Looney was mobile and more skinny. It also helps with Looney that at times he can share the floor with a guy like a Draymond who is a tough rugged guy and a top defensive player in the league. GS doesn't need him to shoot. I'm not surprised Looney has been effective in a part time role for a very good team.

I think Naz could possibly have more success in a similar role on a team that his skill set would be more useful. Naz is still young so it's a possibility that he isn't a finished product. I tend to agree he could be better on another team and we should look to move him if we get reasonable value back. The Wolves have a bunch of guys that play well more as mobile rangy guys but they don't really have any guys that really thump people physically...except Beverly. Edwards has the physicality but is still a young guy and is essentially a guard. The Wolves could use more than one guy to help in that regard and a combo forward (rotation guy) in addition to an actual big would be nice.

Regardless GS success with these players shows how draft picks can be really worthwhile if you pick the right players. GS also had a span of a few years where they missed on guys and in some cases paid to get rid of them.

2 crazy stats

Warriors have won 21 of 23 playoff series under Kerr

Andre Iguodala has the most finals appearances ever to never play for the Lakers or Celtics with 7

kekgeek1 wrote:2 crazy stats

Warriors have won 21 of 23 playoff series under Kerr

Andre Iguodala has the most finals appearances ever to never play for the Lakers or Celtics with 7

Fun Fact (or not so fun fact): Of the 24 current NBA coaches who have coached in the playoffs, those with connections to the Wolves have among the worst win percentage in playoffs: Thibs 19th (.410), Casey 20th (.382), Finch 22nd (.333) and Bickerstaff 24th (.200)

monsterpile wrote:

Q-was-here wrote:Looney....another guy that makes me shake my head. Naz Reid is actually bigger and more athletic than Kevon Looney, yet Looney is 2x as effective defensively. Why is that? I mean, Looney is like 6'9 with shoes and 235 lbs on a good day. Yet we don't see him tumbling on the floor and constantly getting overwhelmed in the paint.

Jordan Poole was appropriately taken at #28 based on his body of work in college. As a rookie he can barely make 28% of his 3's and 39% of his 2's. He shoots 33% overall. Fast forward a mere two years to this year's playoffs and he's suddenly a world class shot maker. Not just Ok. Not decent. But elite. WTF!?!

Just ranting. I'm jealous.

Part of the reason Looney dropped in the draft was injury issues (pretty sure it was his hip) and those followed him early into his career he wasn't healthy for much of his rookie year. I was a fan of him in the late first early 2nd of that draft. GS "stuck" with him partly because they were able to keep him for a pretty cheap contract.

Like Naz, Looney came out after his freshman year. Both guys had a relatively modern offensive skill set in college. On the other end they were fairly different. Naz was more like a center in movement wasn't in shape and wasn't explosive vertically. Looney was mobile and more skinny. It also helps with Looney that at times he can share the floor with a guy like a Draymond who is a tough rugged guy and a top defensive player in the league. GS doesn't need him to shoot. I'm not surprised Looney has been effective in a part time role for a very good team.

I think Naz could possibly have more success in a similar role on a team that his skill set would be more useful. Naz is still young so it's a possibility that he isn't a finished product. I tend to agree he could be better on another team and we should look to move him if we get reasonable value back. The Wolves have a bunch of guys that play well more as mobile rangy guys but they don't really have any guys that really thump people physically...except Beverly. Edwards has the physicality but is still a young guy and is essentially a guard. The Wolves could use more than one guy to help in that regard and a combo forward (rotation guy) in addition to an actual big would be nice.

Regardless GS success with these players shows how draft picks can be really worthwhile if you pick the right players. GS also had a span of a few years where they missed on guys and in some cases paid to get rid of them.

True. And at the end of the day, the three drafts that still form the core of who they are is still paying dividends:

2009 - Curry
2011 - Thompson
2012 - Green

Also interesting to note that here are Curry's first three years in terms of W/L: 26, 36, 23. Then in Green's rookie year they won 47 games and the rocket ship was launched before their most recent swoon that happened during the two pandemic seasons. And Green was awful his rookie year BTW!

Michael Jordan's trajectory believe it or not was kind of similar to Curry's first three years (team-wise). Yes, they made the playoffs but didn't have a winning record in any of his first three seasons and got knocked out in the first round every year. He didn't get to an Eastern Conference Finals until he was 25 and didn't get to the Finals until he was 27.

In other words, Ant is ahead of schedule in terms of team success! Winning 46 games and making the playoffs as a 2nd year 20-year old is pretty impressive! And I think it's fair to say that he was probably our best player in the Memphis series.

Watching these playoffs how can any member of the National media say Bam is better then Kat I well never know. Just a complete no show game after game

Wolves would of been a title contender if Jimmy and Kat personalities would of meshed. Jimmy is so good

Jimmy G. Buckets. That guy is incredible.