Minnesota Sports Forum

crazy-canuck wrote:I kinda like satoransky and wouldnt be too upset if he was our lower paid starter here next year.

Yikes.

Bulls just got a really nice haul for holiday.

Memphis gets Holiday

Bulls get m.brooks, selden, and 2 srps.

Amazing game between the warriors and the rockets.

Harden took 23 three pointers!? That is crazy. How do you let a guy get off that many 3's!? I mean, do whatever it takes to get the ball out of his hands and make PJ Tucker or someone beat you.

I think what we're seeing from Harden lately is similar to what we saw from Westbrook a couple seasons ago where he just went solo and goes nuts on everyone. I just can't see it sustainable over a long playoff run.

....and the Spurs pounded Toronto last night.

Abe, how good is Pop? He almost trumps talent in this on going dialogue of coaching vs. players. Obviously he doesn't win titles without Robinson and then Duncan. But the fact he's putting together a winning record with this roster in the West is pure coaching brilliance.

Does anyone think Bryn Forbes, Davis Bertans, or Derrick White would be positive, major rotation players on a Wolves squad? They wouldn't. They would either not get playing time or be major liabilities on the floor if they came up through our "system". And that's under Thibs, Adelman, Mitchell...whoever.

Q12543 wrote:....and the Spurs pounded Toronto last night.

Abe, how good is Pop? He almost trumps talent in this on going dialogue of coaching vs. players. Obviously he doesn't win titles without Robinson and then Duncan. But the fact he's putting together a winning record with this roster in the West is pure coaching brilliance.

Does anyone think Bryn Forbes, Davis Bertans, or Derrick White would be positive, major rotation players on a Wolves squad? They wouldn't. They would either not get playing time or be major liabilities on the floor if they came up through our "system". And that's under Thibs, Adelman, Mitchell...whoever.

I agree he is the best coach of all time but let's not forget he has 2 all NBA players from last year on his team

Q12543 wrote:....and the Spurs pounded Toronto last night.

Abe, how good is Pop? He almost trumps talent in this on going dialogue of coaching vs. players. Obviously he doesn't win titles without Robinson and then Duncan. But the fact he's putting together a winning record with this roster in the West is pure coaching brilliance.

Does anyone think Bryn Forbes, Davis Bertans, or Derrick White would be positive, major rotation players on a Wolves squad? They wouldn't. They would either not get playing time or be major liabilities on the floor if they came up through our "system". And that's under Thibs, Adelman, Mitchell...whoever.

To be fair Adelman is gonna be a HOF coach. I think a younger Adelman that stayed with the Wolves for a few years would have developed some good/worthwhile players.

Back to Pop it's also the whole organization too. They bring in the right players and develop them and Pop's coaching is terrific. I saw a tweet last week about Derrick White now playing good defense and it's been a significant part of the Spurs being better on that end. I can believe it. Any worthwhile guard that was even average on that end would really help they needed someone it was bad on the perimeter defensively.

monsterpile wrote:

Q12543 wrote:....and the Spurs pounded Toronto last night.
O
Abe, how good is Pop? He almost trumps talent in this on going dialogue of coaching vs. players. Obviously he doesn't win titles without Robinson and then Duncan. But the fact he's putting together a winning record with this roster in the West is pure coaching brilliance.

Does anyone think Bryn Forbes, Davis Bertans, or Derrick White would be positive, major rotation players on a Wolves squad? They wouldn't. They would either not get playing time or be major liabilities on the floor if they came up through our "system". And that's under Thibs, Adelman, Mitchell...whoever.

To be fair Adelman is gonna be a HOF coach. I think a younger Adelman that stayed with the Wolves for a few years would have developed some good/worthwhile players.

Back to Pop it's also the whole organization too. They bring in the right players and develop them and Pop's coaching is terrific. I saw a tweet last week about Derrick White now playing good defense and it's been a significant part of the Spurs being better on that end. I can believe it. Any worthwhile guard that was even average on that end would really help they needed someone it was bad on the perimeter defensively.

I think if Pops makes it as a 6th or better and we don't make it all, I may just switch and become a spurs fan. That would be impressive.

kekgeek1 wrote:

Q12543 wrote:....and the Spurs pounded Toronto last night.

Abe, how good is Pop? He almost trumps talent in this on going dialogue of coaching vs. players. Obviously he doesn't win titles without Robinson and then Duncan. But the fact he's putting together a winning record with this roster in the West is pure coaching brilliance.

Does anyone think Bryn Forbes, Davis Bertans, or Derrick White would be positive, major rotation players on a Wolves squad? They wouldn't. They would either not get playing time or be major liabilities on the floor if they came up through our "system". And that's under Thibs, Adelman, Mitchell...whoever.

I agree he is the best coach of all time but let's not forget he has 2 all NBA players from last year on his team

Without a doubt Aldridge and DeRozan are really key to that squad because they can carry a heavy load offensively, allowing others to play to their strengths as role players. But I put both as sort of 3rd tier stars. DeRozan is not good defensively and both score at about league average efficiency or slightly above it. DeRozan has a net rating of +.6 and Aldridge is at +.4, ranking them near the bottom of the regular rotation players for the Spurs. Meanwhile guys like Poeltl, Bertans, White, and Mills are just killing it.

I think the magic of Pop is that he can take a fairly pedestrian individual player with one or two decent skills and squeeze the absolute maximum production possible out of that person.

Speaking of those Rockets... and connecting them to the Wolves... will the Wolves (even if good) ever be a top destination for bought out players?

Austin Rivers is not a good player... but he was a key rotation guy for multiple playoff teams in Los Angeles. He wasn't good enough (or bad enough) to even be on the roster for one of the worst teams in the league. So instead... he goes to a WCF team and plays 43 minutes basically right away.

Veteran players who get bought out are such a key part of deep playoff teams. It happens every year. In fact, they used to turn to Minnesota as a pipeline for those types of players. I gotta admit that I don't like the practice... it just highlights that teams are trying to lose and that there is a huge chasm between the haves (premier teams) and the have nots.