Minnesota Sports Forum

rapsuperstar31 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 09, 2026 4:02 pm

AussieWolf3 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 09, 2026 3:53 pm The answer is pretty obvious to me and it's not only making it back to WCF, they must also actually make a competitive run of it.
The reason I say it's obvious is because thats what they told us they were going to do. Continuity and all of the messaging about playing hard every game and taking every game seriously. They set the stage for the idea that they would come back this season knowing what it takes to be a champion and no matter what the results are at the end they shown themselves to be frauds here. So much so that the messaging has shifted to, "being bored" and "waiting for the playoffs"

Ok guys, if that's the case, you better show everybody that you can do that --- that your hubris was warranted and we all over worry about the minor details.

This is the marker they set down for themselves and not in some cliche sense where every team say that they're playing for championship, but in that every roster move, coaching decision and actions taken by the players has been to tell us that they'll play hard when it really matters.

So that's what I'm going to be judging them by

Everything they said in the pre-season went out the door hours before the start of the season when Mike got taken out of the starting lineup and forced Ant into a positions that he at least at this time isn't ready for. Losing NAW and Shannon, Rob and Clark not filling in for him didn't help either. Adding Ayo, Bones, and Anderson is great, but we haven't had the time to implement everyone together healthy.

AussieWolf3 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 09, 2026 4:06 pm

rapsuperstar31 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 09, 2026 4:02 pm

AussieWolf3 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 09, 2026 3:53 pm The answer is pretty obvious to me and it's not only making it back to WCF, they must also actually make a competitive run of it.
The reason I say it's obvious is because thats what they told us they were going to do. Continuity and all of the messaging about playing hard every game and taking every game seriously. They set the stage for the idea that they would come back this season knowing what it takes to be a champion and no matter what the results are at the end they shown themselves to be frauds here. So much so that the messaging has shifted to, "being bored" and "waiting for the playoffs"

Ok guys, if that's the case, you better show everybody that you can do that --- that your hubris was warranted and we all over worry about the minor details.

This is the marker they set down for themselves and not in some cliche sense where every team say that they're playing for championship, but in that every roster move, coaching decision and actions taken by the players has been to tell us that they'll play hard when it really matters.

So that's what I'm going to be judging them by

Everything they said in the pre-season went out the door hours before the start of the season when Mike got taken out of the starting lineup and forced Ant into a positions that he at least at this time isn't ready for. Losing NAW and Shannon, Rob and Clark not filling in for him didn't help either. Adding Ayo, Bones, and Anderson is great, but we haven't had the time to implement everyone together healthy.

That's letting them off the hook reeeeeeeeeal easy

rapsuperstar31 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 10, 2026 9:13 am

AussieWolf3 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 09, 2026 4:06 pm

rapsuperstar31 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 09, 2026 4:02 pm

Everything they said in the pre-season went out the door hours before the start of the season when Mike got taken out of the starting lineup and forced Ant into a positions that he at least at this time isn't ready for. Losing NAW and Shannon, Rob and Clark not filling in for him didn't help either. Adding Ayo, Bones, and Anderson is great, but we haven't had the time to implement everyone together healthy.

That's letting them off the hook reeeeeeeeeal easy

Yeah I suppose, but when you go from a team that is 8 deep as they called it last year, to a team that is 6 deep with Mike being useless and no NAW, you are going to need an incredible jump from the young guys which Ant and Jaden did jump on offense, but Shannon, Clark, and Rob didn't help at all. Until we got Ayo, Kyle, and Bones came around, we basically lost every game that Naz couldn't shoot. Every team stumbles on their journey to trying to win a championship and might not make it as far as the previous season. It's still on Tim Connelly (for as long as he is here) to build this roster into a team that can win it, and decide if Finch is the coach that will get us there.

Wolvesfan21 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 10, 2026 9:26 am

rapsuperstar31 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 10, 2026 9:13 am

AussieWolf3 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 09, 2026 4:06 pm

That's letting them off the hook reeeeeeeeeal easy

Yeah I suppose, but when you go from a team that is 8 deep as they called it last year, to a team that is 6 deep with Mike being useless and no NAW, you are going to need an incredible jump from the young guys which Ant and Jaden did jump on offense, but Shannon, Clark, and Rob didn't help at all. Until we got Ayo, Kyle, and Bones came around, we basically lost every game that Naz couldn't shoot. Every team stumbles on their journey to trying to win a championship and might not make it as far as the previous season. It's still on Tim Connelly (for as long as he is here) to build this roster into a team that can win it, and decide if Finch is the coach that will get us there.

The team admittedly by Finchies word has been bored, moody and low effort and this has been a too common theme for many games in this regular season. We could be a top for sure 3 defense in the NBA for instance, but we simply don't care enough. Now if we go on to lose in the first round which seems likely then this is major failure and blaming it on a decrepit Mike and the ghost of NAW doesn't work for me.

Wolvesfan21 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 10, 2026 9:26 am

rapsuperstar31 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 10, 2026 9:13 am

AussieWolf3 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 09, 2026 4:06 pm

That's letting them off the hook reeeeeeeeeal easy

Yeah I suppose, but when you go from a team that is 8 deep as they called it last year, to a team that is 6 deep with Mike being useless and no NAW, you are going to need an incredible jump from the young guys which Ant and Jaden did jump on offense, but Shannon, Clark, and Rob didn't help at all. Until we got Ayo, Kyle, and Bones came around, we basically lost every game that Naz couldn't shoot. Every team stumbles on their journey to trying to win a championship and might not make it as far as the previous season. It's still on Tim Connelly (for as long as he is here) to build this roster into a team that can win it, and decide if Finch is the coach that will get us there.

The team admittedly by Finchies word has been bored, moody and low effort and this has been a too common theme for many games in this regular season. We could be a top for sure 3 defense in the NBA for instance, but we simply don't care enough. Now if we go on to lose in the first round which seems likely then this is major failure and blaming it on a decrepit Mike and the ghost of NAW doesn't work for me.

rapsuperstar31 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 10, 2026 9:43 am

Wolvesfan21 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 10, 2026 9:26 am

rapsuperstar31 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 10, 2026 9:13 am

Yeah I suppose, but when you go from a team that is 8 deep as they called it last year, to a team that is 6 deep with Mike being useless and no NAW, you are going to need an incredible jump from the young guys which Ant and Jaden did jump on offense, but Shannon, Clark, and Rob didn't help at all. Until we got Ayo, Kyle, and Bones came around, we basically lost every game that Naz couldn't shoot. Every team stumbles on their journey to trying to win a championship and might not make it as far as the previous season. It's still on Tim Connelly (for as long as he is here) to build this roster into a team that can win it, and decide if Finch is the coach that will get us there.

The team admittedly by Finchies word has been bored, moody and low effort and this has been a too common theme for many games in this regular season. We could be a top for sure 3 defense in the NBA for instance, but we simply don't care enough. Now if we go on to lose in the first round which seems likely then this is major failure and blaming it on a decrepit Mike and the ghost of NAW doesn't work for me.

You're free to blame whoever you like. If you are 6 deep, you aren't deep enough to play top 3 defense for any length of time. Now that we have a deeper roster, they can certainly be a better defense and we have been, but we still need to get healthy for it to all come together and we are running out of time.

60WinTim wrote: ↑Fri Apr 10, 2026 9:44 am

Wolvesfan21 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 10, 2026 9:26 am

rapsuperstar31 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 10, 2026 9:13 am

Yeah I suppose, but when you go from a team that is 8 deep as they called it last year, to a team that is 6 deep with Mike being useless and no NAW, you are going to need an incredible jump from the young guys which Ant and Jaden did jump on offense, but Shannon, Clark, and Rob didn't help at all. Until we got Ayo, Kyle, and Bones came around, we basically lost every game that Naz couldn't shoot. Every team stumbles on their journey to trying to win a championship and might not make it as far as the previous season. It's still on Tim Connelly (for as long as he is here) to build this roster into a team that can win it, and decide if Finch is the coach that will get us there.

The team admittedly by Finchies word has been bored, moody and low effort and this has been a too common theme for many games in this regular season. We could be a top for sure 3 defense in the NBA for instance, but we simply don't care enough. Now if we go on to lose in the first round which seems likely then this is major failure and blaming it on a decrepit Mike and the ghost of NAW doesn't work for me.

And this is a big gripe for me on Finchie. He could have easily found ways to get younger guys some reps by either cutting back on some of the regulars minutes for rest, or sending a message when he doesn't think the requisite effort is there. But NOOOO. You can't "sub" your way out of problems. You gotta let your guys play through it. Is doesn't seem to have worked very well, does it?!?