Minnesota Sports Forum

Coolbreeze44 wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2026 2:57 pm

AussieWolf3 wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2026 2:18 pm Cool over here already shoveling in dirt over the grave

HAHA, I'm itching to get going on the post mortem. I have some "I told you so's" to deliver. But seriously dudes, if none of these guys are overrated, shouldn't we be a budding dynasty by now? I hear face of the league chatter with Ant, certain hall of famer with Rudy, best non-starter in Naz, and #2 on a championship level team in Randle. I guess when I thought of this thread I was thinking in terms of a combination of this board and national perception. Making the distinction actually makes quite a bit of sense.

I don’t think anyone here ever bought into Randle as a #2 on a title contender…

Ant is playing hurt and has gotten better every year. Hes on so many “Most of type lists before 25 years of age”. Not an overhyped type if he’s setting new standards every year in scoring.

No one watching this team has ever been “comfortable” watching Rudy be Rudy. He wins us games, sometimes even a stray playoff here or there….not so much against Wemby…but if Wemby is a “center” and not a huge friggin SF then I’m not an asshole.

And Naz’ grit and skill are literally the only thing shinning through in this Spurs series.

OKC builds a masterpiece. To have so much draft capital left and be the best team with the best player…just amazing job.

Spurs got three straight lottery picks that hit including a number 1 and number 2 overall. Wolves had that for a moment of sorts with Kat and Ant on similar timelines…but the salary monster took a bite….spurs and OKC will face that scenario soon enough.

The best bet for the wolves is to shoot for that window I think, the years it gets tough on Spurs to keep Castle Harper and Wemby after their rookie deals. It’s a window that lines up with Ant Naz Jaden Prime.

This first era with Rudy has been training wheels. Show Ant as much playoff basketball as possible. But we have never been favored. The build has never been right.

The mistake, maybe fatal, was blowing all the capital we did to get Dilly. We need to recoup that somehow when we move on from our front court and game the current CBA to fully fund Ants prime over the next 5 years. We aren’t getting anymore lottery picks to jumpstart us. We have what we have and if we can’t maximize it in a 5 year window then hopefully Ant does the honorable loyal thing and positions himself to land a huge trade package to send him to ATL to live his best life.

BeenLurkin wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2026 5:28 pm

Coolbreeze44 wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2026 2:57 pm

AussieWolf3 wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2026 2:18 pm Cool over here already shoveling in dirt over the grave

HAHA, I'm itching to get going on the post mortem. I have some "I told you so's" to deliver. But seriously dudes, if none of these guys are overrated, shouldn't we be a budding dynasty by now? I hear face of the league chatter with Ant, certain hall of famer with Rudy, best non-starter in Naz, and #2 on a championship level team in Randle. I guess when I thought of this thread I was thinking in terms of a combination of this board and national perception. Making the distinction actually makes quite a bit of sense.

No one watching this team has ever been “comfortable” watching Rudy be Rudy. He wins us games, sometimes even a stray playoff here or there….not so much against Wemby…but if Wemby is a “center” and not a huge friggin SF then I’m not an asshole.

I laughed hard at that one.

Rudy is a floor raiser, but heralding him as a consummate winner with the number of playoff series he has had a negative impact on is troubling. Interesting stat his MPG has remained almost flat regular season to playoffs for his career. In his time in Minnesota it has been flat. Compared to Ant whose MPG jumps 5 mins in the playoffs. For whatever reason, Finchy and it seems like his previous coaches havent relied more heavily on Rudy in the playoffs. Not a great case for an impact on playoff winning when your coaches lose trust in playing you when it matters.

thedoper wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2026 10:44 am Rudy is a floor raiser, but heralding him as a consummate winner with the number of playoff series he has had a negative impact on is troubling. Interesting stat his MPG has remained almost flat regular season to playoffs for his career. In his time in Minnesota it has been flat. Compared to Ant whose MPG jumps 5 mins in the playoffs. For whatever reason, Finchy and it seems like his previous coaches havent relied more heavily on Rudy in the playoffs. Not a great case for an impact on playoff winning when your coaches lose trust in playing you when it matters.

I think both Randle and Rudy are quite effective against most of the league even in the playoffs. Rudy was fantastic against Joker. Randle was fantastic last year against the Lakers and Golden State. But there are matchups where they are not, and unfortunately the top two teams in the west are both teams they are not effective against.

rapsuperstar31 wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2026 11:01 am

thedoper wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2026 10:44 am Rudy is a floor raiser, but heralding him as a consummate winner with the number of playoff series he has had a negative impact on is troubling. Interesting stat his MPG has remained almost flat regular season to playoffs for his career. In his time in Minnesota it has been flat. Compared to Ant whose MPG jumps 5 mins in the playoffs. For whatever reason, Finchy and it seems like his previous coaches havent relied more heavily on Rudy in the playoffs. Not a great case for an impact on playoff winning when your coaches lose trust in playing you when it matters.

I think both Randle and Rudy are quite effective against most of the league even in the playoffs. Rudy was fantastic against Joker. Randle was fantastic last year against the Lakers and Golden State. But there are matchups where they are not, and unfortunately the top two teams in the west are both teams they are not effective against.

Just listened to Dane Moore say something similar about Rudy... and why he thinks him moving to the East might be in play eventually.

AbeVigodaLive wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2026 12:48 pm

rapsuperstar31 wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2026 11:01 am

thedoper wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2026 10:44 am Rudy is a floor raiser, but heralding him as a consummate winner with the number of playoff series he has had a negative impact on is troubling. Interesting stat his MPG has remained almost flat regular season to playoffs for his career. In his time in Minnesota it has been flat. Compared to Ant whose MPG jumps 5 mins in the playoffs. For whatever reason, Finchy and it seems like his previous coaches havent relied more heavily on Rudy in the playoffs. Not a great case for an impact on playoff winning when your coaches lose trust in playing you when it matters.

I think both Randle and Rudy are quite effective against most of the league even in the playoffs. Rudy was fantastic against Joker. Randle was fantastic last year against the Lakers and Golden State. But there are matchups where they are not, and unfortunately the top two teams in the west are both teams they are not effective against.

Just listened to Dane Moore say something similar about Rudy... and why he thinks him moving to the East might be in play eventually.

Game 5 was the first one this playoffs I thought Gobert wasn't either really damn good or pretty good. 1 not super great game compared to all the good he has done this playoffs seems far from a guy that needs to be moved. Tonight's game is another data point to add to the discussion.

Randle being problematic...I can see that more since he has struggled against the Spurs and OKC. Matchups are a big deal in the NBA. Again both of those players affect the team's shooting and missing Donte does hurt and would guess was a big factor in the idea of pairing Gobert and Randle together on the roster with that trade.

Tim Connelly is the most overrated person connected with the Timberwolves. He inherited a great situation with Ant, Jaden and KAT and all our draft picks and decent capspace. Now we have lost almost every worthwhile draft pick, are up against the apron and the team is no longer young. I always preach patience in building a roster and the Timberwolves never follow that. I'm not sure how you rebuild around Ant and Jaden now with very little assets to build around them. I think the franchise is fkked (if the goal is a championship) and if Ant leaves to have a legit chance at a ring, Wolves are going to be laughably bad and won't have a pick until 2032.

rapsuperstar31 wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2026 11:01 am

thedoper wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2026 10:44 am Rudy is a floor raiser, but heralding him as a consummate winner with the number of playoff series he has had a negative impact on is troubling. Interesting stat his MPG has remained almost flat regular season to playoffs for his career. In his time in Minnesota it has been flat. Compared to Ant whose MPG jumps 5 mins in the playoffs. For whatever reason, Finchy and it seems like his previous coaches havent relied more heavily on Rudy in the playoffs. Not a great case for an impact on playoff winning when your coaches lose trust in playing you when it matters.

I think both Randle and Rudy are quite effective against most of the league even in the playoffs. Rudy was fantastic against Joker. Randle was fantastic last year against the Lakers and Golden State. But there are matchups where they are not, and unfortunately the top two teams in the west are both teams they are not effective against.

Golden State shouldn't even count as they lost all four games after they lost Curry and without Curry they are a terrible team. Lakers were lacking a center after the AD trade, so Randle didn't face much rim protection. When Randle faced a real team in OKC, he wilted.

KG4Ever wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2026 11:32 pm

rapsuperstar31 wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2026 11:01 am

thedoper wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2026 10:44 am Rudy is a floor raiser, but heralding him as a consummate winner with the number of playoff series he has had a negative impact on is troubling. Interesting stat his MPG has remained almost flat regular season to playoffs for his career. In his time in Minnesota it has been flat. Compared to Ant whose MPG jumps 5 mins in the playoffs. For whatever reason, Finchy and it seems like his previous coaches havent relied more heavily on Rudy in the playoffs. Not a great case for an impact on playoff winning when your coaches lose trust in playing you when it matters.

I think both Randle and Rudy are quite effective against most of the league even in the playoffs. Rudy was fantastic against Joker. Randle was fantastic last year against the Lakers and Golden State. But there are matchups where they are not, and unfortunately the top two teams in the west are both teams they are not effective against.

Golden State shouldn't even count as they lost all four games after they lost Curry and without Curry they are a terrible team. Lakers were lacking a center after the AD trade, so Randle didn't face much rim protection. When Randle faced a real team in OKC, he wilted.

True, but Randle did take it to a really good defender in Draymond Green in that series, although he is older these days.