Singing the Blues - Wolves at Pelicans

[Carlos Danger]

I just keep comparing us to last year and amazingly we keep tracking exactly the same. After 50 games played, we are 25-25 this year and had exactly same record after 50 last year. I'm not saying that's good or bad. But I do know most people seemed happy with last year's team.

[Jester1534]

I just keep comparing us to last year and amazingly we keep tracking exactly the same. After 50 games played, we are 25-25 this year and had exactly same record after 50 last year. I'm not saying that's good or bad. But I do know most people seemed happy with last year's team.

All BS they're not winning how I want them to win. It's been ugly moar of the time but at end of the day there .500 with Kat missing 3/4 the season. I'll keep beating this drum take Kat out of last year team the team would've won 10 games.

[Wolvesfan21]

There are valid concerns though. Losing to the worst teams in the NBA at a higher rate then they should is not ideal for playoff seeding (or making / missing the playoffs altogether!). Every game counts!!!!

Not playing hard night in and out has been a problem with many of the players this franchise has had. I think many of us fans are sick of it.

Does part of that also go on Finch? Is Finch really the best coach for this team? He's done many things which have been just downright bad IMO like when Memphis went on some 25-2 (I don't remember the exact number) run during a playoff game last year and Finch never called a TO till they completely blew the lead. Can another coach get the players to play with a more consistent effort? IDK. I tend to blame the players and not the coach, but if a coach could get more out of the players we should be considering it.

[thedoper]

I am pretty pleased with this team so far this year especially as of late. The Houston game hurt, but for the most part they have been really close in every game they lost and had some nice wins even with a severely depleted roster. If you told me that they would have lost KAT for this many games and in that stretch no Rudy for a good chunk and maintained a pace just above .500 I would have been surprised. Ant's progress in Kat's time away has been very promising. Everyone has been sharing the ball better as of late. The real spot where we missed ground was when we had Kat and couldn't play better. That will be the test for me and for how I evaluate Finch. If he can't find a way to use Kat as a weapon when he returns I will join the chorus of people questioning him.

[FNG]

This was an important and impressive win for the Timberwolves. And how weird to see them win the 3rd quarter 39-21...a quarter that has been killing us all year.

A lot of the talk about last night will center on Ant's offense and Rudy and Jaden's defense. And it should...they were all extraordinary. But I thought Russell had his best game of the season and was a huge factor in the win. (I know many like it when DLo has his rare 4th quarter heroics, and I admit it's fun. But I much prefer the all around game he gave us last night.). 19-5-3 and 2 steals on only 17 shots...and no turnovers. More important to me was his improved play as the "low man" on defense. Too many times I have seen DLo struggle when a rotation puts him as low man...he gets caught too far in the paint and isn't able to provide any defense on the open 3-point shooter. It's especially maddening to me because his presence in the paint often is unnecessary (and too often ineffective) when Rudy is already there. Last night I found his defensive positioning much better, and it resulted in far fewer open threes than we normally see when he (or Nowell) are out there. We held the Pellies to 31.8% 3-point shooting, and I give a lot of the credit to Jaden on Ingram and DLo's better perimeter defense.

Great win! Sure they were missing Zion, but I would argue we were more hamstrung without KAT, JMac and Prince. Our normally effective bench is just not that good with those three guys out, because SloMo (forced to start with KAT out), Prince and JMac have all been so impressive off the bench this year. We simply have to get healthy soon if we want to challenge for that 4th spot in the conference.

[Monster]

This was an important and impressive win for the Timberwolves. And how weird to see them win the 3rd quarter 39-21...a quarter that has been killing us all year.

A lot of the talk about last night will center on Ant's offense and Rudy and Jaden's defense. And it should...they were all extraordinary. But I thought Russell had his best game of the season and was a huge factor in the win. (I know many like it when DLo has his rare 4th quarter heroics, and I admit it's fun. But I much prefer the all around game he gave us last night.). 19-5-3 and 2 steals on only 17 shots...and no turnovers. More important to me was his improved play as the "low man" on defense. Too many times I have seen DLo struggle when a rotation puts him as low man...he gets caught too far in the paint and isn't able to provide any defense on the open 3-point shooter. It's especially maddening to me because his presence in the paint often is unnecessary (and too often ineffective) when Rudy is already there. Last night I found his defensive positioning much better, and it resulted in far fewer open threes than we normally see when he (or Nowell) are out there. We held the Pellies to 31.8% 3-point shooting, and I give a lot of the credit to Jaden on Ingram and DLo's better perimeter defense.

Great win! Sure they were missing Zion, but I would argue we were more hamstrung without KAT, JMac and Prince. Our normally effective bench is just not that good with those three guys out, because SloMo (forced to start with KAT out), Prince and JMac have all been so impressive off the bench this year. We simply have to get healthy soon if we want to challenge for that 4th spot in the conference.

Prince has played 28 games this year. The Wolves record in those games? 17-11

There has been a lot of injuries in the WC this year and that coupled with trying not to be homers I think to some extent the Wolves injuries have actually been downplayed a bit by us as a whole. Towns being out is a big deal. He is at least an all-star level players and in the league now that's a really good player. McLaughlin being out hurts partly because nobody else replicates what he does...ok actually Anderson kinda does. Prince is pretty important too. Meanwhile Nowell is a guy that just hasn't been as good as the team or we would have hoped. Still the Wolves are .500 at this point. I know they started out disappointing when healthy and playing with meh effort etc but it feels like despite everything they are now hanging on reasonably well with some guys maybe helping a bit more than expected like Naz or Rivers after a slow start and Garza showing he might be a worthwhile NBA player. It's not a rosy picture but again all things considered including some other important guys missing some games here and there .500 ain't a bad spot to be in.

[FNG]

This was an important and impressive win for the Timberwolves. And how weird to see them win the 3rd quarter 39-21...a quarter that has been killing us all year.

A lot of the talk about last night will center on Ant's offense and Rudy and Jaden's defense. And it should...they were all extraordinary. But I thought Russell had his best game of the season and was a huge factor in the win. (I know many like it when DLo has his rare 4th quarter heroics, and I admit it's fun. But I much prefer the all around game he gave us last night.). 19-5-3 and 2 steals on only 17 shots...and no turnovers. More important to me was his improved play as the "low man" on defense. Too many times I have seen DLo struggle when a rotation puts him as low man...he gets caught too far in the paint and isn't able to provide any defense on the open 3-point shooter. It's especially maddening to me because his presence in the paint often is unnecessary (and too often ineffective) when Rudy is already there. Last night I found his defensive positioning much better, and it resulted in far fewer open threes than we normally see when he (or Nowell) are out there. We held the Pellies to 31.8% 3-point shooting, and I give a lot of the credit to Jaden on Ingram and DLo's better perimeter defense.

Great win! Sure they were missing Zion, but I would argue we were more hamstrung without KAT, JMac and Prince. Our normally effective bench is just not that good with those three guys out, because SloMo (forced to start with KAT out), Prince and JMac have all been so impressive off the bench this year. We simply have to get healthy soon if we want to challenge for that 4th spot in the conference.

Prince has played 28 games this year. The Wolves record in those games? 17-11

There has been a lot of injuries in the WC this year and that coupled with trying not to be homers I think to some extent the Wolves injuries have actually been downplayed a bit by us as a whole. Towns being out is a big deal. He is at least an all-star level players and in the league now that's a really good player. McLaughlin being out hurts partly because nobody else replicates what he does...ok actually Anderson kinda does. Prince is pretty important too. Meanwhile Nowell is a guy that just hasn't been as good as the team or we would have hoped. Still the Wolves are .500 at this point. I know they started out disappointing when healthy and playing with meh effort etc but it feels like despite everything they are now hanging on reasonably well with some guys maybe helping a bit more than expected like Naz or Rivers after a slow start and Garza showing he might be a worthwhile NBA player. It's not a rosy picture but again all things considered including some other important guys missing some games here and there .500 ain't a bad spot to be in.

Yep, 17-11 with Prince playing. That .607 win percentage would out them currently 3rd in the West...and that's without Towns and JMac. Taurean is having a terrific season offensively and as an on-court leader. We need him back.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Taurean Prince is a quality rotation member, however, his absence is impactful not because he's great, but because Minnesota has poor wing options behind him. Their depth is suspect in that regard.

When Prince is out Chris Finch has turned to more three-guard lineups utilizing Jaylen Nowell, Austin Rivers, or Bryn Forbes, or he's had to turn to journeyman Matt Ryan or rookie Wendell Moore Jr. -- none of which are winning options.

They've been able to plug holes to the frontcourt and backcourt through various means and remain competent, but the wing is where Minnesota is arguably the thinnest. It also doesn't help things when Jaden McDaniels finds himself in foul trouble all too often. This is very quietly an area of need leading up to the trade deadline.

[Monster]

Taurean Prince is a quality rotation member, however, his absence is impactful not because he's great, but because Minnesota has poor wing options behind him. Their depth is suspect in that regard.

When Prince is out Chris Finch has turned to more three-guard lineups utilizing Jaylen Nowell, Austin Rivers, or Bryn Forbes, or he's had to turn to journeyman Matt Ryan or rookie Wendell Moore Jr. -- none of which are winning options.

They've been able to plug holes to the frontcourt and backcourt through various means and remain competent, but the wing is where Minnesota is arguably the thinnest. It also doesn't help things when Jaden McDaniels finds himself in foul trouble all too often. This is very quietly an area of need leading up to the trade deadline.

I agree with your post except Matt Ryan hasn't even reached journeyman status. Lol I was curious who was a FA that could come in and bring some size and decent play to that forward position and there were guys like Aminu or Ariza that I don't know if they have anything left. Maurice Harkless Is available. He isn't thrilling but it feels like if he is your 3rd option for that type player you could do worse. Obviously finding a guy like that who can actually hit some 3's would be nice but I would imagine that might be harder to acquire.

[Lipoli390]

I am pretty pleased with this team so far this year especially as of late. The Houston game hurt, but for the most part they have been really close in every game they lost and had some nice wins even with a severely depleted roster. If you told me that they would have lost KAT for this many games and in that stretch no Rudy for a good chunk and maintained a pace just above .500 I would have been surprised. Ant's progress in Kat's time away has been very promising. Everyone has been sharing the ball better as of late. The real spot where we missed ground was when we had Kat and couldn't play better. That will be the test for me and for how I evaluate Finch. If he can't find a way to use Kat as a weapon when he returns I will join the chorus of people questioning him.

I just can't be pleased with this team. Losing KAT probably hurt this team even though we were a .500 team before he went down. But otherwise, this team has played 50 games and four of our five starters have played in the vast majority of them. Our best player, Edwards, has played in all 50. Two of our three max players, Russell and Gobert have played in 47 and 41 of those 50 games respectively. Our best defender, McDaniels, has played in 47 of them.

When you make a deal like the one the Wolves made last summer, giving up all those assets for a max player, I can't be happy with a .500 record. However, the good news is that this team is one big hot streak from being a top 5 seed (maybe even a top 4 seed) in the West. So while I'm not pleased with where we're at, I'm not yet in despair.