Let’s Not Underestimate DLO

[Monster]

Interesting comments from Finch about DLO. Sounds like the communication between the two is good. And Finch is rightly positive about how Gobert's presence should enhance DLO's offensive game. But Finch is also rightly concerned about DLO defensively in what will likely be a significantly different defensive scheme with Gobert:

"What have your conversations been like with D'Angelo? Chris Finch: Incredibly positive, of course. He's very excited, as all of our guys are. He knows how important a rolling big is to his game. ... One thing we might not be able to do as much is kind of play him off the ball [on defense] as much as we had done as a roamer. We don't need that now. He's got to be a little more locked in. ... That's going to be a little different for him. His competitiveness on the ball, everyone might have to guard their natural position a little bit more than we had done in the last year. So those are all things that come to mind initially when I think about it. But he's very excited. We feel like this gives us a chance, gives him a chance to get the best version of him, which is what you want." - via Chris Hine @ Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Does these comments by Finch suggest the defensive is changing or is it because they no longer have Beverly here to guard whichever best player? They aren't gonna be rolling out Edwards as their wing stopper and they shouldn't. As Cool has mentioned McDaniels will likely get minutes guarding a variety of players at times including PGs but without Beverly even if they play the exact same way they did last year yes Russell is gonna have to guard his position more. Finch has said multiple times he still wants to play an aggressive defense. That makes sense as you have Gobert, to some extent Towns and even McDaniels behind you. McDaniels (and maybe Prince too) likely playing less PF that's more guys guarding their "natural position" and that's another defensive upgrade for the wolves.

I do think the Wolves will play defense differently or play mor looks this year which they really didn't have the personnel to do last year.

There's no doubt DLO's role in the defense will change. That's what Finch told us: "One thing we might not be able to do as much is kind of play him off the ball [on defense] as much as we had done as a roamer. We don't need that But now. He's got to be a little more locked in. ... That's going to be a little different for him. His competitiveness on the ball, everyone might have to guard their natural position a little bit more than we had done in the last year."

DLO will have to play on-ball defense more. He can't play the free safety role as much as he did last season. In football parlance, DLO will need to be more of a cornerback and that will expose his defensive weaknesses, i.e., lack of quickness, toughness and defensive intensity. Will he fight through screens and do so successfully? Will he be able to keep the many quick PGs in front of him effectively? Beverley could do that. I don't know if we can count on McDaniels to do that.

McDaniels with his length and quickness can do a good job of keeping quick PG's in front of him. No one is perfect at it, not even Jrue Holiday can guard everyone without help. But it's a strength of Jadens. That's why you see him guarding the premier players. I'm not going out of my way to pick on DLO here, but this isn't a strength of his. He will struggle more often than not getting over screens. DLO will guard the least dangerous 1-3 on the floor. If we're forced to switch, other teams are going to get the matchups they want. So we need DLO to beat these screens.

Agree 100%. I get the coach speak and all, but we can hide Dlo, he will make up for it on offense in one way shape or form, he's in a contract year.

I think counting on Dlo to become significantly faster and more hungry on the defensive end of the floor is wishful thinking. But can he learn more of the X's and O's of the team defensive concepts to be average defender...maybe?

He'll earn it on offense
He'll keep his head enough above water to play most matchup unless teams go 5 out offensive players where you can't hide him....but how many of those teams are there really anyways? And they still have to deal with our space jam line up on the other end...

Wally - If you agree with Cool 100%, then you agree with his comment that "we need DLO to beat these screens." In other words, let's hope the idea of DLO being more hungry on the defensive end isn't just wishful thinking. I don't expect DLO to get quicker; that's not going to happen. But DLO will need to be more aggressive fighting through screens to make sure this team achieves its full potential. If he doesn't, Finchy will need to plant him on the bench - something that Finch has already shown he's willing to do. One reason I don't want the Wolves to give DLO an extension is that I want him as fully motivated as possible. A contract year can be a big motivator, which can give Finch additional leverage.

Ope, good catch Lip, what I meant to say is I agree 100% with cool on the fact Jaden...and I will add Ant (hopefully takes linear next step)...can take on the tough defensive assignments of top point guards that Dlo just can not guard...because he is slow as Molasses....I DO not agree that Dlo will find that fire in his belly to fight over screens, he just seems even more ambivalent on that end of the court....if that's the lynchpin I'm worried.

I do agree with cams take on how this team caters to Dlo's strengths, thus allowing us to see a more consistent performer from game to game with less games going 3/13 on the offensive end, and a career assist year?!?

I was on the trade Dlo wagon until the Gobert trade, this team just didn't cater to his strengths enough, and his individual deficiencies as a player were not good enough when facing top flight talent.... now I'm on the watch and see wagon, I hope his play during a contract year doesn't come back to bite us in the rear! In regards to long term high dollar extension....I not only hope, but fully anticipate Dlo to drop dimes to his team mates and drop skittles all over target center with his beautiful rainbows next year!

If Russell is dropping skittles like you are suggesting he might we might see Michael Beasley out on the floor! Lol

[Monster]

I find it interesting how the rotation could go. I could see Dlo and Gobear being paired together a lot and then kat and ant playing together a lot too. I think it's dumb when teams play their whole 2nd unit together and have a crap offense for 10 minutes a game. Maybe play nowell and slo mo more with the Dlo/Rudy line and then play jmac and jaden more with the ant/kat line. My point is always have one of these pairings out there together at all times. I think finch will figure out some good rotations

Good stuff, Loser. Might be your best post of all-time. I agree with you here.

Chris Finch is pretty creative to begin with, but now he has some quality lineup combinations to play with. I too expect D'Angelo Russell and Rudy Gobert to share the floor together a lot, and the same goes for Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns. Those two duos have very complimentary games with each other.

Furthermore, I'd also expect for the Timberwolves to play mostly drop coverage with Gobert on the court and then mix in their "high wall" coverage when he's off. I'll also add that Kyle Anderson makes a good frontcourt partner with Towns for that reason.

Good points from both of you. I wasn't factoring in the coaching acumen of Chris Finch. I do think he's a terrific coach. He can put different combos on the floor and adapt the team's style of play accordingly. But I'd still like to have a defensive stopper among our rotation guards off the bench. I like Nowell, but defense isn't something he brings to the table. This next season will be a coaching challenge for Finch. On the other hand, having Gobert policing the paint makes his job easier too.

Going back to the title of your thread some of the underestimating with Russell is kinda underestimating Finch as a coach and I think the effect that Gobert will have not only on Russell (which could be significant) but on other players. It sounds weird but I think Gobert actually makes other players better.

[Monster]

This isn't fully relevant to the thread, but I genuinely think Jordan McLaughlin has turned himself into a legitimately good NBA defender at the point guard position despite his smaller stature and we're probably not giving him enough credit there when we discuss Minnesota's perimeter defense. He has quick hands, moves his feet well, has great anticipatory skills, and has gotten slippery against ball screens. That was much more apparent last season and it contributed to his quality minutes. He's not a great match-up with bigger guards, but my previous thoughts still apply.

I think that's a pretty relevant point, Cam. I think we've all sort of overlooked JMac in our discussions of the post-Gobert Wolves, including issues related to the departure of Beverley and our assessment of DLO. I've always liked JMac from the time my wife and I saw him in the Vegas Summer League before the Wolves signed him as a two-way player. You could see the talent and high basketball IQ back then and I remember we were both hoping the Wolves would sign him. His most impressive talent from the beginning has been his ability to keep the ball moving, penetrate with the ball and orchestrate the offense. I love his ball-handling, quickness, high IQ and mental toughness. But you point out an overlooked facet of his game that's developed more recently, namely his defense. He's definitely become a good pesky defender. He reminds me a bit of JJ Barea in that respect although not quite as physical as JJ. I agree that he'll have a role is helping ensure the Wolves have an adequate backcourt defense to support Gobert.

McLaughlin was 3rd in steals per 36 this season with only Payton and Thybuile above him. He is really good at making reads and gettting to a spot to make a play on the ball. He has pretty decent hands to take it away from players too. I think last year he went through a guy that made some good plays like ai described above to someone who was more of a solid asset as a defender than a liability. His size will always be a bit of a problem but he is pretty athletic for someone his size too so sometimes he plays bigger than he is on both ends of the floor.

[Coolbreeze44]

I hope we do not play a lot of drop coverage on defense. I think the league has kind of figured out how to exploit it. Let's be the innovators for once. Let's see what Finchy can come up with to take advantage of all this length. It would be a lot of fun to have the opportunity he does.

[Lipoli390]

I hope we do not play a lot of drop coverage on defense. I think the league has kind of figured out how to exploit it. Let's be the innovators for once. Let's see what Finchy can come up with to take advantage of all this length. It would be a lot of fun to have the opportunity he does.

I agree, Cool. I think Finchy intends to take full advantage of our length. It's interesting that the Wolves signed AJ Lawson to the other two-way contract. He's another guy with length. Seems the organization is all in on going long and using that to the team's advantage.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

For those who may be interested, D'Angelo Russell recently joined Dane Moore on his podcast.

Here's a link to their back and forth (with video): https://vimeo.com/736694685

[Lipoli390]

For those who may be interested, D'Angelo Russell recently joined Dane Moore on his podcast.

Here's a link to their back and forth (with video): https://vimeo.com/736694685

Thanks for posting, Cam. I'm gong to check it out right now.

[Q-is-here]

Thanks for posting Cam. Dane Moore has really done well for himself since going out on his own a couple years ago. My favorites are still when he gets on with Britt. He plays more of the straight-man and Britt is the crazy old guy. Good stuff.

DLO is a very cool dude and it was nice of him to come on. He definitely fashions himself as a thinker of the game, but man, just not enough dog in him for my tastes. When he heard from Dane where Vegas had the Wolves pegged (47.5 wins/7th in the West), he was like, "that's a lot of wins!" That's perhaps not the reaction Dane (or us fans) was looking for....Imagine Ant being asked that question. I'm not sure what Ant would say, but you can bet it would put a smile on our face.

That being said, I'm really looking forward to how things gel with Rudy now in the mix.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

For those who may be interested, D'Angelo Russell recently joined Dane Moore on his podcast.

Here's a link to their back and forth (with video): https://vimeo.com/736694685

The linked video above is just under an hour long. I definitely recommend watching it for yourself, but I also thought about how people in general are very busy and might not have the time to sit down, load it up, and view it -- whether it be on a short break at work or between errands or whatever is going on. With that said, I made some notes throughout the podcast for those that wanted the quick rundown of what was talked about. I hope it saves you time and/or encourages discussion of some sort.
_______________________

Dane Moore Podcast - D'Angelo Russell Notes:

- D-Lo hit Dane up on Twitter last week about getting on his podcast. They met up at the Twin Cities Pro-Am. D-Lo said that he can feel the positive energy around the franchise and wanted to talk hoops.

- D-Lo is excited about Rudy Gobert acquisition. Didn't see the move coming, but knew that's what they lacked. I'm assuming he means rim protection and rebounding.

- D-Lo thought the Wolves other additions were "underrated" and made the team "more mature." Specifically mentioned Kyle Anderson and Austin Rivers.

- D-Lo said it's rare to feel needed in the NBA. He said that he's been in the opposite situation so far in his career, but basically it feels different now. Said that Gobert can help bring out more in his game as well as bring out some other aspects to the team that they didn't previously have.

- D-Lo said Jarrett Allen and Gobert have similarities, but they're different players. Gave Allen credit for making him look better than he was, especially on low bounce passes. Noted that Allen was very agile and had great hands. Thinks that Gobert is more over-the-top -- ie. more of a lob threat.

- D-Lo said that he hasn't felt like his ability to handle in the pick-and-roll has ever been built around (I agree). Said that in Brooklyn they just made it happen on the fly. Didn't have much opportunity or pairings in Los Angeles.

- Dane noted the four high usage players plus Jaden McDaniels and how they'll have to make it work without sabotaging each other's action. D-Lo cut him off and said they just have to trust each other, trust the offense, trust the system. Stick with each other at the end of games.

- D-Lo made a couple of interesting comparisons in regards to Towns and Gobert saying that it's not foreign for either of them to play alongside another traditional big. He noted that Gobert came into the league playing with Derrick Favors in Utah and Towns started his career next to Kevin Garnett.

- D-Lo talked about the various roles he's played throughout his career on multiple teams. Said he's been in places where he was asked not to bring the ball up and be a scorer, he's been asked to be the point guard and run the show, he's been asked to be the sixth man coming off the bench. He continued with a comment that his game is basically a mini-system within the system. More or less, he said that he needs a roller and a shooter around him and he can make the game easier for everyone.

- D-Lo considers himself a basketball player or combo guard versus a point guard. Wants to make basketball plays whether he's got the ball in his hands or if he's playing off the ball. Said he used to be scared to play point and handle the ball when he was in middle school before he got more comfortable with it.

- Dane brought up Anthony Edwards also being a combo guard of sorts and having more lead ball-handling responsibilities in the future. D-Lo agreed and said that he thinks that's why the two of them fit well together because they can do a lot of different things and compliment each other. Excited for catch-and-shoot opportunities playing around Ant. He also said that whoever is making plays on a night to night basis should be handling the rock more. Said that it can be anyone's night and to basically feed the hot hand. Also noted that he saw that in effect for a short time when he was in Golden State when they were healthy.

- D-Lo shared the story about when he got thrown out against the Heat and Towns fouled out and Ant was facing double and triple teams as well as getting trapped above the break. When the game was over Ant said that he hadn't ever seen anything like that before. D-Lo said he told him to get used to it and that it'd become more regular.

- Dane and D-Lo talked about what impact Kyle Anderson had with the Grizzlies and how he's really a 6'8 ball-handler. Talked about how he basically grew up as a point guard from a young age through college. Obviously, we know that from watching him at UCLA, but it sounded like he thinks Anderson's abilities to handle will be a big strength for them.

- Dane talked about the leadership from D-Lo and Taurean Prince last year with the younger players coming to them often. Also said that Ant and KAT were leaders in their own ways. D-Lo basically called Prince another assistant coach in a way. High praise for the veteran. Nice to see Prince get some love.

- Dane asked D-Lo why he wanted to see it through in Minnesota and grow there. D-Lo said that he wants to build here. He sees the vision. He sees what the Timberwolves have to offer. He's seen the progression. Said they've seen the highs and lows. They've dealt with the excuses and everything else. Basically, he's invested already. Makes sense.

- They briefly talked about the contract situation. Said he's locking into his craft and trying to win and that everything else would figure itself out. Said that he can't control much of what's happening and you never know what's going to happen. Used the Kevin Durant trade request and Gobert acquisition as examples of that. Noted that it's how business goes.

- They were complimentary of McDaniels and Jaylen Nowell. D-Lo said that he's seen the work those two put in and how they stayed ready. Also noted that they were hungry for more playing time and saw it getting to them a bit when they didn't get it immediately. Said that he wanted to be in their ears when they weren't in games and just to try to help them stay ready knowing that they'd eventually get their shot and thrive in it.

- Dane brought up how the team really took off when D-Lo started playing with the bench guys more and more. D-Lo gave credit to Chris Finch for that and also noted that the dynamic between the first unit and the second unit is very different. It sounded like he thought that the second unit always brought the energy, moved the rock well, and that he enjoyed that role.

- They talked about D-Lo's relationship with Finch. Said that when Finch talks, you listen. He was very complimentary of Finch. Said he was very genuine and that he appreciated him. He also said that they had their ups and downs throughout the process trying to figure out how to best use him and make the team better. D-Lo also said that Finch doesn't sugarcoat anything and that he likes that about him.

- D-Lo noted that they didn't play a lot of pick-and-roll last year, but when they did it was more random than anything else. I mentioned that continuously throughout the season and it drove me nuts. To me, that's inexcusable given D-Lo's strengths in that action and KAT, while not a great screen setter, is a highly-efficient player in the P&R. There were plenty of times when the offensive system bogged down and the baskets in isolation weren't falling. They should have gone to more P&R. It still annoys me. Hopefully I don't have to worry about that this season.

- They talked about the different defensive coverages the team will use depending on who's on the floor be it Gobert, Towns, or both of them. Said they'll basically be a good defensive team regardless but that they'll figure it out. This led into D-Lo mentioning that McDaniels is the biggest talker on defense. I thought that was interesting because that doesn't come across on the broadcast and McDaniels is typically a quiet guy.

- They circled back to the playoff series against Memphis and how D-Lo deals with it mentally. D-Lo said that he tries to disconnect from it, doesn't watch it after the fact because he wants to keep how he felt in the moment. Said that he doesn't think he could stomach watching it again -- said that it's defeating. He also said that he doesn't think he watched the playoff series with Brooklyn either. D-Lo said he already knew why they lost the series against Memphis and said that it had a lot to do with Brandon Clarke making timely plays -- mentioned that he basically won them two games. He said that they weren't focused enough on the supporting cast the Grizzlies had. Also said that they didn't make enough plays on their own end, let some opportunities slip away. Noted that it was a lot of learning and inexperience not just for the young guys on the team, but everybody.

- Dane brought up the Vegas win projections. D-Lo said the 47.5 wins on the over/under is a lot of wins and that number could be good enough for a top-five seed given the conference's strength. He said he thinks the Western Conference is really tough from the top to bottom, that teams will be really tight in the standings. Said some of the teams we're expecting to be bad he thinks will be good and vice versa. Given all the moves made this summer and the players returning from injuries, I think that's a fair take.

- Dane asked about what D-Lo thinks of the young star Ant and his upcoming birthday. D-Lo said that he's the type to talk his shit but then be working on his game too. Said that he's attacking everything and primed to have a big year. Sounded like he had a lot of confidence in Ant, understandably.

- Dane was talking about Minneapolis as a sports/basketball town. D-Lo cut him off and gave a shoutout to the Timberwolves fans, said he appreciates the fans. He said that he liked how he called the fans out and wanted more energy from them and they provided it -- standing up at the games until the first made basket. Sounded like it meant a lot to him and that he hopes it continues.

[Coolbreeze44]

Cam, you're clinically insane.