Minnesota Sports Forum

Was that a winnable game? Yup.
Did the referee situation impact the game? Yup.
Did the Bulls do the same thing in their previous game? Basically, they lost but came back from 30 down.
Is it a knee-jerk reaction to want to blow things up again?

I hate losing, but this was a really fun NBA game. The Wolves have had injury luck all season, but ran into a bad break tonight with the Zach Lavine injury ...it's clear that the Bulls are a much better team with Zach out. Alex Caruso only scores 3 points, but does so much out there that Zach can't or won't do...he was a team-leading +19 and seemed to be all over the court.

But still...this is one I thought all night we were going to win. And we would have, IF:

-SloMo hadn't drawn one of the most ill-timed and stupid technical fouls I've ever seen...we don't have to go to OT without the one point he caused us.
-Coby White didn't go off on a ridiculous 3-point shooting spree. I thought we defended him well, but he was unconscious in the second half. Hats off to him.

Interesting move by the Bulls to start two centers to match our size. And it resulted in a rare rebounding loss for the Wolves.

We do have one thing to celebrate after this game. Anthony Edwards has now extended his streak of games without a technical foul to.....1 game.

DNatagal wrote: ↑Wed Feb 07, 2024 9:07 am Was that a winnable game? Yup.
Did the referee situation impact the game? Yup.
Did the Bulls do the same thing in their previous game? Basically, they lost but came back from 30 down.
Is it a knee-jerk reaction to want to blow things up again?

I’ll ask one more question and then answer you last (rhetorical) question:

Should the Wolves have won this game if they want to be taken seriously as a championship contender? Yup
Is it a knee-jerk reaction to want to blow things up? Yup.

There’s no way I’d blow things up before the end of the season. Based on what we’ve seen the past month, don’t think this team is a true championship contender. But the team is talented and remains in a virtual tie for 1st in the West. So what should the organization do before the end of the season? I think they should seek to acquire a 3-point marksman or better backup PG (maybe both in one) via trade or buy-out market but without blowing up the core or compromising their future. That means not trading any of our starters or giving up Miller, Minott or more than one of our limited future 2nd-round picks. That means getting Tyus isn’t realistic, but it’s not like he’s going to transform this team into something it isn’t. Maybe we can package Slo Mo with Moore and a second for Morris. We can probably get Delon Wright for less than that. And I can see signing Lowry in the buy-out market.

In other words, I’d move forward with this team essentially as it is and hope that I’m wrong about their championship prospects. If we at least make the conference finals, then I’d be inclined to keep the band together for another run next season in spite of the 2nd apron. If we get bounced in the 1st or 2nd round, then I think you consider blowing things up in the summer and reconfigure the team around Ant.

I really thought after that Towns 3 to tie it that this might not be a cursed wolves outcome. blah. So far this season we had some bad clutch losses early, then went on to dominate games and play well in the clutch, then to getting overconfident and coming out flat in the first and then pouring it on in the second to come from behind and win games, then to starting games hot and losing big leads in the third, making the 4th a clutch 50/50 game against teams we should beat most nights.

Jim Pete's frustration with ant driving into 3/4 defenders in crunch time continues.

We're a good basketball team having a great season. I think you have to go for it this year, and that means adding a meaningful piece or two this week or at the buyout period. But the point is we have to see if this group has the potential to win a championship. If we put all our eggs in this basket and we still flame out in the first or second round, we know major changes are needed. You can't run it back with the same group and be above the 2nd apron knowing you're not good enough.

This is our time for the KAT-Rudy window. The rest of this year is going to dictate what happens as early as next year. Do we already start to transition to the Ant-Jaden-NAZ window, or are we good enough to stay the course?

Coolbreeze44 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 07, 2024 11:36 am We're a good basketball team having a great season. I think you have to go for it this year, and that means adding a meaningful piece or two this week or at the buyout period. But the point is we have to see if this group has the potential to win a championship. If we put all our eggs in this basket and we still flame out in the first or second round, we know major changes are needed. You can't run it back with the same group and be above the 2nd apron knowing you're not good enough.

This is our time for the KAT-Rudy window. The rest of this year is going to dictate what happens as early as next year. Do we already start to transition to the Ant-Jaden-NAZ window, or are we good enough to stay the course?

I dont see a move that makes us a legit championship contender apart from some miracle KAT trade that we would somehow win. We just dont have the pedigree yet. Most teams breakout after some limited postseason success. We would literally be coming out of nowhere to play championship level ball. Ant would have to go nuclear every game and KAT would have to show up in the spotlight.

Coolbreeze44 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 07, 2024 11:36 am We're a good basketball team having a great season. I think you have to go for it this year, and that means adding a meaningful piece or two this week or at the buyout period. But the point is we have to see if this group has the potential to win a championship. If we put all our eggs in this basket and we still flame out in the first or second round, we know major changes are needed. You can't run it back with the same group and be above the 2nd apron knowing you're not good enough.

This is our time for the KAT-Rudy window. The rest of this year is going to dictate what happens as early as next year. Do we already start to transition to the Ant-Jaden-NAZ window, or are we good enough to stay the course?

I agree with your characterization: “A good basketball team having a great season.” I just don’t think we’re a great basketball team or good enough to contend for the title this season, but I could be wrong. And maybe Morris will be just enough to make us good enough. I like the fit and I love that we got him without giving up any meaningful assets, although I liked Brown. If we can land a sharpshooter like McDermott in the buy-out market then maybe that will be enough. I hate desperate moves at the 11th hour. Thankfully, TC has resisted that impulse so far as we approve the Feb. 8 trade deadline.

thedoper wrote: ↑Wed Feb 07, 2024 2:48 pm

Coolbreeze44 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 07, 2024 11:36 am We're a good basketball team having a great season. I think you have to go for it this year, and that means adding a meaningful piece or two this week or at the buyout period. But the point is we have to see if this group has the potential to win a championship. If we put all our eggs in this basket and we still flame out in the first or second round, we know major changes are needed. You can't run it back with the same group and be above the 2nd apron knowing you're not good enough.

This is our time for the KAT-Rudy window. The rest of this year is going to dictate what happens as early as next year. Do we already start to transition to the Ant-Jaden-NAZ window, or are we good enough to stay the course?

I dont see a move that makes us a legit championship contender apart from some miracle KAT trade that we would somehow win. We just dont have the pedigree yet. Most teams breakout after some limited postseason success. We would literally be coming out of nowhere to play championship level ball. Ant would have to go nuclear every game and KAT would have to show up in the spotlight.

The West is really pretty wide open. I could see any number of teams making the finals (Clips, Suns, Nuggets, Wolves, OKC, and outside chance Pels and others). Now when you do have a large number of teams will they get it done? Probably not, but we have a shot and when as a Wolves fan did you ever have a shot? Fucking go for it. Full send mode.