The Turnaround Begins - Celtics at Wolves GDT

[Coolbreeze44]

I don't like the team right now. I don't see cohesion or a collective effort for 48 minutes. Our best player is proving to be a scorer and not someone who makes the players around him better. Our 2nd highest scorer is a bit of a fraud. We don't seem to have a sustainable identity that we can count on from game to game. I hope we make a trade soon.

Unfortunately I agree with your assessments, Cool - although I'm not sold on a trade being necessary yet -

Ant made a lot of great play tonight, but still far too many senseless drives into crowds where he overcommitted his feet. He was doing a much better job earlier this season of playing off two feet and being able to play make off that or find a better shot.
The offense played with better synergy earlier this season as well. Hope they can find that again.

I understand the concerns with Randle and him being "a fraud" but it would really be best case scenario for the wolves if they can figure it out with him cause his contact would be so valuable to have in that case

Aussie, that contract is what also makes him a trade piece that can bring back something really good.

[rapsuperstar31]

I don't like the team right now. I don't see cohesion or a collective effort for 48 minutes. Our best player is proving to be a scorer and not someone who makes the players around him better. Our 2nd highest scorer is a bit of a fraud. We don't seem to have a sustainable identity that we can count on from game to game. I hope we make a trade soon.

Ant's not Lamelo Ball who's never made the playoffs, Zach Lavine who's never won a playoff game, or Tracy McGrady who never made it out of the first round of the playoffs level scorer that doesn't make the players around him better type player. He's only won more playoffs games than any player in Wolves history. He's never going to be SGA level, so maybe you do need to build around him properly similar to Luka who is worthless without a lob threat.

[AussieWolf3]

I don't like the team right now. I don't see cohesion or a collective effort for 48 minutes. Our best player is proving to be a scorer and not someone who makes the players around him better. Our 2nd highest scorer is a bit of a fraud. We don't seem to have a sustainable identity that we can count on from game to game. I hope we make a trade soon.

Unfortunately I agree with your assessments, Cool - although I'm not sold on a trade being necessary yet -

Ant made a lot of great play tonight, but still far too many senseless drives into crowds where he overcommitted his feet. He was doing a much better job earlier this season of playing off two feet and being able to play make off that or find a better shot.
The offense played with better synergy earlier this season as well. Hope they can find that again.

I understand the concerns with Randle and him being "a fraud" but it would really be best case scenario for the wolves if they can figure it out with him cause his contact would be so valuable to have in that case

Aussie, that contract is what also makes him a trade piece that can bring back something really good.

I understand that, but it would still be the best case scenario where Julius is able to play at the level he started at this year and redeem that as the best contract in the association, and to do so on this team

[Wolvesfan21]

I don't like the team right now. I don't see cohesion or a collective effort for 48 minutes. Our best player is proving to be a scorer and not someone who makes the players around him better. Our 2nd highest scorer is a bit of a fraud. We don't seem to have a sustainable identity that we can count on from game to game. I hope we make a trade soon.

Ant's not Lamelo Ball who's never made the playoffs, Zach Lavine who's never won a playoff game, or Tracy McGrady who never made it out of the first round of the playoffs level scorer that doesn't make the players around him better type player. He's only won more playoffs games than any player in Wolves history. He's never going to be SGA level, so maybe you do need to build around him properly similar to Luka who is worthless without a lob threat.

Ant will be better then SGA.

[Phenom]

Am I the only one who thinks Ant has made a big jump in playmaking? I've seen a lot of good reads and finds, and a lot that come up empty.

[60WinTim]

Am I the only one who thinks Ant has made a big jump in playmaking? I've seen a lot of good reads and finds, and a lot that come up empty.

I would agree he is improving. He's being forced into that role more than he had in the past. So, once again, we are in a "it's a process" mode. But the Wolves will be a better team if ANT makes that leap.

I was ready to give up on this team with Boston scoring 69 points in the 1st half. They were not missing shots! But in the 2nd half, Boston only scored 46 points. Was our defense really that much better in the 2nd half? Or did Boston just return to their mean? Their final offensive numbers were very in line with their season numbers. That 2nd half for them was really terrible to offset the fantastic 1st half they had...

[FNG]

Am I the only one who thinks Ant has made a big jump in playmaking? I've seen a lot of good reads and finds, and a lot that come up empty.

I would agree he is improving. He's being forced into that role more than he had in the past. So, once again, we are in a "it's a process" mode. But the Wolves will be a better team if ANT makes that leap.

I was ready to give up on this team with Boston scoring 69 points in the 1st half. They were not missing shots! But in the 2nd half, Boston only scored 46 points. Was our defense really that much better in the 2nd half? Or did Boston just return to their mean? Their final offensive numbers were very in line with their season numbers. That 2nd half for them was really terrible to offset the fantastic 1st half they had...

Tim, I don't know if you saw Elston Turner's halftime interview, but he was uncharacteristically pissed about the defense in the first half. I was particularly unhappy with Ju and Ant. But the entire team seem to respond, because our defense was terrific in the second half.

I agree with you guys that Ant has improved his playmaking, but I actually have seem improvement from Jaden, Ju and Rudy too. It's been fun to watch Rudy make the quick read when he catches the ball in the paint and hit the open man in the corner. Our offense has been good this season, but I think it would be even better if we moved the ball more rather than settling into iso ball.

[rapsuperstar31]

Am I the only one who thinks Ant has made a big jump in playmaking? I've seen a lot of good reads and finds, and a lot that come up empty.

I would agree he is improving. He's being forced into that role more than he had in the past. So, once again, we are in a "it's a process" mode. But the Wolves will be a better team if ANT makes that leap.

I was ready to give up on this team with Boston scoring 69 points in the 1st half. They were not missing shots! But in the 2nd half, Boston only scored 46 points. Was our defense really that much better in the 2nd half? Or did Boston just return to their mean? Their final offensive numbers were very in line with their season numbers. That 2nd half for them was really terrible to offset the fantastic 1st half they had...

Howls and Growls always does really good short youtube videos going over what works or doesn't after games. In the first half a lot of times we would gets screened, and Rudy was in drop not coming up, so Boston could easily take a few dribble in and take an easy shot. In the 2nd half, there was better communication, more help from Rudy, and a better job of getting through screens.

[AussieWolf3]

Am I the only one who thinks Ant has made a big jump in playmaking? I've seen a lot of good reads and finds, and a lot that come up empty.

I don't think you are at all. I completely agree that he has made a big jump and he is becoming a better 3 level playmaker. He'll still need to continue improving if this offense and team are going to be contenders. He still get tunnel vision and I notice that his play making tends to deteriorate over the course of games

For what's it's worth he is currently credited with 7 potential assist per game, with roughly half being converted- which about what you should expect.

[AussieWolf3]

Howls and Growls has a great breakdown actually discussing Ant playmaking chops during the Phoenix game..... Unfortunately it was also the Phoenix game....