Minnesota Sports Forum

Ricky, Walton and Atkinson square off tonight. One of them has to lose. I think the loser should be banned from coaching for at least, ummm 2 years.

I only caught bits and pieces of the game, but it looks like another complete melt down in the 3rd quarter. Has anyone ever seen anything like this before? I mean, this happens almost every game! And it's the same rotation that usually gets us off to terrific 1st quarter starts.

By the way, we scored 50 points in the second half. When you take a 12-point lead into halftime and then proceed to score 50 points in the ensuing half, that means the other team has to score 63 points or more to win. The Wolves gave up 69 points in the second half. 69!!! That is just horrible, horrible defense. And at home too!

We can score on anyone because even when KAT or Wig struggle, others are able to step up. Heck, even Duke's nemesis Rubio was pretty efficient with his scoring tonight. But none of that matters if you are just a bunch of sieves.

I hate to say it, but Thibs the coach has added zero value so far. This team is defending as bad or worse than last year's second half team under Mitchell.

Q12543 wrote:I only caught bits and pieces of the game, but it looks like another complete melt down in the 3rd quarter. Has anyone ever seen anything like this before? I mean, this happens almost every game! And it's the same rotation that usually gets us off to terrific 1st quarter starts.

Kinda reminds me of that Love led team that couldn't win a 4th quarter game.

TheSP wrote:

Q12543 wrote:I only caught bits and pieces of the game, but it looks like another complete melt down in the 3rd quarter. Has anyone ever seen anything like this before? I mean, this happens almost every game! And it's the same rotation that usually gets us off to terrific 1st quarter starts.

Kinda reminds me of that Love led team that couldn't win a 4th quarter game.

Yes, that was a team whose point differential belied its record, meaning they really should have won 47 or 48 games that year. But in that case, I would attribute some of those close losses to bad luck (the Gerald Green heavily contested corner 3, etc.) and a weak bench that gave up leads.

In this year's case, it's the same freakin' starting 5 that gets off to good 1st quarter starts. The other team consistently comes out with more energy and defensive intensity and we crumple up and go into the fetal position.

I missed this one thankfully, and no need to watch the replay as I've already seen the game several times this season. 3rd quarter meltdown again. Unreal. 72 more to go. Let me know when Thib's defense arrives. KAT ten 3 attempts? Really?

TheSP wrote:

Q12543 wrote:I only caught bits and pieces of the game, but it looks like another complete melt down in the 3rd quarter. Has anyone ever seen anything like this before? I mean, this happens almost every game! And it's the same rotation that usually gets us off to terrific 1st quarter starts.

Kinda reminds me of that Love led team that couldn't win a 4th quarter game.

I think that is a great comparison. Love that year had a horrible dip in his 4th quarter shooting and started taking way more 3s in the 4th. Thibs has been right on with his assessment of the cause. This team turns selfish after the half. Wiggins had the hot hand after starting 1-7 and Zach and Towns went down the toilet, much like Love would go down the toilet in the 4th quarter for us. Egos need to go out the door.

Mstermisty wrote:I missed this one thankfully, and no need to watch the replay as I've already seen the game several times this season. 3rd quarter meltdown again. Unreal. 72 more to go. Let me know when Thib's defense arrives. KAT ten 3 attempts? Really?

KAT needs to get his ass in the post and run more PnR with Rubio - where he's actually rolling and going down hill. 10 3's and zero free throws!

But at the end of the day, he should stop worrying about his offense and just let it come to him. Defense is where he needs to step up. HIbbert, Zeller, and Kaminsky scored 43 points on us tonight!

I think the worst thing that could have happened to KAT was all the people saying he was already a top 10 player in the NBA. Those positions are earned. He's still putting up some good numbers and will by sheer talent alone but he's not playing like a team anchor. He's trying to win the game himself. I hope some of the reporters start getting on him a little bit. Tonight was awful.

https://soundcloud.com/wolves-radio/post16_thibs_1115

Thibs is pissed. I like him. I think this team deserves it. I think any coach would have struggled with this team at first. Long term they are going to be better off from this.

Doper I agree with you completely on everything you said. We'll be better off, growing from this. As with Kat, again I agree with everything you said. He's learning to be a leader, unfortunately not doing a great job so far. He's buying his hype a bit. I hated his post game comments. Towns "all these loses fall on me, I gotta do more, it's all on me." He needs to let the come to him verses doing more, let the game come to you big Kat.