Minnesota Sports Forum

Brooklyn_Wolves wrote:

khans2k5 wrote:This is the perfect opportunity for Dunn to get his feet wet. He'll make mistakes, but he'll also have some flashes as well. This team needs to be able to function without Ricky. We can't fall apart every time he goes down. This is a good opportunity to develop without Ricky and learn how to do it without being spoon-fed everything.

https://twitter.com/Twolves_PR/status/793160917512888320

Well, maybe he won't out too long according to Thibs.

Thx for that, Brooklyn...a sprained elbow didn't sound too serious, and maybe we'll get lucky on this one.

Recent quote from KAT in a Q & A regarding Thibs:

But does it matter? When Thibodeau hollers out instructions midplay, can players actually adjust on the fly?

"I do," Towns said. "As a leader, I've got to have that communication with him at any given time on the court. There's been times we've been on the court where we're running a play and we call the play out and he calls a play to me and I have to echo and we automatically change it on the court.

"Obviously his word is law," Towns said, "but at the end of the day we also have to play freely and make sure we're doing what we can to see ourselves winning."


I found this last comment from Towns interesting. To some extent it validates LTS's concern. Sounds like Thibs remains a micro-manager. I was hoping he had modified his approach a bit after his year sabbatical. But sounds like he hasn't. At some point, as KAT said, the players have to be able to play freely on instinct. That's especially true when you have the level of talent we have on this roster.

PorkChop wrote:

TheFuture wrote:

lipoli390 wrote:I tend to agree with Abe on this. I'm not concerned about Dunn's poor shooting, which is every bit as bad as Ricky's. I'm far more worried about Dunn's ball-handling and decision-making at this point in his young career. We'll see.

I think you both will be pleasantly surprised by his ability to score when he settles in. His offensive game is far superior to Rubios. His ball handling, vision, and decision making are not at Ricky's level, but that should improve as the NBA game slows down. One thing he possesses that Ricky does not, is the ability to blow by people and actually finish at the rim which he has shown multiple times already. I couldn't tell you the last time Ricky even attempted to drive and finish. Its not just his lack of outside shooting that hurts us. He really is not a threat to score at all.


A side note: I don't think I've ever seen a shot like rubios since grade school. Its a freaking laser, and when he does try to put arc on it he just misses everything.

I still haven't seen proof that Rubio's the best option in fourth quarters . By all accounts this team has been known for crashing and burning in 4th quarters since he's been apart of this team.

To be fair, is that because of Rubio?

Or because of shitty Wolves teams?


[Note: We've been through Rubio's and Barea's (and Adelman's) abysmal 4th quarter performances in the 40 - 42 season many many times.]

AbeVigodaLive wrote:

PorkChop wrote:

TheFuture wrote:

lipoli390 wrote:I tend to agree with Abe on this. I'm not concerned about Dunn's poor shooting, which is every bit as bad as Ricky's. I'm far more worried about Dunn's ball-handling and decision-making at this point in his young career. We'll see.

I think you both will be pleasantly surprised by his ability to score when he settles in. His offensive game is far superior to Rubios. His ball handling, vision, and decision making are not at Ricky's level, but that should improve as the NBA game slows down. One thing he possesses that Ricky does not, is the ability to blow by people and actually finish at the rim which he has shown multiple times already. I couldn't tell you the last time Ricky even attempted to drive and finish. Its not just his lack of outside shooting that hurts us. He really is not a threat to score at all.


A side note: I don't think I've ever seen a shot like rubios since grade school. Its a freaking laser, and when he does try to put arc on it he just misses everything.

I still haven't seen proof that Rubio's the best option in fourth quarters . By all accounts this team has been known for crashing and burning in 4th quarters since he's been apart of this team.

To be fair, is that because of Rubio?

Or because of shitty Wolves teams?


[Note: We've been through Rubio's and Barea's (and Adelman's) abysmal 4th quarter performances in the 40 - 42 season many many times.]

Well he's been apart of all of those teams. Seems when they win he gets a lot of credit. When they lose his teamates aren't pulling their weight. He seems bullet proof to alot of fans on here.

Well, after all, it looks like Rubio will miss about 2 weeks. It can be less or it can be even more He's listed out indefinitely with a sprained elbow (not broken).

lipoli390 wrote:Recent quote from KAT in a Q & A regarding Thibs:

But does it matter? When Thibodeau hollers out instructions midplay, can players actually adjust on the fly?

"I do," Towns said. "As a leader, I've got to have that communication with him at any given time on the court. There's been times we've been on the court where we're running a play and we call the play out and he calls a play to me and I have to echo and we automatically change it on the court.

"Obviously his word is law," Towns said, "but at the end of the day we also have to play freely and make sure we're doing what we can to see ourselves winning."


I found this last comment from Towns interesting. To some extent it validates LTS's concern. Sounds like Thibs remains a micro-manager. I was hoping he had modified his approach a bit after his year sabbatical. But sounds like he hasn't. At some point, as KAT said, the players have to be able to play freely on instinct. That's especially true when you have the level of talent we have on this roster.

Very interesting, Lip. I'm really undecided on Thibs. There's no question he is a basketball savant...all those hours in front of a screen watching video has to give him a leg up on most coaches. The open question is whether he is the right guy to impart this wisdom to our guys, or whether his micro-managing will ultimately stifle their natural abilities. I honestly don't know, but as a Wolves fan hungry for success, I hope it's the former. My concern in the first two games (and a little from the Memphis pre-season game I went to) is that there has been a pattern...the uber-talented young core comes out free and easy and builds an astonishingly big lead, but then something happens to their playing style and the lead disappears as quicky as it's built. Is it their youth? Is it Thibs? Don't know...I guess time will tell. All I know is it's a trend that has to stop tonight.

I can't go to the game tonight, so I (along with others) are very interested in your observations if you're able to go. We know you sit close to the bench and like to spend some time observing the interaction between the coach and players/assistants. Tell us what you see tonight...hopefully a win!

LST -- I'll be there tonight. And I'll pay special attention to Thibs and the bench interaction.

Some of this talk about Thibs being to exacting is the type of stuff people would say about every coach. They stick to their system, they aren't structured enough they let their players just do whatever, they don't do anything on the sideline. Some of what you get with EVERY coach is some positives/downsides or whatever. Its 2 games into the season I know that's thins as coach is a big deal for this team going forward but it seems like it's worth taking some time to see if his methods are worthwhile which history so far says they are. Does this team need structure? Probably.