Big game tonight against the Grizzlies

[Phenom]

That was the most low-key businesslike win that I have seen for a long time. That looked like a professional team. Let's keep that going.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Excellent win. Professional effort. Controlled the game from start to finish. Lot of big contributors tonight. Starting unit was very good. Nathan Knight continues to produce off the bench and bring the energy. Bring on Sacramento.

[kekgeek]

Legit have no issues with anyone tonight.

Dlo was fantastic in that 1st half
Ant was Ant
Mcdaniels put Ja in jail
Anderson gets the game ball
Gobert was dominant on both ends in the 4th
Naz and Knight produced
Rivers did his thing
Nowell annoyed me but he was below average not shit.

Wolves now have 2 games with the kings to get within 1 of the 3 seed

[Q-is-here]

Weird no Trolls tonight

Funny how there are certain posters we don't hear from unless things are going badly!

[Q-is-here]

Legit have no issues with anyone tonight.

Dlo was fantastic in that 1st half
Ant was Ant
Mcdaniels put Ja in jail
Anderson gets the game ball
Gobert was dominant on both ends in the 4th
Naz and Knight produced
Rivers did his thing
Nowell annoyed me but he was below average not shit.

Wolves now have 2 games with the kings to get within 1 of the 3 seed

Kings have zero players on their injury report. They have probably been the healthiest team in the league this year, which goes to show much that matters. No way are they the 3-seed in the West without nearly impeccable good health.

[thedoper]

Such a fun game. Imagine if we were healthy and shared the ball like that.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Five-man lineup of D'Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Kyle Anderson, and Rudy Gobert were +5 in 13 minutes tonight.

Five-man lineup of D'Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards, Austin Rivers, Kyle Anderson, and Rudy Gobert were +5 in 3 minutes tonight.

Four-man lineup of D'Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards, Kyle Anderson, and Rudy Gobert were +10 in 16 minutes tonight.

If nothing else, the Timberwolves found a unit that has been very impressive on both ends of the floor without Karl-Anthony Towns.

In 205 minutes played together, the Russell-Edwards-McDaniels-Anderson-Gobert lineup has a 114.5 Offensive Rating, 103.7 Defensive Rating, and a +10.8 NetRating. Hate it or love it, they've been super effective.

Among 21 five-man lineups across the NBA that have played 200 minutes or more, Minnesota's current starting lineup has the sixth-best net rating.

Ironically, Minnesota's original starting lineup of Russell, Edwards, McDaniels, Gobert, and Karl-Anthony Towns ranks 16th with a +4.0 NetRating in 260 minutes played -- 108.2 Offensive Rating and 104.2 Defensive Rating.

My hope is that roles have been settled into, shooting slumps have subsided, and Towns is able to slide back in seamlessly without negatively affecting either side of the ball. Rather, my hope is that his return will boost the unit to higher heights. At this point I just want to see it fail or succeed and go from there. It's the not knowing that sucks.

[WildWolf2813]

Happy to lose $5 tonight

[Lipoli390]

Five-man lineup of D'Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Kyle Anderson, and Rudy Gobert were +5 in 13 minutes tonight.

Five-man lineup of D'Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards, Austin Rivers, Kyle Anderson, and Rudy Gobert were +5 in 3 minutes tonight.

Four-man lineup of D'Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards, Kyle Anderson, and Rudy Gobert were +10 in 16 minutes tonight.

If nothing else, the Timberwolves found a unit that has been very impressive on both ends of the floor without Karl-Anthony Towns.

In 205 minutes played together, the Russell-Edwards-McDaniels-Anderson-Gobert lineup has a 114.5 Offensive Rating, 103.7 Defensive Rating, and a +10.8 NetRating. Hate it or love it, they've been super effective.

Among 21 five-man lineups across the NBA that have played 200 minutes or more, Minnesota's current starting lineup has the sixth-best net rating.

Ironically, Minnesota's original starting lineup of Russell, Edwards, McDaniels, Gobert, and Karl-Anthony Towns ranks 16th with a +4.0 NetRating in 260 minutes played -- 108.2 Offensive Rating and 104.2 Defensive Rating.

My hope is that roles have been settled into, shooting slumps have subsided, and Towns is able to slide back in seamlessly without negatively affecting either side of the ball. Rather, my hope is that his return will boost the unit to higher heights. At this point I just want to see it fail or succeed and go from there. It's the not knowing that sucks.

Great post, Cam. Things seem to be coming together, but we've been here before. Tonight's win almost has me believing this team can secure a top 5 or top 4 seed and then go on to win their first-round playoffs series. On the other hand .... As you said, it's the not knowing that sucks.

[FNG]

Legit have no issues with anyone tonight.

Dlo was fantastic in that 1st half
Ant was Ant
Mcdaniels put Ja in jail
Anderson gets the game ball
Gobert was dominant on both ends in the 4th
Naz and Knight produced
Rivers did his thing
Nowell annoyed me but he was below average not shit.

Wolves now have 2 games with the kings to get within 1 of the 3 seed

Yep. And I agree with your comment earlier in this thread that Russell did some nice things in the second half when his shot wasn't falling. I said last game was his best of the season, but he was great tonight too. Some of his TOs could have easily been given to someone else. But what I liked best was his defensive rotations. I don't know if its the coaches or just the light bulb going on for DLo, but not cheating in the paint is helping him defend his man on the perimeter much better. Has there been a game all season where we have given up fewer wide open 3-point looks? That's how you hold a team to 24.2% 3-point shooting!

Schedulers helped us tonight by letting us play a very good Memphis team at the end of a long road trip, but I still take a lot from this game. We moved the ball (31 assists!), both defended the perimeter and got back on defense against the best fast break team in the league, and took care of business...I really never felt that this game was in doubt, and that's saying a lot against a great team like the Griz.

Now we play the healthiest team in the league in two consecutive home games. Put all-NBA defense Jaden on Fox and cagey SloMo on Sabonis and f-ing get it done!