BloopOracle wrote:Tonight is the first time any NBA team has won a game by over 30 points after trailing by over 15 points in 23 years
Yeah, I remember that game back in 1998 a little, Bloop...can't exactly remember who we lost to though ;-) .
Wow, what a game coming out of the break...just what we needed! Somebody mentioned Rubio should get the game ball, and when your starting PG directs an offense that explodes for 135 points by dishing out 8 assists with only 1 TO, while playing great defense on Ball all night, he certainly has to be in the conversation...and not just because Ant after the game called him the "best leader he has been around his whole life". But I would instead credit the best swarming team defense I have seen out of this roster all season, and some unbelievably hot outside shooting. I fact, if I had to find any fault in this long-awaited blowout, I would point to Ricky's 1-6 shooting, KAT's 2-10 3-point shooting, and Vando's continuing troubles in catching the ball (I see he wasn't charged with any TOs, but there were 2 or three times I thought he could have had an easy bucket if he had just handled the pass cleanly). But everything else tonight was terrific. Here's what I loved:
1) Outstanding ball movement and extra passes that resulted in wide open threes all night. Our ball movement and the Pel's horrible perimeter defense led to 19 3's on 48% shooting beyond the arc.
2)In contrast to the Pels, the Wolves rotated and contested three's like a championship team...I don't know wtf got into them tonight, but keep it up.
3) Jaylen Nowell. I'm guessing a few of us grimaced when he turned the ball over the first time down the court directing the offense, but it was about the only mistake he made all night. I may have said "no, no, no...Ok, nice shot!) a few times when he appeared to force a three, but after that they were allowable heat checks, and he never got un-hot! He's now up over 39% on threes for the season, as most of us thought he would be based on college and G League. In addition he handled the ball like a true PG, and played his usual very good defense. Definitely a coming out party.
4) Jaden McDaniels. I know Cool backed off his squinting Pippin reference because McDaniels isn't Pippin. But you know who else wasn't Pippin? Pippin at 19 wasn't Pippin! I think he only averaged 1 APG as a sophomore in college...it was only later that he became the facilitator that we remember. But I'm not afraid to point out something that actually is very Pippin-like in 19-year-old Jaden...his defensive footwork. I used to marvel at Scottie's lateral movement and fluid footwork on defense, and Jaden is the only player on our roster who even remotely reminds me of him on D...and he's only a skinny teenager. He made Ingram look awful, and that's saying a lot. He looked great at both ends of the court as a SF, but I like him as a PF also. In fact if we don't trade for Collins, Jaden would be my starting PF.
5) Okogie. OK, he should never shoot unless it's a layup, but his team-leading +25 tonight was not an aberration...at least for one night. I have questioned Josh's defense this season at times, but tonight he was the real deal. I thought he was our best defender other then Jaden, and he also facilitated and handled the ball very well. It's odd to say a guy who was 0-3 from the field had a good game, but I would say JO had a great game.
5) Other. So much else to mention like Reid's post moves and ability to put the ball on the floor (no TOs for a big man who likes to put the ball on the floor as much as Naz does...really?), Ant's slight improvement on shot selection and active (if not always effective) defense, and our role players not named Josh knocking down wide open threes.
The fun is back...at least for one night. Tomorrow we get a banged-up Portland team. 2 in a row?
