Minnesota Sports Forum

I'll have to watch the GT game, Duke, because I still have painful memories of his performance in the UNC game (until the last 5 minutes when UNC had their reserves on the court leading by 20). Monster and I are generally two of the biggest optimists here, and while we both are staying hopeful about Dunn, his game report of the MSU game and mine of the UNC game are not very positive. I want to feel more optimistic about this pick, and perhaps watching a good performance will be helpful for several of us here. Can you post a link to that Georgetown game?

LST, I can't copy and late using my phone on this site for some reason. It's on YouTube. Jan 30th game at GT. Pretty good game. I thought Dunn played very well. I love his passing. Ball never sticks in his hands. He moves the ball around the perimeter quickly, draws and kicks and on the break passes the ball head well. You should be able to find it on YouTube. If not let me know. When I'm on my PC I can post it.

The thing about Dunn is I am not assuming he will usurp Rubio anytime soon, if ever. But I am confident he can be a great backup PG for us, and hopefully a solid starter if Rubio misses any games. If he develops to the point where he deserves to start ahead of Rubio, well, that would be a wonderful place to be.

For me, backup PG was our #1 priority this offseason. That's behind us, lets move on to the next priority.

Duke13 wrote:LST, I can't copy and late using my phone on this site for some reason. It's on YouTube. Jan 30th game at GT. Pretty good game. I thought Dunn played very well. I love his passing. Ball never sticks in his hands. He moves the ball around the perimeter quickly, draws and kicks and on the break passes the ball head well. You should be able to find it on YouTube. If not let me know. When I'm on my PC I can post it.

Thanks Duke. I found it...gonna try to watch it tonight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wi2sprlDEc

I've been reading these posts and wondering why is it that so many on this board seem to believe that the Wolves can't keep both Rubio and Dunn regardless of who turns out to be the better player. I get it that some of you have this strong dislike for Rubio but where would you find a better backup for his contract #'s in a couple years? There are always injuries and illness during a season. I want the best bench players possible - unless it makes the team significantly better. I would not look to move either player for at least 2 seasons. And I would not worry about selling high - its time to keep our best players and add through free agency.

khans2k5 wrote:

Duke13 wrote:Anyone watch the NC tournament game?

The one where he was in foul trouble the first half and still finished with 29/3/3 on 10/16 shooting, 3/5 from 3 and 6/8 from the line in 26 minutes.

Another painful example of where stats are misapplied on this board.

CoolBreeze44 wrote:

khans2k5 wrote:

Duke13 wrote:Anyone watch the NC tournament game?

The one where he was in foul trouble the first half and still finished with 29/3/3 on 10/16 shooting, 3/5 from 3 and 6/8 from the line in 26 minutes.

Another painful example of where stats are misapplied on this board.

How are they misapplied? He was the only one on his team interested in fighting until the end of the game and he was on fire. Nobody just let him score 29 points if that's what you are trying to say. He got in foul trouble which hurt his team, but what's he supposed to do when he gets back into the game? Just throw in the towel? He kept playing hard until the clock hit zero because that's what competitors do and he put up big numbers in the limited time he did play. He dropped 20 points before the last 5 minutes of that game so don't try to say he got most of his stats against scrubs because he got most of it against the starters. Watch the start of the second half. He torched them for the first 5 minutes. It was an up and down game, but there were times he was clearly the best player on the court and that's what NBA guys should look like against great college teams.

I'm going to qualify this post first in light of some earlier posts about Rubio fans being blinded to a talent like Dunn. I'm a Rubio fan and have been since before he was drafted. I was also one person that was always skeptical of him every being a scorer. I was expecting more than who he is now but I didn't think he was going to be more than a 16ppg or so and that was when he was drafted. Over the years I've been fairly realistic in where I think he can be in the league. I've been saying for at least 2 year this team should be adding a young possible talent to take over for him in case he can't stay healthy or just isn't good enough. So the idea I don't like Dunn because I just LOVE Rubio isn't fair for me. I want to keep both guys and see where we go from there.

I just watched the highly suggested GT game an here are my thoughts.

What I liked

Dunn's long passes getting the ball up the floor quickly are terrific and on point. That sounds great with all the guys that can get up the floor in transition. Bazz would love to play with this guy. You have to think Thibs see's what Dunn can do and be thinking of playing with quick pace.

Rebounding. The guy attacks the glass and that's going to help the team. Imagine him getting the rebound and getting it up to the streaking Bazz for easy dunks. Good times.

Defense. It was terrific. There were 3-4 shots that a guy he was defending made that he almost blocked. This is where Dunn's ability is worth getting very very excited about. There is every reason to think he can be an on ball, team and disrupting force in one player as a guard. That's worth a lottery pick by itself in many drafts. I'm becoming a believer of Dunn on this end especially combined with his rebounding.

Calm demeanor. Doesn't get rattled seems to know what it supposed to happen at any given time when possessions start and committed to what is supposed to happen. Basically he is a coaches dream.

Again I don't get the super love for his offensive game...here are my thoughts why and this game confirms most of what I thought before and I was expecting something different based on the comments on how great he was on this game.

I don't see a PG watching him. I see a guy that can play the position is unselfish and can pass but I don't see that innate skill for the position that sets the really good creative PGs from the guys that are more like solid starters. His passes often are not on point. Players have to adjust to them and are not in stride. Maybe part of the issue is what he is asked to do in his offense but I don't see him having some sort of plan when he has the ball enacting some sort of vision of how to get another guy a play. It's hard to describe what I mean probably but I just don't see him as a natural PG. I absolutely think he can play the position especially as a backup but I think he has some work to do there before being a starter as a PG. I think he could be a starter though.

His handle just isn't tight enough for me as a supposed elite PG. He gets himself into problems loses the ball drives into too much traffic.

For an big athletic freak in college he isn't as impressive at the rim as I would expect. He got blocked a couple times in this game.

Before you roast me...

Dunn has special physical gifts which makes him intriguing. Because of those it allows him to do things other players can't do. He doesn't have to be the best PG ever to be worthwhile there if he became a starter. He will be able to use his size and quickness to score and create that many other players won't be able to do. Watching 2 games in the last few hours I feel better about his shot than I did before. Defensively the guy could be a real terror. I see the guy as a nasty combo guard who can absolutely play SG because of his ability to play defense at both spots. His fit with Lavine would be exciting as both guys could attack the basket handle the ball and I think Dunn may be a solid enough shooter to keep guys honest. His fit with Rubio...have fun scoring against a team with those guys guarding you on the perimeter. Rubio could find Dunn cutting to the basket and he could also set Dunn up for open jumpers both 3 point shots and midrange jumpers. Rubio has been a solid catch and shoot guy most of his pro career and had success out of the corner last year so him playing off Dunn isn't completely out of the question.

I've been saying for years a real weakness of the wolves was Combo guards. The Wolves didn't have dynamic guys that could come off the bench or even start at SG. Any time the Womves have gotten guys that were solid (Ridnour) or Dynamic (JJ) they ended up having to start or play a more significant role than they should have because of injury and/or basically nearly complete lack of legit starting SG. Now the Wolves have a likely legit SG in Lavine. Dunn could be that dynamic combo guard off the bench (who could grow into a starter) this team has needed for years. PLUS he could be one of the best defenders on the entire team playing that role. That's a nice player even at #5. I wanted more than that at #5 but after watching Dunn in a couple games I'm buying his likely impact defensively and much more happy with the pick kinda falling into where Tim has been banging the drum for him for weeks or months. It's honestly possible he becomes a starting level player at either PG OR SG. Let's keep all these young guys. Let's watch this team become a wrecking ball to the league like the Warriors have been (but a different style). If the Wolves could get Deng and a couple value FAs watch out. Dunn could be part of this team making some real noise this season.

60WinTim wrote:The thing about Dunn is I am not assuming he will usurp Rubio anytime soon, if ever. But I am confident he can be a great backup PG for us, and hopefully a solid starter if Rubio misses any games. If he develops to the point where he deserves to start ahead of Rubio, well, that would be a wonderful place to be.

For me, backup PG was our #1 priority this offseason. That's behind us, lets move on to the next priority.

Couldn't agree more. It was the one position we could look at with certainty and say we know we have Tyus and Rubio there, and the LaVine PG project is not going to work. Tyus is not, and may never be ready to step into Rubio's shoes if he misses time. We needed to fix that for the long haul.

I recommend watching this 2016 Providence vs Villanova game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OU1-tBgYgI

Here's a shortened version of the Big East Title game against Villanova in 2015.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-8yTXgXOfE

Short highlights against St. Johns. Shows some defense, driving, and 3pt shooting here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOJwvwviib8