Minnesota Sports Forum

KiwiMatt wrote: ↑Sun Feb 08, 2026 3:57 pm Who is coaching our offensive sets? Because the lack of player and ball movement is really concerning. It’s seems the only play we can run is a Rudy pick for Ant. Yet it’s so predictable for the other team to defend because it’s all we do.

Haven't you heard? Finch is an offensive genius!

With this lineup of players and their low BBIQ, a Steve Kerr like coach would be our only hope. Yes, the Wolves have good offensive players, but the offensive "sets" are just 3 players standing around waiting for a pick and roll to happen. If Ant wasn't Ant, this would be a bottom 10 offense.

Looks like we might as all plan to wake up when the playoffs start cause that seems to by the Timberwolves plan....

AussieWolf3 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 08, 2026 5:01 pm Looks like we might as all plan to wake up when the playoffs start cause that seems to by the Timberwolves plan....

If we make the playoffs. Getting out of the play in might be the more pressing concern.

KiwiMatt wrote: ↑Sun Feb 08, 2026 5:04 pm

AussieWolf3 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 08, 2026 5:01 pm Looks like we might as all plan to wake up when the playoffs start cause that seems to by the Timberwolves plan....

If we make the playoffs. Getting out of the play in might be the more pressing concern.

Top 19 protection on that pick swap with Detroit at least

KiwiMatt wrote: ↑Sun Feb 08, 2026 5:04 pm

AussieWolf3 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 08, 2026 5:01 pm Looks like we might as all plan to wake up when the playoffs start cause that seems to by the Timberwolves plan....

If we make the playoffs. Getting out of the play in might be the more pressing concern.

The character of this team is that they need to be backed into a corner to turn it on, and eventually that'll come out and I feel very confident they'll make a top 6 seed.
This is an endorsement of the team, just how I see things. They think they can toggle championship play when they need to- maybe they're right but more likely it bites them in the ass

A few observations after my poor decision to scalp a ticket to today's game:

-surprising to see a full house on SB sunday. Lots of kids ready to cheer on a good game...they didn't get it.
-I'll give some of the blame for Ayo's -33 to Finchie...he had to know the new guy wasn't ready to play 25 minutes. I would have been pissed if Finchie hadn't played him, but he clearly didn't know what he was doing out there.
-Ant played the DLo role of pointing to where Ayo was supposed to be on defense as his own man got free from him...brought back some bad memories.
-We all want to know what Ayo's true 3-point rate will be...this year's 45%, or last year's 32%. Watching him miss 8 or 9 in a row at halftime makes me think the 32% might be more realistic. It was kind of comical...he kept bricking threes and asking for the ball so he could make one. The rest of the team had gone to the bench huddle, and he was still trying! He did make 3 out of 7 in the game though...best % on the team other than Clark
-All that said, he's an easy guy to cheer for...works hard. I think we will like him.
-Too bad we wasted a game in which Julius played hard. His one for 5 on treys didn't help much. He seemed more effective matched up with Kawhi than either Jaden or Ant were.
-I said this in the GDT, but Donte is a joy to watch live...never takes a play off. He only scored 1 point, but he had by far the best +/- among rotation players with a -3. Turns out hustle and defense are important. Who knew?
-Rudy let Lopez and the other center with too many letters to fit on his jersey get to him...he looked frustrated out there with both of them shoving, and the resulting 5 turnovers was not surprising.
-speaking of turnovers, Rudy wasn't alone...you're not going to win with more of them than assists. I'm blaming Conley.
-Bones is fun to watch, and like donte, he doesn't take plays off. But he's just not a true PG.
- Every time I've been to a Clippers game, Kawhi has been out. What a 2-way player he is!
-I think Ballmer hasn't told Van Gundy he's not the head coach. He patrols the sidelines more than Lu, and you only hear his voice (yes, with the clips blowing us out, you could hear the coaches).
-Maybe the worst game of the year for our guys? Please visit my go fund me page to help me with the price of my ticket.

AussieWolf3 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 08, 2026 5:01 pm Looks like we might as all plan to wake up when the playoffs start cause that seems to by the Timberwolves plan....

You don’t play this poorly at this point in the season and then suddenly turn it on for success in the playoffs. This team is lost and there’s no sign that this current group with this head coach will turn things around. The Wolves started slow last season as they learned to play together. They then hit their stride, playing really well at this time last season and carried their high level play into the playoffs. That’s not what we’re seeing this season. Instead, we’re seeing a team that’s as likely to end up in the lottery as it is the playoffs. This is a team in need of a shake up. We didn’t shake it up with any major personnel moves at the deadline and I think that was the right call. The first step going forward is to shake things up with a head coaching change. If that doesn’t cut it, then this team will have to have its personnel revamped and Ant is the only player who shouldn’t be subject to a trade. I’d still look to build around Ant, Jaden and Naz, but I could see trading Jaden or Naz for the right return.

We should have taken a step back this season for a retool, which is what I’ve been saying for a while. This was the season to start developing Dillingham, Clark, Shannon and Beringer with an eye towards the next two seasons. Ant’s still very young but his contract is our runway and we have to retool while there’s still enough runway left. I think we might have waited too long, which means the Wolves will have to do what McHale did when he acquired Spree and Cassell. It almost worked but was short-lived with KG departing soon thereafter. Usually those desperation moves for older vets fail miserably. TC might have one last shot to avoid that fate.

Lipoli390 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 08, 2026 6:58 pm

AussieWolf3 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 08, 2026 5:01 pm Looks like we might as all plan to wake up when the playoffs start cause that seems to by the Timberwolves plan....

You don’t play this poorly at this point in the season and then suddenly turn it on for success in the playoffs. This team is lost and there’s no sign that this current group with this head coach will turn things around. The Wolves started slow last season as they learned to play together. They then hit their stride, playing really well at this time last season and carried their high level play into the playoffs. That’s not what we’re seeing this season. Instead, we’re seeing a team that’s as likely to end up in the lottery as it is the playoffs. This is a team in need of a shake up. We didn’t shake it up with any major personnel moves at the deadline and I think that was the right call. The first step going forward is to shake things up with a head coaching change. If that doesn’t cut it, then this team will have to have its personnel revamped and Ant is the only player who shouldn’t be subject to a trade. I’d still look to build around Ant, Jaden and Naz, but I could see trading Jaden or Naz for the right return.

We should have taken a step back this season for a retool, which is what I’ve been saying for a while. This was the season to start developing Dillingham, Clark, Shannon and Beringer with an eye towards the next two seasons. Ant’s still very young but his contract is our runway and we have to retool while there’s still enough runway left. I think we might have waited too long, which means the Wolves will have to do what McHale did when he acquired Spree and Cassell. It almost worked but was short-lived with KG departing soon thereafter. Usually those desperation moves for older vets fail miserably. TC might have one last shot to avoid that fate.

I'm very skeptical of their capacity to have success in the playoffs as well, and was not suggesting that they would. Simply just observing the casualness with which they're are treating the regular season.

This team has shown the heights they can get to already this year, but they refuse to dig in an build those habits. I don't know what it is that has to change, but they pretty clearly think they're just gonna figure it out when they need to. That's just who they are, we'll see if they're right

Lipoli390 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 08, 2026 6:58 pm

AussieWolf3 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 08, 2026 5:01 pm Looks like we might as all plan to wake up when the playoffs start cause that seems to by the Timberwolves plan....

You don’t play this poorly at this point in the season and then suddenly turn it on for success in the playoffs. This team is lost and there’s no sign that this current group with this head coach will turn things around. The Wolves started slow last season as they learned to play together. They then hit their stride, playing really well at this time last season and carried their high level play into the playoffs. That’s not what we’re seeing this season. Instead, we’re seeing a team that’s as likely to end up in the lottery as it is the playoffs. This is a team in need of a shake up. We didn’t shake it up with any major personnel moves at the deadline and I think that was the right call. The first step going forward is to shake things up with a head coaching change. If that doesn’t cut it, then this team will have to have its personnel revamped and Ant is the only player who shouldn’t be subject to a trade. I’d still look to build around Ant, Jaden and Naz, but I could see trading Jaden or Naz for the right return.

We should have taken a step back this season for a retool, which is what I’ve been saying for a while. This was the season to start developing Dillingham, Clark, Shannon and Beringer with an eye towards the next two seasons. Ant’s still very young but his contract is our runway and we have to retool while there’s still enough runway left. I think we might have waited too long, which means the Wolves will have to do what McHale did when he acquired Spree and Cassell. It almost worked but was short-lived with KG departing soon thereafter. Usually those desperation moves for older vets fail miserably. TC might have one last shot to avoid that fate.

Not looking good. Our run last year didn't start until March 2nd, which coincided with Randle coming back from injury. We were 32-30 going into that 17-3 run to close the season out. Of course this year we're healthy minus TSJ, so we can only hope once we have Ayo familiar with the team and concepts that we can take off from there. I'm not sure how much they practice over the all star break, but it's going to be needed for the team to get their shit together fast. I don't believe ant is planning on playing in the All Star game with his injuries.

rapsuperstar31 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 08, 2026 7:12 pm

Lipoli390 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 08, 2026 6:58 pm

AussieWolf3 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 08, 2026 5:01 pm Looks like we might as all plan to wake up when the playoffs start cause that seems to by the Timberwolves plan....

You don’t play this poorly at this point in the season and then suddenly turn it on for success in the playoffs. This team is lost and there’s no sign that this current group with this head coach will turn things around. The Wolves started slow last season as they learned to play together. They then hit their stride, playing really well at this time last season and carried their high level play into the playoffs. That’s not what we’re seeing this season. Instead, we’re seeing a team that’s as likely to end up in the lottery as it is the playoffs. This is a team in need of a shake up. We didn’t shake it up with any major personnel moves at the deadline and I think that was the right call. The first step going forward is to shake things up with a head coaching change. If that doesn’t cut it, then this team will have to have its personnel revamped and Ant is the only player who shouldn’t be subject to a trade. I’d still look to build around Ant, Jaden and Naz, but I could see trading Jaden or Naz for the right return.

We should have taken a step back this season for a retool, which is what I’ve been saying for a while. This was the season to start developing Dillingham, Clark, Shannon and Beringer with an eye towards the next two seasons. Ant’s still very young but his contract is our runway and we have to retool while there’s still enough runway left. I think we might have waited too long, which means the Wolves will have to do what McHale did when he acquired Spree and Cassell. It almost worked but was short-lived with KG departing soon thereafter. Usually those desperation moves for older vets fail miserably. TC might have one last shot to avoid that fate.

Not looking good. Our run last year didn't start until March 2nd, which coincided with Randle coming back from injury. We were 32-30 going into that 17-3 run to close the season out. Of course this year we're healthy minus TSJ, so we can only hope once we have Ayo familiar with the team and concepts that we can take off from there. I'm not sure how much they practice over the all star break, but it's going to be needed for the team to get their shit together fast. I don't believe ant is planning on playing in the All Star game with his injuries.

Good point, Rap. We were 11-3 in the month of March. So maybe we’ll turn things around in the same time frame this season. But my gut watching this team is that we won’t see this team get it together this time. There’s something missing that I didn’t see missing last season. This team, in spite of all the continuity, doesn’t have an identity. It doesn’t play with intensity. It’s offense rarely flows and its defense craters when Rudy’s not on the floor. We saw some of that last season but this season seems different. And at least last season there was the issue of players learning to play together. Obviously, that’s not the case this season. Our key players are statistically better than last season at this point on an individual basis, but the team isn’t. When you see a team like this that is so much less than the sum of its part you have a serious problem that probably won’t resolve on its own. I hope I’m wrong, but I think I’m right and I don’t think Ayo is enough to fix it. A new head coach, if he’s the right one, could make a difference but I don’t think TC has it in him to do that.