Game Report - Wolves v. Sixers

[Lipoli390]

There's no silver lining in this game. We were at home against a good, but young team playing without their starting SF who is arguably their best player. As a very young team, it's not surprising that the Sixers lead the League in turnovers and tonight they were true to form in that department. Yet, the Wolves still found a way to lose on a night when the Nuggets won handily without Millsap or Jokic.

I can't fault the effort. Wiggins had another horrendous shooting night, but he grabbed 7 rebounds and played hard on both ends of the floor. Tonight confirmed my conviction that the problem with Wiggins is his poor handle, coupled with his bad hands. That weakness forces him to take jump shots and he's just not that good a shooter. KAT also played hard, grabbing 16 rebounds to go with 4 steals and 3 blocks. Nobody played harder than Jimmy Butler who also played well.

So why did we lose? Consider the following comparision:

1. The Sixers hit 50% of their field goal attempts, while the Wolves shot 40.7%
2. The Sixers hit 42.3% of their three attempts, while the Wolves hit a pathetic 17.2%
3. The Sixers hit 27 of 32 free throws, while the Wolves hit 19-27.
4. The Sixers had 32 assists, while the Wolves finished with a paltry 19.

If not for Jimmy Butler's fantastic game on both ends and the Sixers's youth-driving turnovers, the Wolves would have been blown off the court tonight. Yet, because of Jimmy and those turnovers, the Wolves could have one the game in regulation by simply missing 7 rather than 8 free throws or hitting 20.6% rather than 17.2% of their 3-point attempts (in other words, hitting one more three).

The bottom line for me is the 19 assists. Part of why we shot so horribly compared to the Sixers was the fact that we took so many bad contested shots out of isolation plays while the Sixers moved the ball beautifully for a ton of great uncontested looks. While we usually have more than 19 assists, its was really the same story for the Wolves -- with rare exception, no semblance of an offense other than Jimmy, Jeff or someone else attempting to score off the dribble on an isolation play. As usual, there was very little off-ball movement in the Wolves offense tonight. I used to think that it might be lack of effort, but I don't think so. Thibs is directing the players on every single possession. When you see Wiggins standing in teh corner ball-watching I honestly think it's because he doesn't not what else to do, pending instructions from his head coach bellowing from the sideline. Beyond that, the spacing was bad as it almost always is. Then there's the fact that this team lacks three-point shooters.

Our defense wasn't great, but it was good enough to win the game in regulation as we held the Sixers to 100 points through 4 quarters. If you want to win in the NBA today, you had better score more than 100 points.

We should win our next three home games. But tonight's loss was just another reminder that the Wolves are a mediocre team with better than mediocre talent. After this home stand, it gets tougher as we eventually move into the tougher part of our schedule beginning in mid January. I still see us making the playoffs, but we're a Jimmy Butler injury away from another lottery appearance.

[Lipoli390]

I was going to add that I think Thibs has lost this team. But I decided not to because I don't think Thibs ever had this team -- except for Butler and maybe Taj.

One telling moment was during a timeout after the first three minutes of overtime during which we scored only 2 points with one contested jumper after another on iso plays. While Thibs was talking the the players, Tyus, Bazz and MGH were laughing and joking with each other. It reminded me of the Rambis days with smiling Wes. I looked down and thought, oh crap, I care more about this game than at least three of our players.

Beyond that one moment, I see a team full of players who lack confidence and play as if its just a job and not a passion. There is a terrible, dour atmosphere on this team -- the sort of attitude that sometimes causes some players to check out and joke around at moments when they should be serious, intense and focused if not for themselves for sake of their teammates. Being around Thibodeau constantly would eventually bring anyone down.

[m4gor [enjin:6667447]]

To your point, i would not even say he has ever had Butler either. Jimmy is just amazing human being, who loves to play and always gives his max effort. Man i am so glad we have him on our team.

[Logo [enjin:17474297]]

Another quality game report Lip. I did not get to watch much of the game because of Internet issues.

I have to wonder what Glen Taylor thinks as he sits right behind the bellowing buffoon. How long will he wait to make a move to bring in someone who can lead this team to be able to compete in today's NBA?

[AbeVigodaLive]

As usual... a few notes:

- Covington is not the 76ers best player. He's not the most talented. He's not the most important. I think he's really solid... but no. Just no.

- My thoughts on Wiggins are clear by this point... but I agree that he seemed to be battling hard. That's great... not $146.5M worth...

- Down the stretch, the 76ers were getting dunks off assists. The Wolves were getting contested jump shots off isos. We saw what happened.

- The Wolves three point shooting was gonna be an issue... but they were actually slightly above the league average heading into last night for efficiency. That's gonna continue to tumble until Wiggins finds his stroke. Him shooting and making three pointers is one of the most important things this team needs right now. He's not simply missing them... he's not even close. Consider the only one he made was a bank shot. His free throws remain bad... and that's a scary thing if we're counting on him being reliable from another 10 feet from the hoop behind the arc.

- Towns had a couple of open looks beyond the arc. Shoot those.

- Embiid is really good. 6 years of basketball in his life... and he's a 7'2" guy who can hit 80% of his free throws, do a crazy Euro-Step down the lane and hit a crunchtime 3 pointer... and dish for 8 assists. I thought Towns frustrated him for a spell. But talent won out in the end. There's no debate whether he's better than KAT with the injury concerns being somewhat of an equalizer.

- Simmons played poorly... but still found a way to contribute and hit big buckets when needed.

- Speaking of Buckets... Jimmy Butler played well... and a lot of minutes. Was it 49? Yikes. Hated his last shot though. It's fine to not call a timeout at the end if you think you're gonna get a good shot... but about 19,000 people in that arena knew he was ending up with a stepback there. What did we expect though? Even if Thibs called a timeout, I'm pretty certain it wasn't going to be a creative out-of-bounds bucket-getter.

- Lack of attention from bench players at the end. I don't blame those guys in a way for not being invested. It's becoming pretty clear that the team isn't invested in them. This is a byproduct of ignoring the bench...

[Lipoli390]

All great points, Abe.

Your point about Butler taking that last shot in regulation was a point a couple of us in my section made at the time. With everyone so focused on Butler at the time, it seemed like a great opportunity to get an easy look for someone else. But you're right that a timeout wouldn't have made a difference given who our head coach is.

Once again, Thibs playing time allocation was insane. 48 minutes for KAT and 45 for Butler, etc. Gibson had 40 minutes and would have had more if he hadn't fouled out. Still no Bazz even though Wiggins had his 5th consecutive game of horrific shooting and even though Crawford wasn't good last night either. If it had just been this one game, then OK. But it's additive and it's going to take its toll if it hasn't already. At age 32, Gibson in particular is going to wear out. If the bench isn't good enough for coach Thibs to play, then shame on PBO Thibs. He's been given fully authority and that should make him fully accountable.

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

Jimmy Butler plays one of the greatest games I have ever seen, and we lose at home to a young team that had last 4 in a row...unbelievable. We have so much more talent than the Sixers (although young Simmons and Embiid are great), but we continue to be outcoached night after night. The good news is that we have enough talent to overcome Thibs' absurd coaching and win 46 games...the bad news is we should be winning way more than that.

A disappointing loss, but nevertheless a really fun game...this Philly team is young and doesn't shoot the ball very well, but they are as much fun to watch as any team in the league. Simmons and Embiid are going to be a terrific tandem for many years, and someday will win an NBA championship.

Before I rip the hapless Barking Ogre, I need to send some praise Butler's way...he was nothing short of sensational. Despite having to play a ridiculous 46 minutes, he played hard the entire game on both ends of the floor, and almost single-handedly won a game that Thibs was destined to piss away. Simmons is an incredible basketball player averaging 17.5 PPG and coming off a 27 point game. But Butler frustrated him all night (while also providing sensational help defense), and with a minute left in regulation, he had held him to ZERO points while forcing 7 turnovers. As great as Simmons has been in his rookie season, he was completely overmatched against Butler tonight...a boy playing against a man.

But with Thibs' bizarre aversion to using his bench, Butler (and everyone else on our team) was completely gassed at the end of the 4th quarter and OT, and lost Simmons along the baseline for a couple important buckets. That's on Thibs...not Jimmy.

The first half was one of the most entertaining halves of T-Wolf basketball I have seen this season, but when I saw that Brett Brown had used his bench almost twice as many minutes as Thibs by halftime, I turned to my friend I brought to the game and said this: "what a half...too bad we're going to be too tired to hold another big lead in the 4th quarter and lose another close one down the stretch". I'm not going to pat myself on the back too much for being exactly right, because every knowledgeable BB fan in the stands last night could see what was going on. Several people in my section pointed out the tongues hanging out of almost every Wolf on the 4th quarter and OT, and joined me in cursing Thibs. An OT game with only 53 bench minutes? No wonder we were so dead at the end of the game that we allowed a young team to score on 15 of their last 17 possessions...tired teams can't play defense, and that was on display last night in spades.

I'm also surprised that nobody has mentioned Thibs' other bonehead move of the night that might have cost us the game. After Embiid made two free throws to tie the game up with 15 seconds to play, Thibs still had one time out left. The Wolves are dog tired and discombobulated on offense, but Thibs decides NOT to use that TO to rest his team and set up a play .Unbelievable, half of my section was screaming for him to call the TO! But instead he lets an exhausted Butler flail away and put up a guarded off-balance shot.

I want to blame Wig for standing in the corner 75% of the time on offense, but when I noticed that the high-energy Jamal Crawford was doing the same thing when he was in for Wig, I realized that this is Thibs' coaching approach. Rather than coaching a modern motion offense with players moving without the ball and moving the ball around, he wants to reduce the offense to a 3 on 3 ISO game...the difference between Browns' offensive philosophy and Thibs' was on display last night, and quite sad to see.

I walked out of the arena last night with another good friend who was a team owner until a few months ago and still has Taylor's ear. I told him he needed to call Glen tomorrow and insist that he fire Thibs right now. He's holding this team back, and I don't want to see him give away any more games. He is a horrible game manager and the NBA game has left him behind...he needs to go NOW!

Edit...ok, I see Abe and Lip mentioned the "no time out" at the end of the game. I disagree that it was a good idea. As much as I rip Thibs, he is a veteran NBA coach capable of drawing on a white board. A Thibs-called play for a team given a 1-minute rest is a better option than letting a tired team try to score on their own.

[Wolvesfan21]

Bazz couldn't really be any worse then Wiggins right now, well not much. Wiggins just hitting a couple shots and we win. I'm tired of talking about it, it bugs me more then anything that they blew that trade.

[Lipoli390]

All great points, LST. And yes, Wiggins is NOT to blame for standing in the corner. I sit behind the Wolves bench and I'm close enough to hear Thibs direct every player on every possession. So the players are presumably where the head coach wants them to be. If they're not, he emphatically screams and waves at them to move.

We took some friends from Philly to the game last night. As Sixers fans they obviously enjoyed it. But they were aghast at the heavy minutes played by our starters. And they admitted the Wolves should have won that game on talent.

I really hope your friend delivers your message. More importantly, I hope Taylor shocks us all and gets rid of Thibs.

[Monster]

My comments

1. If Jimmy hadn't tripped or slipped on that last play in regulation he likely scored and the game is over. Saric hadn't been able to guard him for the whole quarter. I liked they didn't call a timeout.

2. So someone standing in the corner for one of the most efficient shots in basketball a corner 3 is bad now? Sometimes just being in a spot waiting for a shot is just what you need to do to create spacing.

3. No love for Jeff Teague?