Minnesota Sports Forum

Come on, we all love 'em...especially when they support our narrative! We're only three games in, but here are a couple I noticed, based on a ridiculously small sample size (yes, this thread will get more interesting as the season progresses).

1) PER. Three Wolves have a PER over 22...Wig, KAT and Belly. Butler's PER is 9.8.

2) Three pointers. Thibs has established more three point attempts as a season goal, as the Wolves ranked third from the bottom last year. The bad news: our 22 attempts per game is exactly the same as last year, and again third worst in the league. The good news: Our 37.9% make rate is three percentage points higher than last year, and 7th best in the league (thank you Crawford, Wig and Belly).

Nothing like debating the merits of stats after 3 games

Duke13 wrote:Nothing like debating the merits of stats after 3 games

Ha, we devote pages of posts to an individual player's stats for one game! I find team and stats based on three times that sample size much more meaningful. I"m guessing Thibs is looking at those 22 3-point attempts per game and looking at ways to improve that...at least, I hope he is.

Anyway, I like it when posters point out stats that I wasn't aware of. Sounds like you don't.

Not Wolves but how about this one. Giannis is the first player since Jerry West to score at least 34 points in a team's first 3 games.

Well, you know I'm a big stats guy LST, but even I think it's a little early. That being said, it's a good thread starter and something I will add to as we get a few more games under our belt!

What I am looking at more than stats in these early games is how things shake out in terms of roles and Thibs' rotations.

CoolBreeze44 wrote:Not Wolves but how about this one. Giannis is the first player since Jerry West to score at least 34 points in a team's first 3 games.

Ah, but he came crashing down to earth in Game 4, Cool. Only got 32 tonight, along with 14 boards, 6 assists, 2 blocks and an assist. Yikes, what a start!

Going into the Pistons game, the Thibodeau defense is now dead last in the league in adjusted shooting percentage defense at 57.5%...a full 2 percentage points behind woeful Phoenix. It doesn't look like that percentage is going to improve in the motor city.

Thibs' defense is now dead last in adjusted shooting percentage by an even wider margin...disgraceful. Butler returns tonight, and even though I expect him to be at far from full strength, I expect his presence on the court to have a major impact on our defense. If not, my optimism level is going to plummet.

longstrangetrip wrote:Thibs' defense is now dead last in adjusted shooting percentage by an even wider margin...disgraceful. Butler returns tonight, and even though I expect him to be at far from full strength, I expect his presence on the court to have a major impact on our defense. If not, my optimism level is going to plummet.

Just for fun I'll throw this out there...GS is 27th in defensive efficiency right now. :)

4-1 with Jimmy Butler
0-2 without him