Wolves Defense after 6 Games

[bleedspeed]

I pulled this from - http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2015/11/10/9704056/minnesota-timberwolves-andrew-wiggins-highlights-hawks-karl-anthony-townshttp://www.sbnation.com/nba/2015/11/10/9704056/minnesota-timberwolves-andrew-wiggins-highlights-hawks-karl-anthony-towns

Towns and Wiggins have helped contribute to a massive turnaround on the defensive end. The Wolves had the worst defense in the NBA last season, giving up nearly 110 points per 100 possessions, per NBA.com. Through six games this year, Minnesota is fifth in the league with a defensive rating of 95 points per 100 possessions.

That sterling mark is buoyed by a starting unit that's given up just 77 points per 100 possessions in 74 minutes of action. Wiggins and Towns are a key part of that group, but Ricky Rubio is a strong defensive point guard, while cagey veterans Garnett and Tayshaun Prince are still solid on that end. When you replace Garnett with Nemanja Bjelica, that lineup's defensive rating is a minuscule 65 points per 100 possessions in 34 minutes.

We can draw some early parallels between the 4-2 Timberwolves and last year's 2014-15 Milwaukee Bucks. The 2013-14 Bucks and 2014-15 Wolves both finished with the NBA's worst record and employed defenses at or near the bottom of the league. Milwaukee turned things around quickly to make the postseason last year behind a talented young core and an elite defense. Minnesota is following the same blueprint right now.

[TAFKASP]

So Bjelica improves the defense, I like the sound of that!! Was it Kahn that drafted him?

[60WinTim]

So Bjelica improves the defense, I like the sound of that!! Was it Kahn that drafted him?

Yup, although I think a bunch of credit goes to one of the euro scouts. But Kahn drafted and brought over Rubio, brought over Pek, and drafted Bjelica. I think we have a couple other euro guys from his stint as well.

[TAFKASP]

So Bjelica improves the defense, I like the sound of that!! Was it Kahn that drafted him?

Yup, although I think a bunch of credit goes to one of the euro scouts. But Kahn drafted and brought over Rubio, brought over Pek, and drafted Bjelica. I think we have a couple other euro guys from his stint as well.

I seem to recall Kahn having an emphasis on Euro scouting or was that in place prior to his arrival?

[60WinTim]

So Bjelica improves the defense, I like the sound of that!! Was it Kahn that drafted him?

Yup, although I think a bunch of credit goes to one of the euro scouts. But Kahn drafted and brought over Rubio, brought over Pek, and drafted Bjelica. I think we have a couple other euro guys from his stint as well.

I seem to recall Kahn having an emphasis on Euro scouting or was that in place prior to his arrival?

I am older than your mama so I don't remember things like that. We did have Euro scout(s), but Kahn may have beefed it up... Somebody had to scout Targuy, or whatever his name was!

[TAFKASP]

So Bjelica improves the defense, I like the sound of that!! Was it Kahn that drafted him?

Yup, although I think a bunch of credit goes to one of the euro scouts. But Kahn drafted and brought over Rubio, brought over Pek, and drafted Bjelica. I think we have a couple other euro guys from his stint as well.

I seem to recall Kahn having an emphasis on Euro scouting or was that in place prior to his arrival?

I am older than your mama so I don't remember things like that. We did have Euro scout(s), but Kahn may have beefed it up... Somebody had to scout Targuy, or whatever his name was!

Tanguy, oh the memories!!

[60WinTim]

Okay, SP, we kind of hijacked Bleed's thread...

I didn't read the original article, but has a gaping hole in what Bleed quoted. How about Sam Mitchell. He is responsible for the change in defensive principles. He is responsible for the emphasis on defense at the beginning, and through training camp, preseason and now. He is responsible for starting the best defensive lineup he could construct from the roster he was given.

The players deserve all the credit they can get. But to not mention Sam is doing him a disservice.

[TAFKASP]

Okay, SP, we kind of hijacked Bleed's thread...

I didn't read the original article, but has a gaping hole in what Bleed quoted. How about Sam Mitchell. He is responsible for the change in defensive principles. He is responsible for the emphasis on defense at the beginning, and through training camp, preseason and now. He is responsible for starting the best defensive lineup he could construct from the roster he was given.

The players deserve all the credit they can get. But to not mention Sam is doing him a disservice.

I'll give Sam credit to a point. Yes they're greatly improved, especially the starting five, but of those only two were on the team to begin last year, and only one played the majority of the games. I imagine if our current starting five were there for Flip last year we would have been giving all kinds of credit to Flip's coaching job too! About the only thing that I see as possibly different, Sam vs. Flip, is being unsure Flip would have started Prince.

Sam has the team playing hard for 48 minutes though, and other than rotations that an amateur like me doesn't understand he's doing just fine!

Edit: Forgot to add "F'ck a bag of Bleed!"

[bleedspeed]

Edit: Forgot to add "F'ck a bag of Bleed!"

What did I do to your mother to get that type of treatment?

[TAFKASP]

Edit: Forgot to add "F'ck a bag of Bleed!"

What did I do to your mother to get that type of treatment?

I don't like being behind, so it's a bit of a first strike! :-d

And leave my mother, and mother in law out of this damn it!