Minnesota Sports Forum

LaVine looking good

Payne continuing his improvement too. Numbers are trending up for March.

Martin may be the worst perimeter defender I have ever seen.

My Game summary:

Everyone but Martin played well, relatively speaking of course. I don't know why I kept watching but I did.

Go Wolves.

Damn.. such a LIVELY thread tonight lol. I tuned in with 3-4 min left. Based on the stat lines it looks like Lavine & Payne had decent games. I really hope Wiggins can get his rebounding up over the next couple seasons.

Well, I'm a diehard, so I can provide a few highlights/lowlights for those of you smart enough not to watch this team anymore:

- The Wolves shot the ball really well tonight, especially in the first half. LaVine, Neal, and Gorgui were making everything from mid-range on out. Even Lorenzo Brown got in on the action. As usual, not enough 3's were taken. It was a bevy of mid-range and long 2's made with a few 3's thrown in.

- Mo Wiliams was on fire tonight. Is anyone surprised by that?

- I'm revising my belief that Wiggins can play either SG or SF. He's too damn weak and anemic to play SF in the short term. He had 1 rebound tonight and on multiple occasions had guys literally just take the ball from him for offensive rebounds where he originally had inside position. Meanwhile, his offensive game is limited to post-ups only. He has totally abandoned the 3-point shot and turns it over half the time he puts the ball on the floor. He'd be better off posting up 2's if that's become his only offense.

- Payne was decent on offense, but it felt like fool's gold. Almost all his makes were mid-range jumpers. I mean, I'm glad they went in, but the second coming of Dante Cunningham or pre-season Bennett isn't what we want or need. His 9 rebounds in 35 minutes was solid. He still seems a little clueless on defense. I like his aggressive hedging, but he overplays it and doesn't rotate back quick enough.

- Lorenzo Brown played a really nice floor game again. I'd like to see him get a bit more aggressive and try to create something off the dribble when the clock is running down. He's too quick to give it up to a wing and put them in the position of making a difficult play. I know his goal is to limit turnovers and think pass-first, but he has some game. I really like this kid though, especially if he can keep getting that outside shot to fall.

- I'm surprised that Hamilton, Rubio, and KG were all out again. I mean, really? And wasn't Hummel and Bennett supposed to be back like two or three weeks ago? What happened to those guys? Either Flip is blatantly tanking or we have an incompetent medical/training staff. Either way it's a total joke.

Q I agree with your analysis of Payne but I would add that his game tonight gives me some room for optimism. His downside is all positioning and system related issues at this point and not being physically outmatched. I believe he can learn when to take those risks and just how quickly he needs to head the other way when he makes a nice help. Gourgi on the otherhand, I really wonder if he can even physically play help d.

thedoper wrote:Q I agree with your analysis of Payne but I would add that his game tonight gives me some room for optimism. His downside is all positioning and system related issues at this point and not being physically outmatched. I believe he can learn when to take those risks and just how quickly he needs to head the other way when he makes a nice help. Gourgi on the otherhand, I really wonder if he can even physically play help d.

Yeah, Gorgui is just a disaster defensively. It's not for lack of effort or desire, that's for sure. He has poor fundamentals and a terribly weak base. It's such a shame too. I had really high hopes for him coming out of Louisville. What's so ironic is that his offensive game is so far ahead of his defense. Unfortunately it's not good enough to overcome his horrific defense.

Payne worries me too. I hear what you are saying, but his defensive IQ and discipline seems similarly off kilter. And again, this is a guy that spent 4 years at MSU. I'm not sure there is a better school to prepare a guy to play hard-nosed fundamental defense. If he couldn't "get it" after that, will he ever? We'll find out I guess.....

Any commentary on MKG? I read something the other day that he is now considered the best wing defender in the NBA, and he is getting the rep as the guy no one wants to play against. He doesn't even pretend to be an offensive player, but what he does provide on offense is efficient. Anyone notice anything tonight?

And yeah, in regards to Wiggins, he had a solid month or so, but otherwise has been putrid. Like someone called out, how a guy with his athleticism can only get 1 rebound? He just provides so little to a game when he isn't scoring at this point. He needs to get way stronger this offseason.

Most of the game featured 3 rookies, a sophomore and a vet on the for for the wolves. They made a game of it. Heck even Bud is showing a pulse as a "stretch" 4. The Wolves ran out of gas/ bodies. Which is fine by me, even though I would rather have WCS as our pick, Okafor would be ok too.