Minnesota Sports Forum

According to Alan Horton Dieng has gone 4/7 on 3's in 40 minutes of total time in 2 games in Afrobasket. It's a bit shorter line but I think he should absolutely be given some opportunity in te offense to be a floor spacer and get up some 3's. I wonder if that's been a consideration with some of the players they have looked at...in other words looking at guys that can do something besides sit in corners for 3's.

https://twitter.com/wolvesradio/status/906652271068532736

.@GorguiDieng & Senegal (2-0) celebrate an 87-52 win over Egypt. G w/ 14p (5/12 FG 1/3 3ptrs 3/5 FT) 7r & 1b in 20m. #AfroBasket2017

https://twitter.com/wolvesradio/status/906272262730506240

Senegal 83 South Africa 44 -- @GorguiDieng with 16pts (5/10 FG 3/4 3ptrs 3/6 FT) & was +30 in 20 minutes of play.

Egypt has a basketball team?

A bunch of us have been saying for a couple years now they should set up in the corner for several plays a game, and it's even more important now than ever, IMO.

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[*] He's a great midrange and free throw shooter, and that often translates.
[*] In a small sample size, he has shot it well from deep. His height helps him get them off despite his slow release.
[*] We've seen other big men like Brook Lopez add that to their games.
[*] We need to shoot more threes in general.
[*] Teague has a track record of being a good drive-and-kick to the corner PG, so we need somebody there to catch and shoot to take advantage of that.
[*] Probably most importantly, it would help to spread the floor more to create driving space for Butler and Wiggins and even Teague. Towns is a good 3 point shooter, and I want that to continue, but he's too good to just leave on the perimeter too much hunting for 3s, instead he needs to be involved in the action offensively on almost every play and that means being inside more.
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I don't want to do that all the time, of course. Dieng's a good offensive rebounder, and as the league goes smaller, he has a size advantage inside that we don't want to negate totally. At the same time, we need to play to the strengths of our best players, Towns, Butler, and Wiggins. G's going to keep playing alongside Towns until Towns can become a better defender and can handle 5s easily on his own, but that should really be his role now more than ever--defensive specialist who plays a very specific role offensively, ideally including stretching the floor a bit. G's a pretty versatile, if average, offensive player, but I'd like to see him play a bit more specialized offensive role when he's on the floor with the rest of those guys, and that should definitely include the old Rubio corner from the first half of last year!