Minnesota Sports Forum

Wow, we're young. That is very apparent after watching this game. Ricky and Pek would be welcome additions to this young crew. Anyway, KAT isn't going to be part of the 2+1 below, but I want to mention how impressed I am with his ability. I think he's going to live up to the status of a #1 pick. The rest of the night was a mix of good and bad, but nothing overly surprising to me. Here is tonight's 2 + 1:

1) We have a legitimate goof troop manning our bench. Sam, Little Adelman, Little Saunders, Sidney Lowe. Folks it doesn't get any worse than that in the entire league. It's like the Marines trusting their newest weapons technology with the Kardashians. It really is a joke and puts a grey cloud over this promising rebuild.

2) Okay, now I'm concerned about Andrew Wiggins. Not because I don't think he will be a good player, but because I'm starting to wonder how he becomes a great player. You've all seen what I'm talking about. He just doesn't want to impact the game the way he truly should. Where's the boards? Where's the steals? Where's the cuts that gets him easier baskets? Andrew, we don't need a decent starter in the NBA. We need a star. Wake up please.

Plus 1 - I thoroughly enjoyed watching Tyus Jones play basketball tonight. I'm thinking about how this board completely buried this guy after a couple of summer league games - and I'm laughing at you. I don't know if you want to call it guile, or savvy, or the "IT" quality. Whatever it is, he has it. He's not a great athlete but he's also not nearly the athletic liability he's been portrayed as. He also makes up for it with smarts, instincts, and seeing the game quicker than most. I'm going to say it again. We did not need to go out and get Andre Miller. Ricky, Tyus, Lobrow and if needed Zach are more than enough at the PG position. Tyus is going to take a little while to become consistent from game to game. But he's going to get there and I bet he gets there this year. Very happy we have him on our side.

And that's Cool's 2 things I didn't like tonight Plus 1.

Cool, I agree with your take. I've come around on Jones, and I welcome you laughing at me. He really does have underlying quality that makes him effective in spite of all his more apparent limitations. I still see him having a hard time staying in front of most PGs in the League, but he'll probably find a way to prove me wrong on that too. :)

Well, I buried Jones when we drafted him because I didn't think it was worth giving up 3 second rounders for a late first rounder. If he proves me wrong, so be it. It wouldn't be the first draft pick I got wrong (I hated the Shabazz pick and he's at least proven that he can score efficiently, if not much else yet). That being said, it was one pre-season game. He looked equally awful in the first one.

My +1 from last night was Towns working the glass. That's one area of concern I have about him based on Summer League - that he would be pushed around easily and have a tough time getting boards in traffic. He certainly looked the part last night.

Both Wiggins and LaVine seem unsure of themselves. Let's hope they work the kinks out and start getting involved more. While LaVine shot the ball horribly last night, at least he got some rebounds and assists. He did something. The same can't be said for Wiggins.He now has 2 rebounds in 45 minutes of preseason play. I can handle struggles with shooting and scoring. But dammit, you are a world class athlete. Make shit happen out there in other ways!

Terrible start to last night's game with the Wolves' complete inability to defend the perimeter, but I thoroughly enjoyed the last three quarters. I liked the Towns draft pick, but I have to admit his motor is really impressing me...he almost plays with Shabazz-like relentlessness out there. Combined with his physical gifts and feel for the game, he could really turn into something special.

I need to see Wiggins turn things around soon. He has such enormous talent, but he is just so invisible out on the court sometimes. I hate to say it, but I am feeling an eerie Joe Mauer parallel. They were both gifted teenagers who were picked #1 in the draft despite there being another great player taken at #2. Their respective games seem to come almost too easy to both of them, but the competitive fire seems to be missing. Joe had some terrific seasons relying on talent alone, and similarly I think Wiggins has a high floor just because he is so gifted. But I think he can be so much more. Sam Mitchell might have been frustrated with him last night, and didn't give him many minutes...maybe he can light a fire under him and help him reach his potential. But his first two pre-season games have been lackluster.

Tyus was fun to watch last night...remarkable comfort with the game for a 19 year old rookie. Only one turnover last night, and he showed excellent vision even on the turnover...just missed on the pass. He must have had 7-8 assists, and his deft passes to Gorgui also led to several free throws. And he looked very comfortable with his shot. I don't know what his ceiling will be, but it might be fun to watch the local kid develop.

Guys, responding to a couple of your points: Zach shot the ball poorly and didn't take the best shots IMO, but I did notice how much more aware he is on defense. He's not nearly as lost as he was last year. So I was very encouraged about that. Now if he could just get it in his head that no one can stay with him on the dribble and attack the basket at every opportunity. He should be able to get to the line like Wiggins does.

Tyus had me thinking he was a rich man's version of Rubio last night. That's right, a rich man's version. His pick and roll game with Dieng was very Rubioesque, as was his ability to deliver passes on time. Then you throw in the fact that he can actually shoot a little bit and I think we might have something there. He's the type of guy you want on your team. I know, I know, it's just one preseason game. Looking forward to the next one.

CoolBreeze44 wrote:Guys, responding to a couple of your points: Zach shot the ball poorly and didn't take the best shots IMO, but I did notice how much more aware he is on defense. He's not nearly as lost as he was last year. So I was very encouraged about that. Now if he could just get it in his head that no one can stay with him on the dribble and attack the basket at every opportunity. He should be able to get to the line like Wiggins does.

Tyus had me thinking he was a rich man's version of Rubio last night. That's right, a rich man's version. His pick and roll game with Dieng was very Rubioesque, as was his ability to deliver passes on time. Then you throw in the fact that he can actually shoot a little bit and I think we might have something there. He's the type of guy you want on your team. I know, I know, it's just one preseason game. Looking forward to the next one.

Zgoda tweeted that Sam was telling Zach he was thinking too much last night. I can see that. You can see he has a mentality to just score the ball but it's also pretty obvious he wants to be a good teammate and make the right plays. If those 2 things ever come together it could be pretty amazing.

What is clear to me about Tyus is that he is a true point with vision and legit passing skills. Last night was a nice indicator that he belongs in the league. Let's hope in continues but it's encouraging to see a one and done guy that turned 19 five months ago had that kind of showing even if it was just a preseason game against backup/fringe starter level PGs.

I see Tyus and Ricky as quite different PGs. Unfortunately, Tyus will never have Ricky's length or defensive ability. And Ricky will likely never shoot as well as Tyus. Both appear to have excellent vision, but Ricky will always be flashier than Tyus and make the jaw dropping pass.

I'm a big fan of the Tyus pick, but I project him to be a good backup PG in the NBA. The kind of guy who can run a controlled offense and make a shot when needed, but not likely athletic or big enough to be a good defender. We'll have to see how it plays out, but Ricky, Tyus and Zach have the potential to handle the PG role for a decade.

Tyus highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTMKjEW6OeA&ebc=ANyPxKpSkYCxUBf-1bMfCboxvBBDk47WAHE2OCvMsMri76aJ5dOJZa5tNB0cqR6qDHp5yiyvAtvK6GSN6BTRcwpLj3xxsW-b2Q

More room for me to stretch out on the Wiggins train I guess. You are all welcome back on when the time comes. I won't even call you for overreacting after 2 preseason games.

thedoper wrote:More room for me to stretch out on the Wiggins train I guess. You are all welcome back on when the time comes. I won't even call you for overreacting after 2 preseason games.

Ha, don't take up too much space, doper! I think a lot of us are still on the train, but don't think he played very well the first two games. How do you think he looked last night?