Minnesota Sports Forum

I hate to make rash judgement, but this team played two of the best teams in the NBA and didn't look over matched nor did they look like a fluke. Some quick thoughts:

1. People need to stop raging on guys saying they need to go, or need their minutes gashed. I think the biggest thing about this team right now is their depth. They'll be games where guys like Brewer or Bud look awful, but guys like Bennett and Martin will step up. You know what though? They'll be games where Bennett and Martin will struggle, and guys like Brewer and Bud will step up. That's the biggest difference right now between last years team. If Love or Pek or Ricky had a bad game, it was pretty much game over at this point. I wouldn't change anything on this roster right now.

2. A complete 180 for Wiggins tonight. He couldn't of had a different kind of halves. First half was his big knock of just floating in games. It scared me big time. 2nd half, he looked like the #1 pick. I don't blame him for that last play, Bulter clearly traveled.

3. The NBA is the only sport where it's accepted that refs clearly have an effect on games. Makeup calls, superstar calls, rookies not getting calls, all just sort of accepted as the culture of the NBA. It's stupid, but don't expect the Wolves to get calls against veteran teams.

4. Rubios being really careless with the ball. I don't know what it is but it's a huge problem.

5. Bennett has been great. My worry is that at some point, those long two's will stop falling. We haven't seen much else besides that, so we'll see if it's just fools gold right now.

6. The lack of 3's is killing this team right now. Pretty much Martin is the only one TRYING to take 3's right now. The spacing is really hurting our post game right now namely Pek. Pek needs more rolls to the basket to get going instead of just posting up one on one all the time. Just too crowded with the long twos

4. Ricky with 17 assists and 3 turnovers, I'll take it. I wonder if all the new teammates and system were causing his struggle in the first couple games, or maybe the contract was on his mind, or a little of both. Whatever it is/was it is way to early, three games in to be drawing to large of a conclusion.

I sort of expected that Ricky would have some more turnovers at this point because he has more pressure to be "the man" and might force things sometimes. That is something he will need to iron out. It is strange to see the sloppy turnovers like leaving his feet for a pass.

Alex, Couldn't agree more with you on point #1. It's too early to judge anyone at this point, as the season is so young.

Here is one thing I will conclude with confidence: Anthony Bennett will not continue to connect on 64% of his long 2's (16 feet+). That is unsustainable and at some point he's going to start missing. Flip needs to get him involved in other spots on the floor.

Wiggins is a 19-year old rookie. He's going to probably hurt us more than help us, especially at the start of the season. Let's just hope he's a fast learner.

Q12543 wrote:Alex, Couldn't agree more with you on point #1. It's too early to judge anyone at this point, as the season is so young.

Here is one thing I will conclude with confidence: Anthony Bennett will not continue to connect on 64% of his long 2's (16 feet+). That is unsustainable and at some point he's going to start missing. Flip needs to get him involved in other spots on the floor.

Wiggins is a 19-year old rookie. He's going to probably hurt us more than help us, especially at the start of the season. Let's just hope he's a fast learner.

Wow, careful out on that limb Q! :o

The Flip effect:

% of FGA that are 2pta: 86% (#1)
% of FGA that are 3pta: 14% (#30)

alexftbl8181 wrote:The Flip effect:

% of FGA that are 2pta: 86% (#1)
% of FGA that are 3pta: 14% (#30)

It would stand to reason that if you are #1 in one category, you would be #30 in the other. I realize you aren't taking one side or the other, but the real question is this: Is it good to be last in the 3 point category? I don't think so.

CoolBreeze44 wrote:

alexftbl8181 wrote:The Flip effect:

% of FGA that are 2pta: 86% (#1)
% of FGA that are 3pta: 14% (#30)

It would stand to reason that if you are #1 in one category, you would be #30 in the other. I realize you aren't taking one side or the other, but the real question is this: Is it good to be last in the 3 point category? I don't think so.

The answer is going to depend on how accurate you are on 3 point attempts. If the team is not competent at shooting them then being 29th would be worse, wouldn't it?

Besides, I think what Flip is doing is keeping the team focused on the easier things, once they have that down then and only then do they begin to stretch their boundaries.

SP, Right now we are hitting 47% of our 2 point shots. To achieve the equivalent efficiency with a 3 point shot, you only have to hit 31% of them. Right now we are hitting 41% of our 3-pointers (which is very good). I think we could afford to shoot more 3's. Even if our efficiency sank to 33 or 34% on 3's, our offense would be better off with that shot than a bunch of 20-footers.

Your second point has some merit to it. If Flip is telling guys like Bennett to "prove it to me that you can hit your open 2-pointers" first, I get that, up to a point. But the result of this philosophy is that in the short term we really are leaving points on the table. And don't even get me started on the irony of Flip disallowing 3's, but then doing absolutely nothing to encourage Bennett moving toward the basket. The result is all we see are long 2's, an opposing defense's dream-come-true.

CoolBreeze44 wrote:

alexftbl8181 wrote:The Flip effect:

% of FGA that are 2pta: 86% (#1)
% of FGA that are 3pta: 14% (#30)

It would stand to reason that if you are #1 in one category, you would be #30 in the other. I realize you aren't taking one side or the other, but the real question is this: Is it good to be last in the 3 point category? I don't think so.

I actually like it. Going in to the season we knew we lacked 3pt shooting so it wouldn't make much sense if we were chucking 3 after 3.