Minnesota Sports Forum

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tG25f13s2JA

Kek couldn't do it. Tim couldn't do it. So I guess I need to step up and win this one. And I'll say it right now...I'm starting the Game 7 thread Sunday also.

We're coming off a game where we actually played fairly well, but still were never really in the game. And yet, the Wolves are favored by 2 1/2. I have to believe the oddsmakers think Conley is healthy enough to play, because none of us liked the way our offense looked Tuesday night with 5 knuckleheads on the floor at the same time...we need Daddy. Unfortunately Conley's injury is now called a calf injury, not an achilles, and calf injuries have not been kind to the Wolves. And unlike Jamal Murray's fake calf injury (come on, Jamal...nobody really thinks you have an owie, you heat-pack throwing wuss), Conley's is real. Let's hope he's ready to go, because if he is, we're going back to Denver this weekend.

But my sources tell me the Nuggets have a center who is pretty good. So what are we going to do to not let him beat us again? To quote Dan Patrick: "you can't stop him...you can only hope to contain him". And KAT one-on-one is our best option, allowing Rudy to spy behind him. KAT has the bulk to somewhat keep Jokic from getting to his spot. But he needs to be smart on offense to avoid stupid offensive fouls, because we need him out there for 40 minutes.

But the other factor that could help us contain Jokic is the crowd, and Lip can help us here. Joker's footwork, array of moves and touch are elite when he is given time in the paint. And the referees seem to forget about the 3-second rule when he has the ball. I found myself counting out loud whenever Joker entered the lane Tuesday night. 7 or 8 times I got to 4 before he shot, and one time I actually got to 7...but no call, not once! Remember crowds counting in the playoffs whenever Giannis went to the free throw line? I'm calling on Lip to start a 1-2-3-4-5-6 loud chant whenever Joker gets in the paint...remind the refs that he is not allowed to pitch a tent there. We got Joker to rush his offense in Games 1 and 2, and we need the crowd and the refs to help us get there again tonight.

Let's go, Wolves...it ain't over yet!

Mark Davis is the head official. Same official who let us play super physical in game 2 and who Murray threw multiple things at

Take us home, FNG! Take us home!

60WinTim wrote: ↑Thu May 16, 2024 9:52 am Take us home, FNG! Take us home!

We are already home, Tim...I'm taking us back to Denver!

Good news on having the Marc Davis crew tonight. What do you think Jamal Murray will throw at him tonight?

It's frustrating that so much seems to hinge on which holds the whistle but it is what it is and I hope it helps the Wolves force game 7.

Prison ball is back on the menu boys

This game will show us a lot about this team. Denver has completely flipped the script and I think many people assume they will now steam roll over us for 4 in a row.

This is where I feel Finch has been great. When the chips are down, the true leaders step up and make a difference. I think Finchy will try something different this game (he has to - right?). And we've already watched Edwards grow up in these playoffs and become a leader. He's averaging 30 points/game for crying out loud! Now we just need at least ONE other guy to get hot and help out. I don't care if that's Towns, Naz, McDaniels or NAW. Somebody else needs to have a big game because Edwards can't do it by himself....or can he?

We win this one and on to game 7. Believe it!

Charania tweets that Conley is expected to play tonight.

I don't know if TNT is doing the game tonight, but if so, I hope they're not putting Draymond Green on again. He's passionate and smart and I respect that, but he's also pathetic and a bully. TNT took a guy with a known history of bullying another player and gave him a national platform to continue to do that. Unconscionable decision by their producers.

Also, I hope somebody gets a chance to say this on TNT: the reason Draymond is free to go on TV and throw cheap shots at players in the playoffs right now is because he threw so many cheap shots at players during the regular season that his team didn't even make the playoffs. I wonder if the rest of his team is having as much fun as he is right now.

Carlos Danger wrote: ↑Thu May 16, 2024 1:28 pm This game will show us a lot about this team. Denver has completely flipped the script and I think many people assume they will now steam roll over us for 4 in a row.

This is where I feel Finch has been great. When the chips are down, the true leaders step up and make a difference. I think Finchy will try something different this game (he has to - right?). And we've already watched Edwards grow up in these playoffs and become a leader. He's averaging 30 points/game for crying out loud! Now we just need at least ONE other guy to get hot and help out. I don't care if that's Towns, Naz, McDaniels or NAW. Somebody else needs to have a big game because Edwards can't do it by himself....or can he?

We win this one and on to game 7. Believe it!

I'm honestly not sure what we should change defensively as much as just try to get back to the execution level we were at in game 2 and try to neutralize Gordon bringing the ball up the floor without taking Rudy out of the paint. I hope Finch has an answer here, but I honestly don't know what it is. If we double him, our execution has to be absolutely perfect.

On the offensive end is where I think the team can make some clear changes, particularly when it comes to responding to double teams, which Denver brought all night the other night and we basically had no counter at all for that. More Ant-KAT pick and roll/pop plays seems like an obvious choice. Trying to force switches to have Ant hunt MPJ and Murray more explicitly. The Conley-Rudy two-man game has been pretty good. Finding a way to set picks to spring KAT for catch-and-shoot 3s seems like a no-brainer. Beyond that, let's hope NAW and Jaden can knock down shots and Naz gets going.

It might just come down to execution though. Avoiding fouls. Getting them in fouls. Playing aggressive as hell but careful, precise, and locked in at all time. No ball watching. No complaining. Our backs are against the wall. Time to play like it!