2020-2021 Minnesota Timberwolves In-Season Thread

[jamiche]

I watched most of the second half last night as the wolves tried to get back in by playing all offense and no defense against the Pacers JV squad. How many times have we seen no name players have their best games of the year against the wolves? Last night it was McConnell. I can't wait for Gersas to call it quits on the KAT/D-Lo pairing. D-Lo makes a couple of smooth operator plays a game. The rest of the time he's careless with the basketball, a black hole in terms of ball movement and is disinterested on defense. He also may impede Edwards' development. The Edwards/KAT pairing on offense is more productive and defensively Edwards needs a better role model than D-Lo.

 

[tikited]

I watched most of the second half last night as the wolves tried to get back in by playing all offense and no defense against the Pacers JV squad. How many times have we seen no name players have their best games of the year against the wolves? Last night it was McConnell. I can't wait for Gersas to call it quits on the KAT/D-Lo pairing. D-Lo makes a couple of smooth operator plays a game. The rest of the time he's careless with the basketball, a black hole in terms of ball movement and is disinterested on defense. He also may impede Edwards' development. The Edwards/KAT pairing on offense is more productive and defensively Edwards needs a better role model than D-Lo.

I definitely have buyers remorse with D-Lo. I was so excited to get rid of Wiggins that I just assumed that D-Lo would have been a huge upgrade. The opposite has sadly happened. Wiggins is now a ineffective, but serviceable, player and D-Lo is terrible.

McConnell would easily be our best point guard in years if he was here.

 

[jamiche]

I definitely have buyers remorse with D-Lo. I was so excited to get rid of Wiggins that I just assumed that D-Lo would have been a huge upgrade. The opposite has sadly happened. Wiggins is now a ineffective, but serviceable, player and D-Lo is terrible.

McConnell would easily be our best point guard in years if he was here.

Agree on McConnell. I liked his game when he was with the Sixers, then I lost track of him.

I could live with the Wiggins/D-Lo trade (expensive garbage for expensive garbage) except that our newest smartest guy in the room had to throw in the hardly protected first round pick. My fear is that pick will haunt us like the Curry non pick.

I was listening to a Dane Moore (smart guy) podcast the other day and his guest was Brit Robson (even smarter guy). They were saying that the wolves' FO is very strong in analytics but that nobody had played at a high level in college or at all in the NBA. As such, there seemed to be a lack of understanding of how locker rooms work. I thought it was an interesting point.

 

[Iceland12]

Last night in that 141-137 loss, Wolves starters outscored their counterparts 93-72. Towns, Rubio, Edwards and McDanels in that order were all + players for the night.

The Wolves bench was outscored 69-44. All 5 of the Wolves players were minus players on the night. 5 outa 6 bench players for the Pacers had a + night, and that guy played 2 minutes.

Even with the Pacers being shorthanded, they had a much better bench. The Wolves bench gets outscored a lot. Even when the starters leave with a lead, often the bench throws it away. When the starters play badly and the gap is finally closed, very seldom is it the bench that brings them back.

Probably gonna quit reading the online Wolves commentary for awhile. No matter how the game actually goes you can pretty much guarantee who people will complain about.

Besides without Beasley any victory will be a surprise anyway. Oddly enough, that makes Wolves fans mad too.

 

[gophersfan]

ARod to buy the Timberwolves.

 

[jamiche]

Ogee is getting a basketball team. This is bad.

 

[GopherWeatherGuy]

At least I won't have to care about NBA basketball anymore when they move

 

[Iceland12]

Three-time MLB MVP Alex Rodriguez and e-commerce mogul Marc Lore have signed a letter of intent with Glen Taylor and are negotiating to succeed him as owners of the Minnesota Timberwolves, sources told The Athletic.

Rodriguez and Lore signed the documents on Saturday and now have a 30-day exclusive negotiating window to try to finalize a deal with Taylor. If completed, it would infuse the Timberwolves with some mega-watt star power. It also would give Taylor the partners he has long sought to carry the franchise into the future as he prepares to step aside from the team he has owned for 27 years. The succession plan being discussed, sources said, would call for Rodriguez and Lore — two close friends who are 50-50 partners in the arrangement— to join Taylor’s ownership group as limited partners for two and a half years, at which time Taylor would then step aside and hand the reins to the new majority partners..

While the signed letter of intent does not guarantee that a deal will be completed, it does put Rodriguez and Lore in the driver’s seat. The two sides have already agreed upon some of the major elements of a potential transaction, including a $1.5 billion valuation for the franchise, sources said. Now they will spend the next month going through the finer points of the negotiation. Should a purchase agreement be reached, Lore and Rodriguez would have to be approved by the NBA’s Board of Governors before officially joining the organization..

Alex Rodriguez, Marc Lore negotiating to succeed Glen Taylor as Timberwolves and Lynx owners

The three-time MLB MVP and the e-commerce mogul signed a letter of intent with Taylor on Saturday.

theathletic.com

 

[Iceland12]

 

[Iceland12]

The news of the new potential Timberwolves owner came out of left field Saturday, or perhaps more accurately, the left side of the infield.

Former MLB shortstop and third baseman Alex Rodriguez and billionaire Marc Lore have entered an exclusive letter of intent to purchase the Timberwolves and Lynx from owner Glen Taylor, a team spokesperson confirmed Saturday.

The surprising news seems to settle a question that has plagued the Wolves and their fans for months since it was revealed Taylor was listening to offers last summer — would he sell the team and to whom?

If the sale goes through, the change wouldn't happen overnight. Taylor would still be the controlling owner until 2023, under terms of the sale, with Rodriguez and Lore coming on as limited partners before taking controlling ownership in about two years.
This is developing story. Check back for updates.

Alex Rodriguez, billionaire Marc Lore enter agreement to purchase Timberwolves, Lynx

Former MLB player is on a "pathway" to controlling ownership of the organization with associate and friend Marc Lore

www.startribune.com

 

[Iceland12]

In 2020 Lore was working alongside Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez in a bid to buy the New York Mets. The deal did not go through because Steven Cohen bought them for $2.4 billion.

$1.5 billion for the Wolves must have felt like a bargain.

 

[Full Speed Ahead]

The Seattle Seawolves, coming to the NBA ...

 

[Iceland12]

The Seattle Seawolves, coming to the NBA ...

Nah, they still can call them Timberwolves. You're a little late to the game. Been saying that since Thibs tore-up the team and Taylor said they were looking for local buyers.

 

[Iceland12]

The Wolves at least gave their fans something to cheer for the second consecutive home game in a 121-117 victory over the Chicago Bulls, a game the Wolves led for most of the night and held on late, in part by going 25-for-25 at the free-throw line.

D'Angelo Russell made the most of his limited minutes with 27 points, including a three-pointer to put the Wolves ahead 114-106 with 3 minutes, 11 seconds to play. Russell's three came after coach Chris Finch successfully challenged an out of bounds call on the Bulls' previous offensive possession.

Karl-Anthony Towns added 27 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists with his three biggest points coming to give the Wolves a 119-113 lead with 43.8 seconds to play..

Reid finished with 18 points for the Wolves, Rubio had 17 and Anthony Edwards added 15. Nikola Vucevic scored 18 points for Chicago.

Karl-Anthony Towns encounters more emotional whirls as Wolves hold off Bulls

The Wolves star spoke of family and his team's potential new owners after a victory over old friend Zach LaVine.

www.startribune.com

 

[tikited]

The Wolves at least gave their fans something to cheer for the second consecutive home game in a 121-117 victory over the Chicago Bulls, a game the Wolves led for most of the night and held on late, in part by going 25-for-25 at the free-throw line.

D'Angelo Russell made the most of his limited minutes with 27 points, including a three-pointer to put the Wolves ahead 114-106 with 3 minutes, 11 seconds to play. Russell's three came after coach Chris Finch successfully challenged an out of bounds call on the Bulls' previous offensive possession.

Karl-Anthony Towns added 27 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists with his three biggest points coming to give the Wolves a 119-113 lead with 43.8 seconds to play..

Reid finished with 18 points for the Wolves, Rubio had 17 and Anthony Edwards added 15. Nikola Vucevic scored 18 points for Chicago.

Karl-Anthony Towns encounters more emotional whirls as Wolves hold off Bulls

The Wolves star spoke of family and his team's potential new owners after a victory over old friend Zach LaVine.

www.startribune.com

Good game for Russell. One of the best since he has been here imo.

 

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

Good game for Russell. One of the best since he has been here imo.

Nice win, good to see them playing better under Finch.

Edwards sure does shoot, a lot. Not altogether concerned because as a rookie he needs all the experience and development he can get but damn, not an ultra efficient player in that respect.

Lavine HAS to be right around the top of the list for former Wolves players that have painfully played much better after leaving the Wolves, yes? When he was with the Wolves, he was one of my favorite players, hated seeing him go. Ouch, that one stings a little bit.

 

[Iceland12]

This is from The Athletic. It's their weekly NBA Rankings. There are 30 teams so the article is quite long. Here's what they say about the Wolves:

25. Minnesota Timberwolves (↑Previously 26th), 14-40, -6.8 net rating​

Weekly slate: Win over Kings, Loss at Pacers, Loss at Celtics, Win over Bulls

Good lineup: Ricky Rubio | Anthony Edwards | Josh Okogie | Jaden McDaniels | Karl-Anthony Towns

Stats: 110.8 offensive rating | 108.6 defensive rating | +2.2 net rating | 63 minutes played | 4th most used lineup

Why it’s important: The fact that this Timberwolves lineup is so competitive defensively matters. Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels are rookies. Karl-Anthony Towns has never been a consistent defensive anchor. Ricky Rubio and Josh Okogie are good defenders. The Wolves getting this production and defense out of this lineup does feel like something good could exist here.

Bad lineup: D’Angelo Russell | Anthony Edwards | Josh Okogie | Jaden McDaniels | Karl-Anthony Towns

Stats: 100.0 offensive rating | 131.0 defensive rating | -31.0 net rating | 13 minutes played | 44th most used lineup

Question that arises: What does it look like with Towns and D’Angelo Russell on the floor together? Granted, we haven’t seen a whole lot of it this season, but this feels like a lineup the Wolves would want to see more of and in the brief time it’s been out there, it’s been destroyed. Can Gersson Rosas and the front office punt on this if it doesn’t look promising?

 

[Iceland12]

After missing the previous two games, both losses, KAT played tonight. And it showed.

The last time Jimmy Butler played in Target Center before Friday was March 30, 2019, when he was with the 76ers. It was just over two years ago but also was an eternity ago for the Timberwolves, given the organizational overhaul that has happened since, triggered in part by Butler's desire to get out of Minnesota.

Butler was back to a few boos from the couple of thousand spectators at Target Center as he was introduced to face a Wolves team that was more than up to the challenge in a 119-111 Minnesota win at Target Center.

Karl-Anthony Towns returned from a two-game absence for personal reasons and overcame first-half foul trouble to score 24. Ricky Rubio chipped in 17 points while the Wolves got significant bench production from Naz Reid (16 points), Juancho Hernangomez (14 points) and Jarred Vanderbilt (nine points, 10 rebounds). Butler finished with 30 points.

Timberwolves welcome back Jimmy Butler, pin a loss on Miami

The Heat made it close late but was turned away.

www.startribune.com

 

[Iceland12]

Looks like Jimmy Butler didn't like Towns and Company beating them up in the 4th Quarter last night.

It actually was beautiful to watch.

Jimmy Butler has labeled the Miami Heat as "soft," saying the reigning Eastern Conference champions need a wake-up call and for All-Star center Bam Adebayo to get back to playing "bully ball."

Miami suffered its third straight loss with a 119-111 loss to Minnesota, who entered Friday's game with the NBA's worst record. It was the Heat's 10th loss in the past 16 games, dropping their record to 28-28 with 16 games remaining as they fight to avoid the play-in round that will begin the postseason..

The win allowed the Timberwolves to pass Houston and escape the league's basement for the first time since Jan. 5. Minnesota outrebounded Miami 45-33 and outscored the Heat 23-5 in second-chance opportunities..

Butler calls sluggish Heat 'soft,' urges 'bully ball'

The Miami Heat have lost 10 of their past 16, and their highest-paid player isn't happy.

www.espn.com

 

[Iceland12]

"But there’s still plenty of meaning to be gleaned from the various rookie performances this season. So just like we have the past two seasons, let’s identify the best comps for the 2020-21 rookie class."..​

​

Rookies in the 21st Century With a 27 Percent Usage Rate or Higher​

Player	Rookie Season	Usage Rate	TS%+
Kyrie Irving	2011-12	28.7%	107
Blake Griffin	2010-11	27.3%	101
Elton Brand	1999-00	27.0%	101
Ben Gordon	2004-05	30.4%	99
Carmelo Anthony	2003-04	28.5%	99
Jahlil Okafor	2015-16	27.3%	99
Luka Dončić	2018-19	30.5%	97
Donovan Mitchell	2017-18	29.1%	97
Michael Beasley	2008-09	27.7%	97
Trae Young	2018-19	28.4%	96
Kevin Durant	2007-08	28.1%	96
LeBron James	2003-04	28.2%	95
DeMarcus Cousins	2010-11	27.2%	89
Anthony Edwards	2020-21	27.1%	88
Dennis Smith	2017-18	28.9%	85
Jordan Crawford	2010-11	27.0%	84

That dichotomy drives Edwards’s largely lackluster comps; J.R. Smith enjoyed a long, productive career, and Sexton is now a valuable offensive player, but none of these players’ careers represent a desirable outcome for a no. 1 pick. Nobody on Edwards’s list has ever made an All-Star team. (However, Russell, a one-time All-Star, is his no. 6 comp, just behind Crawford.)

To improve his standing in the years to come, Edwards will need to boost both his creation for others—none of these five comps is particularly known for his passing ability—and his own efficiency. Even as he’s poured in points since the All-Star break, he’s needed a lot of shots to get there. Out of 48 players this season—all players, not just rookies—with a usage rate of at least 25 percent, Edwards ranks last in true shooting percentage.

Rookie Comps: 2020 Draft Class

Is LaMelo the next Luka? Will Anthony Edwards end up following the career path of Dion Waiters? We ran the numbers to come up with five comps for every notable (qualifying) rookie from the 2020-21 season.

www.theringer.com

 

[From the Parkinglot]

can someone on the twolves just give one once of effort on the defensive end?

 

[Iceland12]

They play again at Sacramento again tonight

"The Timberwolves haven't liked to play defense much this season. They also haven't liked the losing that results from not playing defense.

If only there was a team they could face who would allow them not to play much defense while still having a good chance of winning.

Enter the Sacramento Kings, who lost once previously to the Wolves and who were hosting the Wolves in a back to back set of games in Sacramento this week.

The Wolves prevailed 134-120 in a game that started out as a track meet and turned into an easy victory down the stretch as Minnesota made just enough defensive stops in the second half to pull away..

Towns played the starring rolein a decisive 14-0 run fourth-quarter run with 26 points, 18 rebounds and five assists. D'Angelo Russell had 26 of his 28 points in the first half while Anthony Edwards also had 28. Harrison Barnes and Moe Harkless had 20 for Sacramento.

"We got anything we wanted on the offensive end, and for the most part, they were getting anything they wanted on the offensive end as well," guard Josh Okogie said. "But we were able to corral together — coup up — a series of stops and I think that was what propelled us over the top."

Timberwolves make just enough stops to pull away from Sacramento 134-120

Karl-Anthony Towns figured big in a decisive 14-0 fourth-quarter run, finishing with with 26 points, 18 rebounds and five assists. D'Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards each had 28 points.

www.startribune.com

 

[Iceland12]

The now 17-44 Wolves beat the now 44-16 Jazz last night 101-96 in in Salt Lake City. It was Utah's 4th Home loss of the season. How? With their defense. Yep, defense.

Also makes the Wolves 5-6 in games where Russell & Towns have been on the court together. Beasley? Read that the Wolves top 3 have only played together for 13 minutes.

Following Saturday morning’s shootaround, Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson was asked to reflect on the team’s first meeting with the Minnesota Timberwolves this season — a 116-111 loss all the way back on Dec. 26 — and to evaluate how his team had improved against long, rangy, aggressive, physical, switching defenses since.

And when Utah went out and dropped 40 first-quarter points on the Wolves in Saturday’s rematch, the sixth man’s proclamations that his team was far superior now against such defenses looked prophetic and accurate.

Forty in the first. Of course, then they followed with 56 in the second and third and fourth quarters combined.

Sooooooo … maybe not so much after all, then.

The Jazz’s 101-96 loss Saturday was a pretty decent facsimile of the teams’ first matchup, as Minnesota’s physicality and switching took Utah out of its free-flowing, ball-movement-centric attack...

All of the Jazz’s problems were pretty well-encapsulated by an early-fourth quarter play: Jordan Clarkson threw a cross-court pass that was intercepted by Anthony Edwards, who raced to the hoop but missed the layup.

The Wolves got an offensive rebound. The putback attempt missed — but the Wolves got an offensive rebound. Another layup attempt missed — but the Wolves got an offensive rebound. And finally, after a brief reset, Utah’s defense broke down … and surrendered a layup.

The Jazz committed 20 turnovers in the game, which led to 23 Wolves points..

Utah Jazz fall victim to Wolves’ aggressive, swarming, switching defense for a second time. How big a problem is it?

After dropping 40 points in the first quarter Saturday, the Utah Jazz are beset by too many errors and too little effort in totaling just 56 combined points over the final three periods in its 101-96 defeat at Vivint Arena.

www.sltrib.com

 

[Iceland12]

Wolves get down by 18 and come back to beat Utah 105-104.

5 Wolves were in double figures, lead by Russell. He had 27pts and 12 assists.

D'Angelo Russell layup with 4.2 seconds left lifts Timberwolves over Jazz 105-104​

Ricky Rubio then made a steal on Utah's final possession, preserving a second victory over one of the NBA's best teams in the past three days.

After leading most of the second half the Jazz went ahead104-103 after Mike Conley hit a three with 5.9 seconds remaining. Conley had made one of two free throws just moments earlier with 12.3 seconds to go, and after he missed the second, Naz Reid grabbed a tipped rebound for the Wolves, but his foot was out of bounds. Conley came off a screen and nailed the go-ahead shot from the right wing. But After a timeout and a Chris Finch playcall, D'Angelo Russell ended up with a wide-open layup to put the Wolves ahead 105-104 with 4.2 seconds remaining. Ricky Rubio and Jaden McDaniels forced a steal off Conley fas the clock ran out and the Wolves secured their second straight win.

Russell provided the oasis of offense in a desert of a first half with 27 points then turned distributor in the second half with 12 assists. After Utah erased a 10-point Wolves lead 97-97 with 2:52 left, it was Russell who hit a three and found Anthony Edwards for two more and the Wolves held on in the final minutes. Karl-Anthony Towns had a quiet first half scoring but finished with 21 and 11 rebounds. Conley had 26 for Utah..

D'Angelo Russell layup with 4.2 seconds left lifts Timberwolves over Jazz 105-104

After D’Angelo Russell’s go-ahead basket with 4.2 seconds left, Ricky Rubio and Jaden McDaniels forced a steal on Utah’s final possession, preserving a second victory over one of the NBA’s best teams in the past three days.

www.startribune.com

 

[coolhandgopher]

11 games to go in the season for the Wolves and they're now at 18 wins, have blown past Houston, are tied with Orlando for wins, and Detroit has 19 wins, OKC with 20, and Cleveland at 21.

It'd be something if after nearly "leading" the season in losses wire-to-wire, they end up with the 5th or 6th worst record. Small victories, sure, but ending the season strong with a core of KAT, Edwards, Russell, Beasley and young pieces like McDaniel, Nowell, Reid. . .I don't know if I'd be ready to use the word optimism, but I'd find a word other than mockery or indifference heading into next season, so that's a good step.

 

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

11 games to go in the season for the Wolves and they're now at 18 wins, have blown past Houston, are tied with Orlando for wins, and Detroit has 19 wins, OKC with 20, and Cleveland at 21.

It'd be something if after nearly "leading" the season in losses wire-to-wire, they end up with the 5th or 6th worst record. Small victories, sure, but ending the season strong with a core of KAT, Edwards, Russell, Beasley and young pieces like McDaniel, Nowell, Reid. . .I don't know if I'd be ready to use the word optimism, but I'd find a word other than mockery or indifference heading into next season, so that's a good step.

Don't be scared! Nothing wrong with optimism. I always think next year will be even better. There's certainly reason for optimism with the current roster/foundation; but they need another couple pieces to go along with some major luck at some point.

 

[Iceland12]

11 games to go in the season for the Wolves and they're now at 18 wins, have blown past Houston, are tied with Orlando for wins, and Detroit has 19 wins, OKC with 20, and Cleveland at 21.

It'd be something if after nearly "leading" the season in losses wire-to-wire, they end up with the 5th or 6th worst record. Small victories, sure, but ending the season strong with a core of KAT, Edwards, Russell, Beasley and young pieces like McDaniel, Nowell, Reid. . .I don't know if I'd be ready to use the word optimism, but I'd find a word other than mockery or indifference heading into next season, so that's a good step.

They are now 6-6 in games that both Russell and Towns were on the court. Read that Beasley and his 20 pts. per game, has played only a total of 13 minutes with them. He's not expected back until 5/9.

Maybe that optimism for next season is well placed.

 

[tikited]

They are now 6-6 in games that both Russell and Towns were on the court. Read that Beasley and his 20 pts. per game, has played only a total of 13 minutes with them. He's not expected back until 5/9.

Maybe that optimism for next season is well placed.

I'd feel even more optimism if we can keep our pick and end up with Mobley from USC. He would look real nice next to Towns.

 

[tmvander]

I'd feel even more optimism if we can keep our pick and end up with Mobley from USC. He would look real nice next to Towns.

Yep, we need that pick. If we can keep the pick and get another solid piece I will consider wanting this team to stay in MN.

 

[boofbonser]

I'd feel even more optimism if we can keep our pick and end up with Mobley from USC. He would look real nice next to Towns.

Agreed. It would be tempting to have a starting rotation of Russell, Edwards, Mcdaniels, Mobley, and Townes and have Beasley come off the bench as the 6th man in that situation. I like Beasley, but we need another plus defender in our hypothetical starting lineup.