All Things 2021-2022 Minnesota Timberwolves In-Season Thread

[tikited]

Fun game to attend. A rare win for me in person.

 

[Frink]

Glad they won but man... I almost smashed my TV when they let Sabonis get his own rebound on a free throw.

The Defense wasn't perfect at crunch time but Ant and Okogie did make some key stops.

 

[atsgopher]

11-10

This game wouldn't have been close but we were brutal again from the three point line. It just amazes me sometimes. At one point they were 3 of 22.

And again, we got bleeped from the officials yet again.

How did Sabonis not foul out? They must hate them some KAT.

And who’s this new DLo character we got. Were did he come from, and how did we find someone to take the old DLo?

 

[Nax5]

I remember seeing this team at like 3-7 a few weeks ago. What a turnaround

 

[Iceland12]

Long story about Finch, Rosas and the Wolves by Jon K. at The Athletic. Here's a short excerpt:

Those comments came before Finch took a team missing Jarred Vanderbilt and Jaden McDaniels because of illness (believed to be non-COVID related) and Patrick Beverley (groin), and threw all kinds of unique lineup combinations out on the floor to help the short-handed Wolves grind out a 100-98 victory over the Pacers. It was their seventh win in eight games and moved the team over .500 (11-10) for the first time in a month.

For a team that looked to be going nowhere in the middle of November after a string of eight losses in nine games dropped them to 4-9, the Timberwolves have surged back into the thick of the Western Conference playoff picture. Finch’s steady hand and even-keeled demeanor has helped to settle a team prone to volatile mood swings, and he and his staff have the Wolves playing their best defense in ages.

“He just puts us in good positions,” said Karl-Anthony Towns, who led the way against the Pacers with 32 points and eight rebounds but also had nine turnovers. “He trusts us to make the plays. So, Finch is doing a great job, obviously. The coaching staff as a whole is doing an amazing job.”..

The Wolves are seventh in the NBA in defensive efficiency, allowing 105.0 points per 100 possessions under Finch and defensive coordinator Elston Turner. Russell is playing some of the best basketball of his career right now, Anthony Edwards has continued his emergence as a young star, and the Wolves are showing a perseverance and toughness that have rarely been hallmarks of this long-languishing team.

“He’s a player’s coach too, so he runs with it,” said Russell, who had 21 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds Monday. “If one of us says something we’re feeling or we’re not, he’ll feel it out and give us a chance. You can’t ask for anything better than that.”

The Wolves needed everything Finch had Monday night against Indiana, and Finch needed everything his players had for him energy players in Beverley and Vanderbilt, the Wolves came out flat against a team on the second night of a back-to-back and missing stud big man Myles Turner. They missed eight of their first nine 3-pointers, shot 33 percent from the field and had five turnovers in the first quarter. They trailed 26-20 after one and 57-48 at halftime while looking completely flummoxed by Carlisle’s zone defense.

“We kinda had that Charlotte vibe, energy, loose, too loose,” said Towns, referring to a wipeout against the Hornets Friday night that is the only thing in the way of an eight-game winning streak right now. “I think the first half stats prove that. We didn’t play to our identity. We came in at halftime we turned up. We played the way we know we’re supposed to.”

With his team struggling to find a groove, and his usual options limited, Finch went searching for solutions. He got creative with the lineups, inserting seldom-used Jaylen Nowell in the first half and starting Josh Okogie, who missed five games with back spasms, returned for the Charlotte game and then did not play at all in the win over Philadelphia Saturday. He also played Towns and Naz Reid together in the frontcourt and sprinkled Leandro Bolmaro into the action as well.

After a rocky start in Minnesota, Chris Finch has the Timberwolves on the rise

An analysis of the job Finch has done to get a team few believed in to play well above expectations.

theathletic.com

 

[short ornery norwegian]

Maybe it's due to my retirement, but I watched almost the entire second half of the Pacers' game. that is the most I've watched a Wolves game in years.

they're at least trying to play defense.

And Ant is just a hoot to watch. I like Naz Reid, too. He hustles and can make some plays.

KAT whining at the refs is getting really old, though. someone has got to get through to him that he's never going to get calls going his way if he throws a fit after every whistle. And credit to Jim Pete -he agreed that the replay showed that most of the calls against KAT were good calls.

 

[Iceland12]

Talking on the defensive end is everything. NBA defense is a group project. If you’re not on the same page as a unit, one of the league’s many elite scorers will scorch you with ease.

Beverley was brought in to help shore up so much of what ailed Minnesota defensively, from intensity to communication. And it worked early in the season, with the Timberwolves playing at an elite level on that end for the first time in years.

But what would happen when the veteran guard went down with a groin injury? Who would step up in Beverley’s place defensively, maybe not in terms of locking down one of the opponent’s top perimeter scorers, but who would serve as the quarterback of the defense?

The answer has been the man who also quarterbacks the offense: D’Angelo Russell.

Yes, that D’Angelo Russell, the man who has been, fairly, viewed as a defensive sieve for most of his NBA career is now the man conducting a top-5 NBA defense..

“He’s pretty experienced now in the league. He’s seen a lot. He understands what we’re trying to do out there,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. “So he’s got a good feel for it all, and he’s able to quarterback it from different places on the floor.”

But there is a big caveat when it comes to leadership, particularly on the defensive end.

“You’ve got to be credible,” Russell noted. “I don’t know if I’m credible, but it works.”

He has been credible this season. That may not have always been the case, but it has been largely this season. Russell may never be asked to defend the opponent’s best player — even Karl-Anthony Towns has poked fun at Russell’s lack of elite athleticism — and the 25-year-old guard still has the occasional lapse, but he’s been much improved on the defensive end.

Russell uses his length to disrupt at key times — such as the end of the Philadelphia game Saturday, when he came up with the steal that led to the game-winning bucket in the closing seconds of the second overtime — and is in the right spot far more times than not..

Quarterbacking the Timberwolves’ improved defense is … D’Angelo Russell?

Yes, the man who has been viewed as a defensive sieve for most of his NBA career is now the man conducting a top-5 NBA defense.

www.twincities.com

 

[jamiche]

The wolves' success must be driving Gerson crazy. He put this whole thing together and he managed to get himself kicked to the curb.

Before we get too intoxicated, it's important to remember that we are Minnesota sports fans which means that we are not worthy of nice things. KAT seems to land hard on the floor about a dozen times a game. We are always one fall away from another 25 win season.

Sorry. It had to be said.

 

[jamiche]

Maybe it's due to my retirement, but I watched almost the entire second half of the Pacers' game. that is the most I've watched a Wolves game in years.

they're at least trying to play defense.

And Ant is just a hoot to watch. I like Naz Reid, too. He hustles and can make some plays.

KAT whining at the refs is getting really old, though. someone has got to get through to him that he's never going to get calls going his way if he throws a fit after every whistle. And credit to Jim Pete -he agreed that the replay showed that most of the calls against KAT were good calls.

KAT was behaving himself with the refs for a couple of weeks. It was a pleasure. It's back to business as usual.

 

[kg21]

The wolves' success must be driving Gerson crazy. He put this whole thing together and he managed to get himself kicked to the curb.

Before we get too intoxicated, it's important to remember that we are Minnesota sports fans which means that we are not worthy of nice things. KAT seems to land hard on the floor about a dozen times a game. We are always one fall away from another 25 win season.

Sorry. It had to be said.

You say the wolves success and we are basically .500

We've been one horrid franchise as we all know.

 

[Iceland12]

The wolves' success must be driving Gerson crazy. He put this whole thing together and he managed to get himself kicked to the curb.

Before we get too intoxicated, it's important to remember that we are Minnesota sports fans which means that we are not worthy of nice things. KAT seems to land hard on the floor about a dozen times a game. We are always one fall away from another 25 win season.

Sorry. It had to be said.

You think people forgot that? Here? In Minnesota?

"Good God don't ever be happy! It just leads to pain!"

Though when the Wolves are truly awful it does lead to a lot more posts around here.

 

[BleedGopher]

I've been really impressed with the play of DLo the last few weeks. He's becoming a more well-rounded player, and Finch seems to trust him. A big development for us if we are going to make the playoffs.

Howl Wolves!!

 

[Iceland12]

WASHINGTON — Timberwolves coach Chris Finch often says Anthony Edwards has a great sense of timing. That's something not every 20-year-old in the NBA has.

Edwards senses when his team needs for him to go a little harder, identifying the moments in games when it feels like things are starting to get away from the Wolves
Take their past two home games. Center Karl-Anthony Towns was in foul trouble last week in the first half against the Heat. Edwards responded by scoring 17 points in the first half and 33 in the game.
On Monday, with the Wolves undermanned and behind late in the third quarter, Edwards sparked a push that put the Wolves ahead by the end of the quarter.

"That is a very typical Ant game," Finch said. "He has these moments. … Oftentimes, it starts on the defensive end. You get steals and then he gets out in transition and gets an easy one. Then he feels confident and he knocks down a three, and he strings it together.

Arrival time for Anthony Edwards? Exactly when Timberwolves need him

The young guard shows a pattern of emerging when the team is in a funk and propelling it to victory.

www.startribune.com

 

[kg21]

I hope Ant can play tonight. The buzz is that he is sick. Probably the same stuff that kept McDaniels and Vando out last game.

 

[kg21]

This is interesting about Ant.

 

[kg21]

Ah, what?

 

[JimmyJamesMD]

This is interesting about Ant.

Does Russell rank as the worst pull up 3 PT shooter in league?

 

[JimmyJamesMD]

Wolves let one get away tonight. Too sloppy

 

[Iceland12]

Wolves let one get away tonight. Too sloppy

Kinda but that game was pretty tight throughout. Toward the end of the first half the play by play guy said there had been something like 11 lead changes and 10 ties. Turnovers were 12 to 13 too. But yeah, the 4th Quarter was awful for them. They were out shot and out rebounded.

Russell was godawful and Montrezel Harrell was off bloody charts. Either one doesn't happen? Agree that the Wolves could/would have won. Hell they actually had more free throws!

 

[Iceland12]

The Wizards got dunk, after dunk, after dunk, after dunk in their 115-107 home victory over Minnesota. Washington scored 68 points — including 34 of its 45 made field goals — in the paint.

Washington tallied 18 dunks, per the play by play.

Minnesota looked a step slow for much of the night, as guys like Jarred Vanderbilt, Anthony Edwards and Jaylen Nowell played through illness.

The Wolves held Washington to 30-percent shooting on non-paint shots, but that didn’t matter much, because the Wizards were able to get the ball into the interior with such ease.

Washington attacked Minnesota’s point of attack pick-and-roll defense, using ball movement to find one easy look inside after another.

Minnesota relies on its wings to come down from the corner to serve as the “low man” protecting the paint on drives to the rim. That spot was rarely filled Wednesday.

“We didn’t have low man, and our weak side kept pulling out,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. “I don’t know if it was fear of shooting or whatnot.”

Finch and Co. tried everything to shore up the paint defense, switching up coverages multiple times. That even included what looked to be a 1-2-2 zone late in the game. On the first possession of that look, Montrezl Harrell tallied another slam..

Wizards dunk all over the Wolves

The Timberwolves’ defense that’s been so good this season was, well, not Wednesday in the nation’s capital. The Wizards got dunk, after dunk, after dunk, after dunk in their 115-1…

www.twincities.com

 

[kg21]

Does Russell rank as the worst pull up 3 PT shooter in league?

Well, when you ain't hitting them for shit, just keep chucking them I guess.

1-12 from three..........just another flipping brutal game for DLO

 

[kg21]

The Wizards got dunk, after dunk, after dunk, after dunk in their 115-107 home victory over Minnesota. Washington scored 68 points — including 34 of its 45 made field goals — in the paint.

Washington tallied 18 dunks, per the play by play.

Minnesota looked a step slow for much of the night, as guys like Jarred Vanderbilt, Anthony Edwards and Jaylen Nowell played through illness.

The Wolves held Washington to 30-percent shooting on non-paint shots, but that didn’t matter much, because the Wizards were able to get the ball into the interior with such ease.

Washington attacked Minnesota’s point of attack pick-and-roll defense, using ball movement to find one easy look inside after another.

Minnesota relies on its wings to come down from the corner to serve as the “low man” protecting the paint on drives to the rim. That spot was rarely filled Wednesday.

“We didn’t have low man, and our weak side kept pulling out,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. “I don’t know if it was fear of shooting or whatnot.”

Finch and Co. tried everything to shore up the paint defense, switching up coverages multiple times. That even included what looked to be a 1-2-2 zone late in the game. On the first possession of that look, Montrezl Harrell tallied another slam..

Wizards dunk all over the Wolves

The Timberwolves’ defense that’s been so good this season was, well, not Wednesday in the nation’s capital. The Wizards got dunk, after dunk, after dunk, after dunk in their 115-1…

www.twincities.com

set pick, go to the basket, dunk

set pick, go to the basket, dunk

set pick, go to the basket, dunk

set pick, go to the basket, dunk

set pick, go to the basket, dunk

set pick, go to the basket, dunk

It was a total embarrassment. Until they get a physical big in here, it's all smoke and mirrors.

There was a short period of time where they had Towns, Vanderbilt, and Naz out there, and they were still getting dunked on and layup city.

 

[Iceland12]

set pick, go to the basket, dunk

set pick, go to the basket, dunk

set pick, go to the basket, dunk

set pick, go to the basket, dunk

set pick, go to the basket, dunk

set pick, go to the basket, dunk

It was a total embarrassment. Until they get a physical big in here, it's all smoke and mirrors.

There was a short period of time out there where they had Towns, Vanderbilt, and Naz out there, and they were still getting dunked on and layup city.

Must have been Washington by 145 to 80 then?

"Minnesota looked a step slow for much of the night, as guys like Jarred Vanderbilt, Anthony Edwards and Jaylen Nowell played through illness"

We had read/heard that none of those guys were gonna play tonight. Surprised they did but without a healthy Edwards and Vanderbilt it was an uphill battle. Didn't think they'd win even without Russell being so brutal.

Though your post must have been pretty fun to type.

 

[jamiche]

Harrell always kills us and last night was the worst. I guess the wolves were so worried about Beal that they never adjusted their defense to stop Harrell. He sat in the dunker's spot all night and waited for the ball. It arrived nice and clean every time and up he went for an uncontested dunk.

Bolmaro looks like he might turn into a pretty good player one day. He's big for his position, strong, fluid and pretty quick. At the moment his head is on a swivel and the Wizards took advantage of it.

 

[Iceland12]

WASHINGTON — Even before Karl-Anthony Towns hit the ground with a thud late in the Timberwolves' 115-107 loss to the Wizards, everyone at Capital One Arena and probably Towns himself knew the fall was going to hurt.

Towns, who had a game high 34 points, had lost his grip on the rim after a dunk with 2 minutes, 16 seconds remaining and landed hard on his posterior. He walked to the bench and then to the tunnel in obvious pain.
But as he walked and sat down gingerly for his postgame media session, Towns calmed a nervous fanbase and said he was feeling OK, all things considered.

"I feel better than I thought I was going to feel," Towns said. "I was in extreme pain for sure. …X-Rays were negative and just got to have to deal with it."
Towns said he wasn't sure if he'd be able to play Friday against Brooklyn — he would see how he feels Thursday — but it at least appears the Wolves will have Towns for the long haul as they enter one of the toughest stretches of their schedule. Every team they face in December is playing .500 or above entering the month. To get through this month with their heads above water they can't backslide defensively — and have to hope Towns' fall on his backside won't cost him much, if any, time away from the lineup..

Karl-Anthony Towns takes bad fall late in game as Wizards overpower Wolves

Washington put up 68 points in the paint on the Wolves and watched Karl-Anthony Towns take a scary fall near the end of the game.

www.startribune.com

 

[Iceland12]

Just how good are these Timberwolves? December will tell us a lot​

.. the Wolves will find out just where they stand by the time 2022 comes around.
playing just OK isn't going to cut it. That's because the Wolves have the most difficult schedule in the league in December, according to an analysis from NBA.com. Only one team they play the rest of the month has a record below .500 (Denver).

The schedule ramped up against Washington on Wednesday and will again with Brooklyn on the road Friday. The Nets lead the Eastern Conference, and the Wizards were in a three-way tie for second entering Thursday.

The days of playing New Orleans, Houston and Sacramento are over for now — they'll be back on the schedule in the new year — and the Wolves will find out just where they stand by the time 2022 comes around.

Just how good are these Timberwolves? December will tell us a lot

The days of playing lowly New Orleans, Houston and Sacramento are over for now, and the Wolves will learn much more about where they stand during a month filled with tougher foes.

www.startribune.com

 

[Iceland12]

Karl-Anthony Towns will not play tonight in Brooklyn. Still recovering from that fal from the rim onto his back late in the game against Washington Wednesday night.

 

[Iceland12]

Undermanned Timberwolves make it a game vs. Brooklyn but fall 110-105​

Without Karl-Anthony Towns, Patrick Beverley and Jaden McDaniels the Wolves kept a small lead through the fourth quarter until Brooklyn went on a 12-4 run and took advantage of cold Minnesota shooting in the end.

Throughout the day, coach Chris Finch said Karl-Anthony Towns was a game-time decision because of a tailbone injury he suffered after a fall Wednesday. Towns ended up not playing, and the Wolves' chances of keeping the game close, let alone winning, seemed dim.

The undermanned Wolves made it a game after all, but Durant and Harden each got to the free-throw line with ease throughout the night and that helped Brooklyn secure a 110-105 victory.

The game featured 56 fouls with Durant going to the line 13 times and Harden 15.
(Edit: Wolves had 24 free throws. Brooklyn had 41.)

The Wolves kept a small lead through the fourth quarter until Brooklyn went on a 12-4 run that gave it a 105-101 lead with just under three minutes to play. The Wolves had a chance to tie down 108-105 but Malik Beasley missed a corner three. Durant, who had 30, iced the game with a mid-range jumper with 11.1 seconds left.

D'Angelo Russell had 21 for the Wolves with Naz Reid scoring 19 in place of Towns. Anthony Edwards had 19 points and eight turnovers. Patty Mills added 23 for Brooklyn.

The night got off to a weird start as the Wolves had a proficient first quarter shooting (57%) but committed 10 turnovers..

Undermanned Timberwolves make it a game vs. Brooklyn but fall 110-105

Without Karl-Anthony Towns, Patrick Beverley and Jaden McDaniels the Wolves kept a small lead through the fourth quarter until Brooklyn went on a 12-4 run and took advantage of cold Minnesota shooting in the end.

www.startribune.com

 

[Frink]

Caught the 4th quarter tonight. They just couldn't get over the hump at the end. I did like most of the looks they got at the end including the good look at three Beasley had.

 

[kg21]

Fu----G PUKE

Defense, totally optional

25 threes were dropped on the wolves tonight. Yes, 25

The NBA record is 29.