All Things 2021-2022 Minnesota Timberwolves In-Season Thread

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short ornery norwegian said:
this is what bugs me about the NBA now. It's like the entire point of the game is for the offensive player to create or force some contact in hopes of getting fouls called against the defense.

whatever happened to just playing good basketball? Like running actual sets and plays, instead of hero ball or endless pick-and-roll variations?

maybe they should just award the game to the team that managed to get more fouls called against their opponents.

and if I was the commissioner, I would tell the refs to call technical fouls on anyone who complained about a call. maybe if half the players got ejected, they would stop whining and putting on a show after every call.

excuse me, I have to go outside and yell at a cloud now.
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I barely know anything about college basketball, and even less about the NBA. So this is me just slinging a random handful against the wall:

What if there was some kind of "no charge/block zone" in some kind of shape about the hoop? You could not put your hands on a player (grasp, shove, pull down, chop, etc.). But you could stand there, maybe even with feet moving, with your arms down or your arms up, and no block can be called. Similarly, as long as reasonable effort being made to go around a blocking player, not simply bowling them over or putting your shoulder into them or pushing off etc. no charge can be called.


No idea if this would be better, worse, left, right, or in circles.
 


Timberwolves hosting Memphis will be Friday night at 8:00. It will be shown on ESPN.
 



Got an NBA Fan Forum Survey yesterday. Pretty timely too. Asking how you feel about players & coaches questioning and arguing with refs. Do you like it, does it help or hurt your enjoyment of the game, does it make you more or less likely to watch the NBA etc.

All pointed at stopping players and coaches from questioning calls and working referees.

Not one question about whether the refs are doing a good job or their objectivity.

Wonder why not? ;)
 

short ornery norwegian said:
this is what bugs me about the NBA now. It's like the entire point of the game is for the offensive player to create or force some contact in hopes of getting fouls called against the defense.

whatever happened to just playing good basketball? Like running actual sets and plays, instead of hero ball or endless pick-and-roll variations?

maybe they should just award the game to the team that managed to get more fouls called against their opponents.

and if I was the commissioner, I would tell the refs to call technical fouls on anyone who complained about a call. maybe if half the players got ejected, they would stop whining and putting on a show after every call.

excuse me, I have to go outside and yell at a cloud now.
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It's a general trend in sports: players/teams taking advantage of the rules and how they're officiated for maximum benefit and minimum watchability. The other prime example is overly deliberate and time-consuming at-bats in baseball. So, walks and free throws: effective but boring. But what are the officials and leagues supposed to do with so much contact being initiated, though? If it's not called, the game becomes Rugby or slam dancing. Hey, maybe sports are inherently flawed.
 

tikited said:
The collapsing at end of games is nothing new to this season.
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cncmin said:
nothing new to MN sports
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We need to get out of this 'poor MN' mindset! It is simply not true and really undermines the enjoyment of the sport. We may not win the big game as often as you would like but MN teams have won plenty of games when their backs were against the wall over the years. We can all list them if we try to focus on the wins versus the losses.
 

ecoperson said:
We need to get out of this 'poor MN' mindset! It is simply not true and really undermines the enjoyment of the sport. We may not win the big game as often as you would like but MN teams have won plenty of games when their backs were against the wall over the years. We can all list them if we try to focus on the wins versus the losses.
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Absolutely! Realistically, while they've won a lot of big games that's true, it's just that too often it's led to another BIG loss. The sheer elation many Minnesotans express when they get to rip something is quite odd. Win, win, win loss? They LOST! I knew they would suck and let me tell you about it! ;)

Leading to the glee expressed by Minnesotans and, to be fair, the many Iowans, Sconies and others who live here.
 




ecoperson said:
We need to get out of this 'poor MN' mindset! It is simply not true and really undermines the enjoyment of the sport. We may not win the big game as often as you would like but MN teams have won plenty of games when their backs were against the wall over the years. We can all list them if we try to focus on the wins versus the losses.
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We literally have the longest championship drought of any city with 4 professional sports teams. 30 year old MN sports fans have never even seen a team play in a championship game.

Discounting New York since they have 8 teams, Phoenix is the next closest and it would take them 8 years to catch where we are today. Plus the Suns were in the finals last season and could make it again this year.

If you're never going to win a championship, then what's the point of caring? Caring about meaningless wins and not about winning a championship is a far bigger loser mentality.
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
We literally have the longest championship drought of any city with 4 professional sports teams. 30 year old MN sports fans have never even seen a team play in a championship game.

Discounting New York since they have 8 teams, Phoenix is the next closest and it would take them 8 years to catch where we are today. Plus the Suns were in the finals last season and could make it again this year.

If you're never going to win a championship, then what's the point of caring? Caring about meaningless wins and not about winning a championship is a far bigger loser mentality.
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Unless, you know, you enjoy the sport itself.
 

Iceland12 said:
Unless, you know, you enjoy the sport itself.
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I think most fans enjoy the sport and would rather be talking about our 2nd round matchup with the Warriors, which is what we would be doing if they didn't blow 2 games in typical Minnesota fashion.
 



GopherWeatherGuy said:
I think most fans enjoy the sport and would rather be talking about our 2nd round matchup with the Warriors, which is what we would be doing if they didn't blow 2 games in typical Minnesota fashion.
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They'd rather their team was winning rather than losing? Thank you Captain Obvious!

Though if you look here, and elsewhere on the internet, there seem to be a number of posters who
get far more "talkative" when teams lose than when they win.
 

Iceland12 said:
Though if you look here, and elsewhere on the internet, there seem to be a number of posters who
get far more "talkative" when teams lose than when they win.
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They think readers are supposed to be impressed by their knowledge when they’re critical.
 


Iceland12 said:
They'd rather their team was winning rather than losing? Thank you Captain Obvious!

Though if you look here, and elsewhere on the internet, there seem to be a number of posters who
get far more "talkative" when teams lose than when they win.
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Apparently that is not obvious considering I was responding to someone who said we should just be happy with way things are, which is a ridiculous statement.

This season has been a lot more fun than the last few, but if we lose the series, even in 7 games, it will be an incredibly frustrating end considering we've outplayed Memphis for most of the series.

It's not a poor MN attitude, we legitimately have the talent to win at a much higher level across all of our favorite pro teams. Yet over the past 30 years we lose every single time when the games matter the most.
 

Nax5 said:
I was born a week after the Twins won the 91 world series.

So I have never been alive (outside the womb) for a major MN sports championship.

Feels bad man.
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But sounds like you may have been alive for “the” snowstorm, thus making you a true Minnesotan, alive for bad weather, not alive for good sports.
 

Stan said:
But sounds like you may have been alive for “the” snowstorm, thus making you a true Minnesotan, alive for bad weather, not alive for good sports.
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Almost. My parents had to drive to the hospital in the aftermath 😬
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
Apparently that is not obvious considering I was responding to someone who said we should just be happy with way things are, which is a ridiculous statement.

This season has been a lot more fun than the last few, but if we lose the series, even in 7 games, it will be an incredibly frustrating end considering we've outplayed Memphis for most of the series.

It's not a poor MN attitude, we legitimately have the talent to win at a much higher level across all of our favorite pro teams. Yet over the past 30 years we lose every single time when the games matter the most.
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Did you really think this was the year that the Wolves were going to make that run to the title? They are a 7 playing a 2. NOT... A... CHANCE. This team was not going to be some sort of magically year.

They haven't outplayed Memphis... Memphis is ahead 3-2. Memphis is clearly the better team. They were able to blow out the Wolves in Game 2. They were able to rebound from 20+ deficits twice in one game in Game 4. They closed out Game 5 by playing solid defense and executing at the end.

The story isn't always about your team losing... it is about another team winning. Morant is as dynamic of a player that we have seen in the last decade. The Wolves have no answer. Memphis is a solid team that plays together, plays loose, and plays to win.

The Wolves have surprised me by winning 2 in this series. My expectations are that they take the lessons learned here and build for greater things in the off season.

As for the last 30 years... there can only be 1 champion in each of the sports. I do not call the runner-up in any given sport a failure. If one tries hard enough to look, one can find success in nearly every sport. It makes following the local teams more enjoyable and will make the inevitable future championship all the sweeter.

There have been few instances where the assembled talent in any of our major sports had the talent that pointed towards obvious championship contender. I would love to see some good examples of these high talent teams... I can think of only one... the 1998 Vikings. They lost... it HURT!
 


ecoperson said:
Did you really think this was the year that the Wolves were going to make that run to the title? They are a 7 playing a 2. NOT... A... CHANCE. This team was not going to be some sort of magically year.

They haven't outplayed Memphis... Memphis is ahead 3-2. Memphis is clearly the better team. They were able to blow out the Wolves in Game 2. They were able to rebound from 20+ deficits twice in one game in Game 4. They closed out Game 5 by playing solid defense and executing at the end.

The story isn't always about your team losing... it is about another team winning. Morant is as dynamic of a player that we have seen in the last decade. The Wolves have no answer. Memphis is a solid team that plays together, plays loose, and plays to win.

The Wolves have surprised me by winning 2 in this series. My expectations are that they take the lessons learned here and build for greater things in the off season.

As for the last 30 years... there can only be 1 champion in each of the sports. I do not call the runner-up in any given sport a failure. If one tries hard enough to look, one can find success in nearly every sport. It makes following the local teams more enjoyable and will make the inevitable future championship all the sweeter.

There have been few instances where the assembled talent in any of our major sports had the talent that pointed towards obvious championship contender. I would love to see some good examples of these high talent teams... I can think of only one... the 1998 Vikings. They lost... it HURT!
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I actually think this Wolves team is as good as Memphis, and they’ve shown that throughout this series, barring the very end of two close losses.

I don’t see any reason why if Memphis is good enough to make the finals, that this Wolves team is not.
 

ecoperson said:
Did you really think this was the year that the Wolves were going to make that run to the title? They are a 7 playing a 2. NOT... A... CHANCE. This team was not going to be some sort of magically year.

They haven't outplayed Memphis... Memphis is ahead 3-2. Memphis is clearly the better team. They were able to blow out the Wolves in Game 2. They were able to rebound from 20+ deficits twice in one game in Game 4. They closed out Game 5 by playing solid defense and executing at the end.

The story isn't always about your team losing... it is about another team winning. Morant is as dynamic of a player that we have seen in the last decade. The Wolves have no answer. Memphis is a solid team that plays together, plays loose, and plays to win.

The Wolves have surprised me by winning 2 in this series. My expectations are that they take the lessons learned here and build for greater things in the off season.

As for the last 30 years... there can only be 1 champion in each of the sports. I do not call the runner-up in any given sport a failure. If one tries hard enough to look, one can find success in nearly every sport. It makes following the local teams more enjoyable and will make the inevitable future championship all the sweeter.

There have been few instances where the assembled talent in any of our major sports had the talent that pointed towards obvious championship contender. I would love to see some good examples of these high talent teams... I can think of only one... the 1998 Vikings. They lost... it HURT!
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Have you even watched the games? Doesn't appear so. Morant hasn't even been that good in this series, and has been repeatedly bailed out by the refs.

The Wolves should have already won this series 4-1. Who cares what their seeds are. The parity is strong in both the Western and Eastern conferences this season. They split in the regular season. Memphis was always the best possible 1st round matchup. They are also younger than the Wolves.

If you think that Memphis can make a run then the Wolves can absolutely make a run. The 1 seed is currently missing their best player and struggling with the 8 seed, who finished 10 games under .500. The Warriors are aging and have been up and down with injuries all season.

If you're not first you're last. But I guess we should give the Wolves a 1st round participation ribbon if they lose the series.
 

cncmin said:
indeed! but I ALSO want my teams to win once in a while too. Soooo glad the Lynx were dominant for a while.
:cool:
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Agree. Was responding to this point: If you're never going to win a championship, then what's the point of caring? Caring about meaningless wins and not about winning a championship is a far bigger loser mentality."

Meaning if they don't win it all, why care at all? More of a "I don't care until the Championship Round". More of a cliché than a enjoyment of the sport.
 


GopherWeatherGuy said:
Have you even watched the games? Doesn't appear so. Morant hasn't even been that good in this series, and has been repeatedly bailed out by the refs.

The Wolves should have already won this series 4-1. Who cares what their seeds are. The parity is strong in both the Western and Eastern conferences this season. They split in the regular season. Memphis was always the best possible 1st round matchup. They are also younger than the Wolves.

If you think that Memphis can make a run then the Wolves can absolutely make a run. The 1 seed is currently missing their best player and struggling with the 8 seed, who finished 10 games under .500. The Warriors are aging and have been up and down with injuries all season.

If you're not first you're last. But I guess we should give the Wolves a 1st round participation ribbon if they lose the series.
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Ding ding ding... Morant has been banged up yet still helps his team to a win as he is repeatedly bailed out by the refs. No one on the Wolves garners that respect.

Don't get me wrong... this was an extremely favorable match up for the Wolves. But I am not kidding myself to think that they could upset Memphis, the winner of GS and Denver, and likely Phoenix. It is not going to happen! This is not some plucky team that sometimes gets on a roll. Plucky teams usually win with D.

I never said Memphis would go on a run. If they win this series, they will also fold against the winner of GS and Denver. Book it. I am not giving out ribbons. I am being realistic... I am not betting on this horse nor getting my hopes up!
 

The section in bold is what's ratcheted-up the apprehension and angst for Timberwolves fans.

The first sentence? It's because the Wolves have no dependable shooters beside Towns. That's more on Thibs and Rosas, than Finch.

"One of the main reasons why the Wolves have been unproductive in the final stretches of games is a stagnant offense and forced shots from one of the trio of Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards or D'Angelo Russell.

"Everybody wants to be the hero, and that's not how you're going to win these games," coach Chris Finch said after practice Thursday.

Edwards tied Game 5 with 3.7 seconds left on a fadeaway corner 3-pointer. The second-year guard has quickly established himself as a true clutch player, so having the ball in his hands with the clock winding down is not at all a negative for Minnesota. The problems can arise, though, when there's little passing to or from him to set up the best looks at the basket.

"It was me. I was a lot of that, what Coach talked about," Edwards said, reflecting on his Game 5 decision-making. He had 22 points but took 20 shots to get there..

Entering the series, guard Patrick Beverley was the only player on the Wolves with any postseason experience of significance..

The Grizzlies are just as inexperienced on this stage, but they've been the better team in the last half of the fourth quarter, even if the other 90% of the game has mostly gone the way of the Wolves.."

—INJURY WATCH: Grizzlies center Steven Adams entered the COVID-19 health and safety protocols and will not play in Game 6. Backup forward Ziaire Williams (right knee soreness) was listed as doubtful for the game. Morant and Edwards have both played through minor leg injuries, but they have not been limited in any way.

—PRESSURE IS ON: Brooks. He was 3 of 18 shooting in Game 5, including 1 of 10 from 3-point range, and finished with eight points.

www.espn.com

espn.com

Pregame analysis and predictions of the Memphis Grizzlies vs. Minnesota Timberwolves NBA game to be played on April 29, 2022 on ESPN.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
 


stocker08 said:
Just heard that the Wolves are the first team in NBA history to blow two double digit 4th quarter leads in a single playoff series.
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Yeah just plain brutal. Oh and they said that after the game. Glad you caught up. ;)
 


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