All Things 2024-25 Minnesota Timberwolves In-Season Thread

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Any 7 seed that beats a 2 seed is a dangerous team. The surprising part isn't how well the Warriors played--especially defensively--but how dull the Wolves were until too late.
 


Bad Gopher said:
Any 7 seed that beats a 2 seed is a dangerous team. The surprising part isn't how well the Warriors played--especially defensively--but how dull the Wolves were until too late.
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The last 3 times we've played the warriors, we can't score for schit.

they might have our number.
 

GophersInIowa said:
Some of the worst basketball I’ve ever seen. And this is coming from someone that has watched Gophers basketball for 35+ years.
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I'm sure there have been some games but the Gophers generally didn't play this far below their abilities especially with everything set up to their advantage. Playing at home, 6 days to rest and prepare, while GS is rushed into town on one day of rest after a hard fought 7 game series.
Very pathetic preparation.
 




kg21 said:
Go into detail more.

I'm all ears.
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6 days to prepare and they came out looking exactly like they did in game 5 vs the Lakers, which wasn't good. GS used the zone a lot against Houston, and the Wolves have struggled against it all year. Yet no plan to beat it. Just continued to launch and miss 3's, no adjustments. I won't put all of the energy issues on Finch, but he deserves some of the blame there too.
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
6 days to prepare and they came out looking exactly like they did in game 5 vs the Lakers, which wasn't good. GS used the zone a lot against Houston, and the Wolves have struggled against it all year. Yet no plan to beat it. Just continued to launch and miss 3's, no adjustments. I won't put all of the energy issues on Finch, but he deserves some of the blame there too.
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How do you beat it?

We have one person who can put the ball on the floor.

I'm sorry, but Conley is worthless. He can't break a zone with penetration or scoring. NAW, DDV, and McDaniels don't really dribble. Rudy is not a zone breaker.

We can't score because we don't really have scorers made for playoff basketball.

We are getting looks and can't throw it in the ocean.

We are 12/76 in threes the last two games. That is diabolical.
 




kg21 said:
How do you beat it?

We have one person who can put the ball on the floor.

I'm sorry, but Conley is worthless. He can't break a zone with penetration or scoring. NAW, DDV, and McDaniels don't really dribble. Rudy is not a zone breaker.

We can't score because we don't really have scorers made for playoff basketball.
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Went to the western conference finals last year and won round one 4-1 this year, but we don't have scorers made for playoff basketball? Give me a break. All of those guys can beat someone off the dribble and do it regularly minus Rudy and now the elderly Conley.
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
Went to the western conference finals last year and won round one 4-1 this year, but we don't have scorers made for playoff basketball? Give me a break. All of those guys can beat someone off the dribble and do it regularly minus Rudy and now the elderly Conley.
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Correct, we win with smothering defense.
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
Went to the western conference finals last year and won round one 4-1 this year, but we don't have scorers made for playoff basketball? Give me a break. All of those guys can beat someone off the dribble and do it regularly minus Rudy and now the elderly Conley.
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minus Rudy and Conley.....that's 40% of your starting offense. McDaniels does occasionally.

We have massive trouble scoring, sir!

Not having another player who can put it on the floor is the achilles heal.

Denver blew a huge 20 point lead in game 7 last year or this conversation would be way different. This version of Mike Conley last year and we ain't even getting to game 7 against Denver last year.
 


GopherWeatherGuy said:
Our first three wins in the playoffs this year we scored 117, 116, 116.
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We've played 6 games.......now post the other 3

Also, those were against turnstile Lebron and Luka with nothing inside.

Shooting the ball would help, though
 

kg21 said:
We've played 6 games.......now post the other 3

Also, those were against turnstile Lebron and Luka with nothing inside.

Shooting the ball would help, though
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The Warriors don't have anything inside either.

Yes they need to make shots, but they also need to stop forcing dumb 3 after dumb 3. Move the ball, drive, kick, etc. That's what they were doing the first 3 wins when scoring wasn't an issue. Now they have gone away from it and the coaching staff does nothing to adjust.
 

The worst game by any NBA playoff team ever in shooting the 3. In the post-game presser, Edwards and Randle were asked how they felt about it. Both of them were giggling like little girls holding a secret. Only when Naz looked at the stat sheet and become embarrassed visibly did Julius even take note of it in his expression. It is one thing to be led by a teammate. It is another to follow a teammate into a self-created hell willingly. At some point, you have to assume your own leadership and perform the job. Nobody did that last night in the first half. It wasn't like the Warriors were getting in the players faces for shots. Contested, sure. In the face close, no.
 

kg21 said:
How do you beat it?

We have one person who can put the ball on the floor.

I'm sorry, but Conley is worthless. He can't break a zone with penetration or scoring. NAW, DDV, and McDaniels don't really dribble. Rudy is not a zone breaker.

We can't score because we don't really have scorers made for playoff basketball.

We are getting looks and can't throw it in the ocean.

We are 12/76 in threes the last two games. That is diabolical.
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What lineup is on the floor for each team?

If they’re not playing looney, you run the same hi low we did against LA and you’re getting dunks for Rudy, Naz or a cutter or a wide open corner 3. If they’re playing looney, you still can pick and roll the defender with a kick to the corner (I’m very ok with this team bolling into looney).

Beating a 2-3 zone at the professional level should be something automatic. You have enough 35-40% shooters they have to stay honest but it also has to mean ant, Julius, Donte, etc have to make the right choice with the ball when they drive. They didn’t last night to the tune of 10 turnovers vs 12 assists amongst those 3 and 19 assists to 16 TOs a team.

As an aside, Ant looks like something is wrong with his calf or something. He doesn’t seem like he had as much lift last night and missed little layups he normally dunks 3x. Wonder if there’s more to it after he was favoring it against la as well
 

upnorthkid said:
What lineup is on the floor for each team?

If they’re not playing looney, you run the same hi low we did against LA and you’re getting dunks for Rudy, Naz or a cutter or a wide open corner 3. If they’re playing looney, you still can pick and roll the defender with a kick to the corner (I’m very ok with this team bolling into looney).

Beating a 2-3 zone at the professional level should be something automatic. You have enough 35-40% shooters they have to stay honest but it also has to mean ant, Julius, Donte, etc have to make the right choice with the ball when they drive. They didn’t last night to the tune of 10 turnovers vs 12 assists amongst those 3 and 19 assists to 16 TOs a team.

As an aside, Ant looks like something is wrong with his calf or something. He doesn’t seem like he had as much lift last night and missed little layups he normally dunks 3x. Wonder if there’s more to it after he was favoring it against la as well
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Draymond is all world defense and so is Butler. Looney is 6'11"

They had the best defense in the league after Butler showed up.

We aren't getting dunks and a lot of post ups. It's hit from the outside or die. And hit from the outside means don't be embarrassing.

Just shoot decently from the outside, and they win this series.
 



upnorthkid said:
What lineup is on the floor for each team?

If they’re not playing looney, you run the same hi low we did against LA and you’re getting dunks for Rudy, Naz or a cutter or a wide open corner 3. If they’re playing looney, you still can pick and roll the defender with a kick to the corner (I’m very ok with this team bolling into looney).

Beating a 2-3 zone at the professional level should be something automatic. You have enough 35-40% shooters they have to stay honest but it also has to mean ant, Julius, Donte, etc have to make the right choice with the ball when they drive. They didn’t last night to the tune of 10 turnovers vs 12 assists amongst those 3 and 19 assists to 16 TOs a team.

As an aside, Ant looks like something is wrong with his calf or something. He doesn’t seem like he had as much lift last night and missed little layups he normally dunks 3x. Wonder if there’s more to it after he was favoring it against la as well
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Ant is definitely hurt. It shows. He's not as explosive, and he grabs it at least once per game.

It won't heal until the season ends. Let's hope it's not a danger to his achilles.
 

kg21 said:
Draymond is all world defense and so is Butler. Looney is 6'11"

They had the best defense in the league after Butler showed up.

We aren't getting dunks and a lot of post ups. It's hit from the outside or die. And hit from the outside means don't be embarrassing.

Just shoot decently from the outside, and they win this series.
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You asked how you attack a 2-3 zone. They chose to go with just the shoot outside. That isn’t the only option especially when the other team is going small (Looney played 14min last night).
 

IMHO it looked we tried to strategically push the pace. Which we did vs the Lakers too. That can get this squad rushing mentally. They looked like it on every 3 (to me) Just a little too fast.

Thus, The game doesn’t really worry me. I didn’t feel like it was the Warriors won via superior O or D; They appeared fatigued.

I also don’t think post game presser giggling matters at all. The only thing that matters here is the next shot one takes. And I mean that needs to be their mindset. Let go of this, and move. Wallowing, because we think you’re supposed to, does not help an athlete perform.

The fact that we shot that poorly, and I was still thinking we were threatening them at the end should scare the Warriors, more than the lack of shooting should worry us.

We shot 5/29 from 3…. But the consensus suggests it wasn’t warriors defense. Had we shot a pathetic 9/29 we win. And we had the easy looks to do it. Same goes for our FGs. Some pathetic shooting combo of the two, would have still won this game.

now with that said, They still have to do it. It’ll be concerning if we don’t come out in the next one, and at least tough out a win,
 

atsgopher said:
IMHO it looked we tried to strategically push the pace. Which we did vs the Lakers too. That can get this squad rushing mentally. They looked like it on every 3 (to me) Just a little too fast.

Thus, The game doesn’t really worry me. I didn’t feel like it was the Warriors won via superior O or D; They appeared fatigued.

I also don’t think post game presser giggling matters at all. The only thing that matters here is the next shot one takes. And I mean that needs to be their mindset. Let go of this, and move. Wallowing, because we think you’re supposed to, does not help an athlete perform.

The fact that we shot that poorly, and I was still thinking we were threatening them at the end should scare the Warriors, more than the lack of shooting should worry us.

We shot 5/29 from 3…. But the consensus suggests it wasn’t warriors defense. Had we shot a pathetic 9/29 we win. And we had the easy looks to do it. Same goes for our FGs. Some pathetic shooting combo of the two, would have still won this game.

now with that said, They still have to do it. It’ll be concerning if we don’t come out in the next one, and at least tough out a win,
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You're right on. It was the Wolves' poor performance on offense. The Warriors didn't cause it to happen.
 



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