All Things Minnesota Timberwolves 2022-2023 In-Season Thread

[jamiche]

This years team with no KAT and no Gobert isn't winning you 50 games. Hindsight is 50/50 with Walker Kessler, who was a great surprise to everyone which is why he slipped to 22. They would have needed Naz and there's no way they would have dealt him at the deadline.

You are vastly overrating Beverley who is playing for his 4th team over the last 4 seasons, Vando has played for 4 different teams over 5 seasons, Beasley's played for 4 different teams over 7 seasons. These guys are just run of the mill NBA bench players.

The common denominator with the Wolves issues is KAT. They traded for Gobert due to KAT's deficiencies. KAT's contract is now an albatross and far worse than Gobert's long term. KAT is nothing but a role player on a good team, just like Wiggins and Love were. If they can move KAT this off-season, the future is bright.

I purposely didn't include PatBev in my post. I thought he was somewhat overrated last year and would have outlived his usefulness in the locker room and on the court this year. Not the same for Vanderbilt and Beasely. They were quite valuable in their roles last year. Utah traded them because it was tanking and both have been a part of the Lakers' resurgence. Players get traded for all kinds of reasons. Saying that somebody has played for four teams in five years doesn't mean much. Each circumstance is unique.

Nobody anticipated KAT going down and, to be fair to your point, my post didn't contemplate that scenario. Maybe you are right that Naz doesn't get traded. With KAT down, I'd still rather ride with a Walker/ Naz tandem than a Rudy/Naz tandem.

Somebody in the NBA recognized Kessler's value: Danny Ainge.

KAT has his problems but the real albatross is Rudy. He has far more limitations than KAT and minimal trade value because of those limitations. They basically have to trade KAT just to get back to break even, which now probably means a top ten pg, a rotation player and maybe two unprotected 1's. Rudy brings in less than that.

 

[BleedGopher]

PMac chimes in:


Go Gophers!!

 

[tikited]

PMac chimes in:


Go Gophers!!

Kat would be a great #2 on a team that has defensive minded players around him. A big 4 and a versatile wing that can help cover up his defensive weaknesses. Easier said than done though. If Kat is your #4 player...you have the greatest starting lineup ever.

 

[From the Parkinglot]

Please everyone attending the wolves game Sunday wear black. This is a funeral not a white out game.

 

[Some guy]

Kat would be a great #2 on a team that has defensive minded players around him. A big 4 and a versatile wing that can help cover up his defensive weaknesses. Easier said than done though. If Kat is your #4 player...you have the greatest starting lineup ever.

Agree.
I actually think KAT could be a good #2 on this team. Issue is Gobert is a #4 or #5 not a number 3 and he and kat can’t both be at their best when playing together because KAT refuses to dominate inside when he has the size advantage.

Need the number 3 back (is McDaniels good enough)?
Need KAT to win his matchup. When he is the 5 he needs to dominate on offense. When he is the 4, he needs to still dominate on offense.

Need a better backup PG.
need a third big who is capable on at least one end of the court (Naz)


Kyle Anderson does a good job and I like him. But if he is our 2nd/3rd ball handler and 3rd big at the same time….this is why there is no chance to advance.

I hope they run it back next year with close to the same squad. Curious how they do with a whole season.

 

[kg21]

Agree.
I actually think KAT could be a good #2 on this team. Issue is Gobert is a #4 or #5 not a number 3 and he and kat can’t both be at their best when playing together because KAT refuses to dominate inside when he has the size advantage.

Need the number 3 back (is McDaniels good enough)?
Need KAT to win his matchup. When he is the 5 he needs to dominate on offense. When he is the 4, he needs to still dominate on offense.

Need a better backup PG.
need a third big who is capable on at least one end of the court (Naz)


Kyle Anderson does a good job and I like him. But if he is our 2nd/3rd ball handler and 3rd big at the same time….this is why there is no chance to advance.

I hope they run it back next year with close to the same squad. Curious how they do with a whole season.

This team is too slow. Way too slow.

Do not run it back.

Please, Gawd NOOOOOO

 

[From the Parkinglot]

There is your leader taking just a moronic offensive foul to pick up 2 fouls in the first 7 minutes. The guy just doesn’t get it and he never will.

 

[kg21]

There is your leader taking just a moronic offensive foul to pick up 2 fouls in the first 7 minutes. The guy just doesn’t get it and he never will.

True, but that first one was the usual hilarious NBA call.

He never touched Jokic. Jokic falls to the ground and gets the call.

 

[GopherWeatherGuy]

Is this a good time to remind everyone that we took Kris Dunn 2 spots ahead of Jamal Murray?

 

[Iceland12]

Denver 52 Wolves 48 at the half. It's Denver's largest lead.''

Towns and Edwards both in double figures. Problem is Wolves are shooting 34.4 % to Denvers 47.8%

 

[Gopherguy0723]

Jokic takes 4 steps, and the refs do nothing.

It's hard to take pro basketball seriously when players can run from the top of the key to the hoop without consequence.

How good do you need to be to get to the hoop if dribbling is optional?

 

[howeda7]

This ending is the most Minnesota Sports thing ever.

 

[howeda7]

 

[Nax5]

Very nice of the T-Wolves to let the Nuggets win this thing at home.

Spoiler

jk jk. Good job gentlemen.

 

[kg21]

It literally feels like we lost.

The sad part is, blowing a 12 point lead like that with a loss, would have almost guaranteed changes.

I really don't know how winning this game was a good thing.

Oh well, at least one more game.

Look at how this place was rocking down 3-0. Imagine if we could ever take the next step.

 

[kg21]

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

PMac chimes in:


Go Gophers!!

So many teams in the league are looking for that star second player (Portland, Dallas, etc.), if you move on from KAT it needs to be for a very good player - not an assortment of draft picks and decent players. I get that we aren't in a great position moving forward, but I don't think the best way we build around Edwards is by adding more small pieces instead of KAT.

 

[kg21]

So many teams in the league are looking for that star second player (Portland, Dallas, etc.), if you move on from KAT it needs to be for a very good player - not an assortment of draft picks and decent players. I get that we aren't in a great position moving forward, but I don't think the best way we build around Edwards is by adding more small pieces instead of KAT.

You trade KAT for a damn good perimeter player who can put the ball on the floor and defend.

Not sure who that would be, but we need perimeter help in a bad way.

 

[Some guy]

So many teams in the league are looking for that star second player (Portland, Dallas, etc.), if you move on from KAT it needs to be for a very good player - not an assortment of draft picks and decent players. I get that we aren't in a great position moving forward, but I don't think the best way we build around Edwards is by adding more small pieces instead of KAT.

Correct.
If you trade KAT it has to be for a definite #2 or preferably a #2 AND another starter.

 

[BleedGopher]

Howl Wolves!!

 

[Spaulding!No!]

trading Kat last summer was the forward thinking move.

I'm still mad at him for taking that 40 footer against memphis all because the grizz were making a little run. He doesnt have the makeup to be great

He didn’t have ‘it’ in college and he still doesn’t have ‘it’. He also gets pouty if he is treated as numero uno on the team. Sad

 

[Iceland12]

Great win last night. Wolves 114 to Nuggets 108 in O.T.

-Edwards was great. He got 34 with 6RB, 5 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks and only a single turnover

- Conley 19, 8 ast and 1 TO Towns 17, 10RB, 2TO but he did foul out against Jokic & Porter

- Gobert 14, 15RB, 1ast, 2 blocks and a single turnover

- Anderson was very good off the bench. He had 11pts, 5ast, 2 steals, 1 block and only 2 turnovers in only 22 minutes. He only played 22 minutes because Edwards accidentally hit him in the face.

"Kyle Anderson, who had 11 points off the bench, was declared out with a left eye/facial contusion after taking an errant hand to the face from Edwards in the fourth. Finch said Anderson will see an eye specialist."

"Teammates credited the work Nickeil Alexander-Walker did defensively on Murray, who averaged 27.3 points in the first three games. Alexander-Walker also scored six of his eight points in overtime.

“He was the MVP tonight,” Edwards said."

Timberwolves 114-108 Nuggets (Apr 23, 2023) Game Recap - ESPN

Expert recap and game analysis of the Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets NBA game from April 23, 2023 on ESPN.

www.espn.com

 

[Iceland12]

He didn’t have ‘it’ in college and he still doesn’t have ‘it’. He also gets pouty if he is treated as numero uno on the team. Sad

Haven't been watching this year? Or have you been getting all your information from KFAN? The station that lost broadcast rights to the Wolves?

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

You trade KAT for a damn good perimeter player who can put the ball on the floor and defend.

Not sure who that would be, but we need perimeter help in a bad way.

Something like Jaylon Brown and Marcus Smart for KAT and filler could work and then you slide McDaniels to the 4.

Boston has some redundancy at PG with guys who are good but a little overpriced with Smart and White (and Brogdon who is good) and then Brown and Tatum are also really similar.

 

[Iceland12]

- From the beginning of the 4th to 6:42 Wolves outscored Denver 12-4. From 2:52 until the end of regulation Denver outscored the Wolves 12-2. Welcome to the NBA

Within a point or two here is a stat breakdown:

FG% - Even
3 pointers - Even
Free throws - Wolves made 5 more
Free Throw % - Wolves 77 to 66%
Rebounds - Wolves by 4
Steals, Blocks, PTs in paint, T.O. - Even
Points of T.O. & fast break points - Denver
2nd Chance points - Wolves

It was a damn close game.

 

[jamiche]

He didn’t have ‘it’ in college and he still doesn’t have ‘it’. He also gets pouty if he is treated as numero uno on the team. Sad

The "it" factor is very hard to define. Edwards has "it," though his "itness" hurts ball movement. As much as I love watching him play, his hero ball can be tough to watch.

What is easy to see is that KAT has cleaned up his act considerably since he returned from injury.

 

[jamiche]

- From the beginning of the 4th to 6:42 Wolves outscored Denver 12-4. From 2:52 until the end of regulation Denver outscored the Wolves 12-2. Welcome to the NBA

Within a point or two here is a stat breakdown:

FG% - Even
3 pointers - Even
Free throws - Wolves made 5 more
Free Throw % - Wolves 77 to 66%
Rebounds - Wolves by 4
Steals, Blocks, PTs in paint, T.O. - Even
Points of T.O. & fast break points - Denver
2nd Chance points - Wolves

It was a damn close game.

The Aaron Gordon dunk in the 4th that was taken of of the scoreboard during the TO due to a shot clock violation ended up being the difference in the game.

 

[Iceland12]

The Aaron Gordon dunk in the 4th that was taken of of the scoreboard during the TO due to a shot clock violation ended up being the difference in the game.

How about the 3 pointer that Towns hit that was taken off the board because he "wasn't gathering" yet? They didn't score on that possession. If they let in count, which one ref was gonna do, the Wolves win in regulation.

In any overtime or two point game anybody can go through the game and pick 1, 2 shots that would have decided the game.

 

[Iceland12]

Here's what the same goofball posted next.

 

[Iceland12]

Is this a good time to remind everyone that we took Kris Dunn 2 spots ahead of Jamal Murray?

True. Wasn't the "right kind of player" for you know who. Though last night there was also another surprise. From the Strip:

"Sunday night he helped save Minnesota's season. With the Wolves trailing 100-98 in overtime, Alexander-Walker assisted on a Conley three-pointer then hit two himself on back-to-back possessions for a 107-102 lead. Alexander-Walker finished with 8 points and 4 rebounds in 38 minutes of action and was crucial in holding Denver star Jamal Murray to 19 points on 8-for-21 shooting."