Timberwolves 2011-2012

[schmitty3]

Wow, i've seen middle school teams take care of the ball better than that. I think their depth may be hurting them a little bit. When is Ellington gonna get some minutes. He has been huge for us in games, and hasn't been seeing any meaningful minutes for quite some time. I think they said a stat that we were shooting around 25% from outside the paint these last 3 or 4 games.

We've got LINsanity coming to town tomorrow. That kid is unbelievable. Goes from the 14th player on the Knicks bench and sleeping on his friends couch to going head to head against Kobe, and getting MVP chants in MSG. Should be fun to watch Lin and Rubio duel.

[Scott K]

I think Beasely reached his cap for value, lets put a package together with him, and a few others, and get us a SG. We got to many guys thinking they can pass the ball like Ricky, we also have Ricky making dumb passes, they need to quit trying to make Espn replays, and try to win the games.

[Snag]

Went to the game last night and Dallas looked like they were in shape compared to the first couple of wins against them when we made them look old.

Luke=Puke last 3 games. Wes 1 point first 20 minutes played, getting very consistent at that. Webster looks lost, he needs a more up tempo team. Start Beasley. Too many games down 10 in the first quarter.

Wes should be sent down to the D league to learn how to score again.

No scoring out of the point and shooting guards is killing them.

[fishersofmen]

I think Beasely reached his cap for value, lets put a package together with him, and a few others, and get us a SG. We got to many guys thinking they can pass the ball like Ricky, we also have Ricky making dumb passes, they need to quit trying to make Espn replays, and try to win the games.

Yes. No one on this team can score every night outside of Love. Ricky is awesome at what he does but he is not a guy who can put up points every night. When you only have one consistent scorer on your team there is no way we can play with teams like Dallas. They are starting to click now as well, I knew they would come around alot of talent on that team.

[First Ice-Mike]

Yeah- they just need a good 2nd scoring option because Pek is becoming a very solid 3rd option.

[fishersofmen]

Anyone see the game tonight? Sounds like another one we should have had. Unreal numbers from Love again.

[schmitty3]

They tanked at the end of the game. No reason they should have lost that. Anyone else go crazy when Ridnour absolutely hacked Lin in a tie game as he was throwing up a prayer. They played Lin decent, but he still got his, just wasn't exactly feelLIN it as he was before. Love played another great game. Ge has played LOVEly all year long.

[Scott K]

Rubio needs to play a little smarter, and we need to have a good 2. Not really sure why we keep putting Wes out there, with little to zerooutput from him. Unfortunately other teams are seeing our weakness, and they are attacking it. We need to fill the 2 spot, or we will be lucky to be anywhere close to .500 this year. The team chemistry is already starting to implode. Address it before it is to late.

[Bryce]

Ridnour 2-7 shooting. Probably tore it up on defense though. Right? Didn't get a chance to watch last night. Would've Rubio's assists more than doubled again if this team could hit wide open shots?

[fishersofmen]

I realize we are past this but I read today that Love and Scola met after the game (stomping incident) for a drink. Scola ended up flying out the next day. Thought that was pretty cool.

I wouldn't mind getting an O.J Mayo or Ben Gordon type player in at the 2 guard. Both are under 6'5 though and are averaging under 15 points a game. I'm sure those numbers could come up a bit but we it would be nice to get a guard who has some size and can consistently score 20+ a game. The sooner they make a move the better.

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

I realize we are past this but I read today that Love and Scola met after the game (stomping incident) for a drink. Scola ended up flying out the next day. Thought that was pretty cool.

]

I wouldn't mind getting an O.J Mayo or Ben Gordon type player in at the 2 guard. Both are under 6'5 though and are averaging under 15 points a game. I'm sure those numbers could come up a bit but we it would be nice to get a guard who has some size and can consistently score 20+ a game. The sooner they make a move the better.

Im sure they just give those guys away at your nearest shooting guard garage sale.... Easier said then done, i think we're gonna have to wait until FA this offseason to do anything because we dont have any assets to trade to GET anything in return...

[fishersofmen]

Im sure they just give those guys away at your nearest shooting guard garage sale.... Easier said then done, i think we're gonna have to wait until FA this offseason to do anything because we dont have any assets to trade to GET anything in return...

Slobs, I didn't say it would be easy or that they would be just given away. Its called trading for a player you have a higher value for than the team who may be wanting to deal the player, in return they fill needs they have or free up salary room. There is no reason to wait until the offseason if we can make a deal now. As others have stated why allow this team to struggle the rest of the year mainly because they don't have a capable 2 guard if there are several different options available which there are?

Here are a couple tidbits from the Bleacher Report.

Mayo: With extensions to Mike Conley, Rudy Gay, Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph over the past few seasons, Mayo is unlikely to resign with the Grizzlies this offseason.

With that being said, the playoff bound Grizzlies may look to move Mayo in an attempt to restock their already weak bench for another run deep into the playoffs.

Mayo fits Minnesota’s need at shooting guard perfectly. At 6’5”, Mayo’s ability to knock down open shots and create his own scoring opportunities makes him a great compliment to Rubio.

In addition, the Wolves would have enough cap flexibility to resign Mayo to a long-term deal—if he’s willing take a deal around $32 million for four years.

With Memphis’s lack of depth at point guard and in the frontcourt (until Randolph’s return), a deal of Mayo and Quincy Pondexter for Luke Ridnour and Anthony Randolph could be a good starting point for a deal.

Ben Gordon: By drafting rookie point guard Brandon Knight and resigning combo guard Rodney Stuckey this offseason, the Pistons are ready and willing to move the overpaid reserve Gordon.

Minnesota has both the cap flexibility and the need for a player like Gordon. Gordon’s greatest asset could be his ability to be an effective scorer without having the ball in his hands.

Similar to the role he played in Chicago when paired with Derrick Rose, Gordon would be asked to come off screens and knock down open jump shots while allowing the offense to run through Rubio.

Gordon could have great success in a Rick Adelman offense that has proved well for shooters such as Peja Stojakovic and Kevin Martin in the past. Detroit will most likely be interested in acquiring some frontcourt help and some future salary cap relief.

Dealing Ben Gordon and Austin Daye for Martell Webster, Nikola Pekovic and Anthony Randolph addresses both.

[PierBridge]

Quote:

Yes, and we got Love for him! And we can get him again, for little or nothing now, and he is better then any SG on our team x10

I knew that, another one of McHales bonehead moves that he got ripped for.... don't make me bump the OJ Mayo vs Kevin Love thread...

Q:where is he "McHale" at again?

A:Doing a better job coaching the Rockets then Adlemen could the last 2 years.

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

fishersofmen, i agree with you, we need a shooting guard... i just dont think we have enough to trade to get a good shooting guard. Just a guy that could shoot 35% or higher from 3 point range would be nice with rubio passing him the ball

[ozzie]

I think we have pieces to get Mayo or Gordon but I would never include Pek in a trade currently unless we are getting a great deal as his value is rising and if we deal him then we are back to looking for another decent center...not saying Pek is the overall answer at center but he is proving to be the best option we have seen at the position in possibly our franchise history!!!

[Scott K]

Pek is easely our second best player right now. I wouldnt give him up! I would however drop anyone on the team except Love/Pek/Rubio, all the rest of them can go.

[ozzie]

yep I am with you on that as it would take some nice players/draft picks to part with Love/Rubio/Pek but the rest of the team can be dealt with no remorse...

C'mon David Kahn get on the phone and make something happen soon!!

[First Ice-Mike]

Will someone please make a shot!!! Rubio should have twice as many assists than he has. Wes Johnson and Webster both look completely lost on offense.

FI

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

another terrible, dis-interested looking game for a team in loserville usa! get blown out by a terrible orlando squad...

[Snag]

I agree another terrible game. I'd start Beasley. I can't believe that I almost wanted Tolliver to get some minutes tonight. They need to make some shots or the middle won't open up for Rubio and Berea to drive and the bigs to work inside. Love doesn't seem to be a difference maker for somebody that gets 25 and 15.

[Scott M]

Sign Nic Batum this summer. We got the wrong Portland 2 guard, we need Batum not Webster.

Love doesn't seem to be a difference maker for somebody that gets 25 and 15.

I think that's part of why he got 3 years instead of 4. I think he's a max player, but I don't think he is a go to guy to win a championship with (Nowitzki, Rose, James, Wade, Bryant, Durant).

[Scott M]

I knew that, another one of McHales bonehead moves that he got ripped for.... don't make me bump the OJ Mayo vs Kevin Love thread...

Q:where is he "McHale" at again?

A:Doing a better job coaching the Rockets then Adlemen could the last 2 years.

Pier, your quest to be the ubercontrarian Minnesota fan continues I see.

In the words of Denny Green, if you wanna crown Kevin McHale, then crown his a*#!

Let's examine the whole body of work, don't cherrypick through his Houston years. I could compare McHale and Adelman's coaching careers as body of work, but the sample size for McHale is too small. 122 games versus 1589. .451 verus .603 winning percentage. Let's just stick to Houston.

Adelman with the Rockets:

2007-2008: 55-27, 5th in the conference, lost in 6 games in the first round to Utah. Major players: Scola, McGrady with a bum shoulder and knee, half a season of Yao Ming, 41 year old Mutumbo. Adelman wins 22 straight games with smoke and mirrors, the 2nd longest streak in NBA history. Considering they are no dynasty and didn't have a healthy superstar in a modern league of parity, this is an unbelievable run.

2008-2009: 53-29, 5th in the conference, lost in the Western semifinals in 7 games to Los Angeles. Major players: Scola, Ming, an even more injured McGrady, Ron Artest, and Skip to my Lou Rafer Alston.

2009-2010: 42-40, misses the playoffs in a loaded Western conference. 8th seed OKC has 50 wins (as does reigning champion and Eastern conference 4 seed Boston). Adelman compiles a winning team with Kevin Martin and Aaron Brooks fighting for shots and solid post play from Luis Scola and undersized Carl Landry. GM Daryl Morey starts saving money for a marquee free agent, stays out of bad contracts, and drafts players to stash overseas (Sergio Llull this year, Donatas Motiejunas next year.

2010-2011: 43-39, misses the playoffs in another year with a loaded Western conference. Again, Adelman compiles a winning team with 5 games from Yao, a logjam in the backcourt (Lowry, Brooks, Martin, Courtney Lee), the usual from Scola, Chase Budinger and Chuck Hayes. It's a team full of good but not great pieces.

Adelman's contract was not renewed. McHale is now running the show, as I post this they are 16-12 and much improved from their 2-6 start. Adelman got the guard pecking order established, and the team was built for a shortened year with lots of young guys and not too much dependence on one player. However, we will see what happens when McHale gets 4 years of 82 games and playoffs. For the record, I think he is a much better coach than GM, but there is a lot of season left this year. In a week they jumped from 10th in the West to 6th. It can just as easily go the opposite way. Now that McHale won't screw up a front office, he might actually have some players that can do some things. I'm not ready to say that McHale is doing a better job in 28 games than Adelman did in the last two years

[PierBridge]

What a crafty, articulate way of saying that Scola is pretty darn good and Adleman wasn't really fired....oh and although not entirely true the uber-contrarian segway was a nice addition to the piece too

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

I agree with da chise... Mchale did make some good moves in his day, but very few and far between. Many more bad contracts HANDED out to TERRIBLE players then good players drafted, signed, ect. He is a much better coach then gm, but still deserves all of the "booing" he gets here. He pretty much ran this franchise into the ground, and oh by the way we dont have a first round pick this coming draft because Mchale wanted Marko Jarik(WHOOOO??) WE SHOULD have been the team getting a first rd pick from the clips just to take on Marko the bafoon!! How many years has the franchise suffered because of that move?? No sympathy for Mchale from me...

Adleman will prove to be the better coach

[Scott M]

Glad to report the Wolves beat the worst team in basketball by 12 tonight.