Timberwolves, 2017-2018

[ANYFISH2]

Gibson and Butler showed what good defense looks like last night.  Now can the others follow suit?

Teague, is not off to a good start.  i would rather watch Jones than Teague.  Not 1 thing looks good with him.

Edited October 21, 2017 by ANYFISH2

[pikestabber]

Teague was much improved last night, but it's obvious Butler is quickly becoming the backbone of this young team. 4-1 with him, 0-2 without... He makes Wiggins better and he seems to get the best out of KAT, too... He doesn't fill up the stat sheet each night, but it's the little things he does that allows others to shine. We were in so many games until the 4th quarter last year, but you just KNEW we were going to blow it (and we did...time and time again). But this squad is different. Already you feel like they will find ways to close teams out, and they are doing that. That's what winning clubs do, and it's about darn time!

[ozzie]

Agreed!  Teague will be a good addition to this squad as he gets more familiar with the playbook and the team.  Butler is a true leader and it sounds like he has the ear of KAT so that is a good thing and KAT has responded these last 2 games.  Wiggins had some monster drives last night and if he can bring it night in and night out watch out as we will be really tough to beat once KAT and Wigs "get it" and come to play consistently on both ends of the floor night in and night out.  GO WOLVES!!

[JBMasterAngler]

Very exciting game lastnight! The old fan in me kept thinking they were going to blow it. Just like some of the players, it’s going to take fans some time to get used to the fact this is a good team!

[pikestabber]

Another close game, another W. Nicely done! The Wolves weren't exactly firing on all cylinders, but some questionable fouls + sloppy technique kept KAT on the bench for most of this one. Which meant our bench players needed to step up...and boy, did they!

But my overall take away was this... DeMarcus Cousins is the BIGGEST FLOPPER in the world. RIDICULOUS! I have zero respect for him as a player. Zero. What a tool.

 

[ozzie]

I was thinking the same thing...Demarcus Cousins has to be the most gifted annoying player to watch...so annoying that if I didn't like the T-wolves as much as I do that I would have turned it off.  In fact I still almost turned it off cuz I was so disgusted watching him cry after every play and "ACT" whenever he was touched!  That is a guy that I don't think will ever "get it"!!  Wasted talent...

On a positive note though is how clutch this team is becoming with Jimmy buckets and Wiggins!!  Gonna be an exciting season no matter how far they go.

[pikestabber]

I've been waiting for Wiggins to put effort and talent together, and I don't think it's a fluke... He has been AWESOME! No ceiling for this squad once they turn a corner defensively. They still have some work to do there, but it's been a fun start to the year!

And yes, I can't just gloss over Cousins's talent--he's got an endless supply and is a one-man wrecking crew--but if he acts off the court anywhere close to how he acts on the court, I don't care to have a beer with him any time soon...

[JBMasterAngler]

Cousins will probably be traded by the deadline. He has never shown in his career that he can be a winner. New Orleans is no better with him, than they were without him. Look for their coach to be fired by seasons end also. I thought that was a big win for the wolves. In the past 2 years it seemed as though we could never, ever beat New Orleans...most games weren’t even close! We have a favorable stretch of games coming up, including Golden State!

[JBMasterAngler]

Looking good! Looking real good! I give the team a B+ at the halfway point. Handful of losses to some bad teams keep them from getting an A. Been really exciting to watch so far!

[eyeguy 54]

fun game last night.  glad adams missed 2 freethrows in the 4th!  free cherryberry for all.  

[pikestabber]

15 hours ago, JBMasterAngler said:

Looking good! Looking real good! I give the team a B+ at the halfway point. Handful of losses to some bad teams keep them from getting an A. Been really exciting to watch so far!

 

I might say C- for the first quarter, A- for the second quarter, and I agree with your average. If this squad started the year the way we are playing now, we'd be flirting with the best record in the West. As it stands, we are still in great position to make a run. Our defense has improved so slowly and steadily that you almost don't notice that's its become respectable (considering the dumpster fire it started out as). We still have some face palm games, but as a whole, we have a dynamic young core that looks the part of championship material. I liked the addition of Butler...but I had no idea he would be this good and help change our whole culture so fast. Exciting time to be a fan after a decade of abysmal play!

[JBMasterAngler]

Honestly, I think Butler might be playing the best ball of his career! Looking back at his days in Chicago, you could argue that playing with the likes of Rajon Rondo and Derrick Rose made him less of a player.

 

Tibs clearly has no interest in Shabazz Muhammad being a part of this team...which I’m fine with. I wish they would have gotten rid of him 2 years ago! But he’s at least good enough to throw in so Butler and Wiggins can get a couple minutes of rest. Then we might be able to trade him for a 2nd round pick.

[Duffman]

If they continue to improve at this rate, they will be a dangerous team in the playoffs. 

 

I know it's a hard thing to do, but if you could just instill Butler's fire into the rest of the team, especially Wiggins, watch out.

[JBMasterAngler]

Nice win tonight, but my goodness! I hope they never wear those uniforms again! 

[JBMasterAngler]

Tough stretch for the wolves. Honestly, I figured they’d lose to the bulls, but it would be after blowing out Cleveland. That clearly didn’t happen. And now 2 heart breaking losses in a row. I’d like to say their upcoming game against Sacramento is a sure win, but I can’t. They’re really missing out on a good chance to get some distance from Oklahoma City. 

[pikestabber]

I just never know what version of this team is going to run out onto the floor from night to night... The scoring juggernauts? The team that actually can play defense once in a while? The team that, on the rarest of occasions, does both in one night? Or the team that somehow loses to the Bulls and makes you question your fandom. That kind of inconsistency is generally a coaching issue... I really like Thibs, but we have enough talent to be more consistent, and consistently better, than what we are seeing. I hope we catch fire at the right time. Home stretch looms...

[Flash]

We need a big banger in the middle. 

Flash

"Set the Hook"

[JBMasterAngler]

I heard on one of the morning shows that the wolves might be interested in signing Derrick Rose. My goodness, I hope that’s not true! 

[pikestabber]

6 hours ago, JBMasterAngler said:

I heard on one of the morning shows that the wolves might be interested in signing Derrick Rose. My goodness, I hope that’s not true! 

 

That rumor started swirling last week when he was cut from the...Jazz? Or wherever he got traded to at the deadline. At some point the Chicago-Thibs connection has to be severed. This is that sometime! Rose is DONE. D-O-N-E! Stay away, please! To take minutes away from Tyus would be criminal!

I've been a bit down on this team lately, and rightly so considering their talent and the fact that we are still middling about, but when you look at the West and see we are the #4 seed at the break...man, that feels pretty good. No, we aren't the Rockets or the Warriors, but we ARE in the second tier of teams like the Spurs and Thunder, and we are still ascending. That's a nice change for this team and this fan base!

Edited February 16, 2018 by pikestabber

[ozzie]

sure gets frustrating with this team at times!  The offense can look so stagnant way too often especially at end of game situations!!  I truly believe the team is getting run down or will get run down by the time playoffs come along...we need to rely on a bench player or 3 to alleviate the many minutes by KAT, Jimmy, and Wigs.  Mentioning of wiggins...why can that kid get excited to play?  at times he can be such a beast on the offensive end and then he just goes so silent that you wonder if he is even on the court!!  He was showing that he can play defense and then lately he isn't playing great at that end of the floor either.  I agree with Charles Barkley and that the Twolves should be a better team if they would only run a more up tempo offense and mature at the defensive end. 

[JBMasterAngler]

I sure hope Butler’s injury isn’t serious. Oklahoma is only 1 game behind us. Things aren’t looking good.

[JBMasterAngler]

Out indefinitely. So, at least 2 weeks I’d say. Probably more. Very important win tonight. Sacramento will be just as important, with Butler out, these “garbage” teams will be must wins!

[pikestabber]

On 2/25/2018 at 12:11 AM, JBMasterAngler said:

Out indefinitely. So, at least 2 weeks I’d say. Probably more. Very important win tonight. Sacramento will be just as important, with Butler out, these “garbage” teams will be must wins!

 

Last rumor I saw was 4-6 weeks, depending on how he heals. Why can't we have nice things?

The over-eager fan in me 10 years ago would say limp him out there as fast as you can! But the more mature (READ: OLD) me now says we should be VERY cautious and perhaps even shelve him until next year if we have fallen out of contention by then. And even stumbling in as a 7-8 seed would be out of contention in the West. We need Jimmy Buckets healthy for the long run, not the one and done playoffs... SIGH...

[JBMasterAngler]

This will be a very telling week for the wolves. A win tonight will move them ahead of the spurs, and into the 3 seed. We also play Portland this week, who has very quietly moved to within 1.5 games of the wolves. Next 3 are on the road, going to be tough.

[pikestabber]

2 hours ago, JBMasterAngler said:

This will be a very telling week for the wolves. A win tonight will move them ahead of the spurs, and into the 3 seed. We also play Portland this week, who has very quietly moved to within 1.5 games of the wolves. Next 3 are on the road, going to be tough.

 

Agree that this stretch is crucial. It's put up or shut up time. Did Jimmy's defensive prowess and toughness rub off on Towns and Wiggins yet? We will find out a lot about this team over the next few weeks.