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Post by Deleted on Dec 29, 2023 15:33:14 GMT -6
I'm surprised you're not interested, it was sort of the start of fan blogdom.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 29, 2023 16:36:05 GMT -6
Britt from last week: The best and worst trades in Minnesota Timberwolves franchise history
3rd Best: 3. Spread the Love, hold the MayoOn draft night of 2008, the Wolves and the Memphis Grizzlies pulled off a blockbuster eight-player deal. The Wolves had taken guard OJ Mayo third overall. The Grizzlies had selected forward Kevin Love two picks later. Those were the principals. The Wolves filled in the edges with Greg Buckner, Marko Jaric and Antoine Walker. The Grizzlies sent Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal and Jason Collins along with Love to Minnesota. Miller was supposed to be the plum that enriched the swap enough to make it Mayo for Love. But Miller had a bizarre career in Minnesota, eschewing the gun-slinging that had won him a Sixth Man of the Year award in favor of too many passes and proclivity for seeming injured and limping to the sidelines, only to magically return moments later. The Wolves decisively won the trade because of Love, who was treated shabbily by new President of Basketball Operations David Kahn after McHale (who engineered the trade) was fired. It took a whopping 30-point, 30-rebound game from Love before Kahn finally conceded he belonged in the starting lineup. He proceeded to put up pinball-game numbers and was a three-time All Star during his six seasons in Minnesota: He still ranks third in total win shares behind KG and Karl-Anthony Towns in franchise history. He also deserves a hat tip for being attractive enough to Lebron James and his return to Cleveland that the Cavs traded Andrew Wiggins and other assets to Minnesota even though Love made no secret that he was soon opting out of his contract in Minnesota. That send-away deal is an honorable mention among the Wolves best trades.www.minnpost.com/sports/2023/12/the-best-and-worst-trades-in-minnesota-timberwolves-franchise-history-kevin-garnett-rudy-gobert/Just seeing this and great point! Isn't Britt bragging always about how free he is? He's the guy that could do it. No fluff, no what did you think of Love or David, or Woj, just black and white, how did Kevin break his hand? But I would for sure have taken Mayo and Jordan there to pair with Foye, Jefferson and Brewer, though Mayo's best as the heat check 6th, which I would say is more valuable than a supermax stretch four, who was an awful teammate. Greatest Timberwolves what if is what if Love breaks his hand, lies about it in 11-12 versus 12-13.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 29, 2023 17:27:50 GMT -6
Kevin Love stands by comments but is happy with Timberwolves www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/twolves/2012/12/12/kevin-love-says-hes-happy-with-minnesota-timberwolves/1764909/MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Kevin Love didn't apologize. He didn't make excuses or suggest his words were taken out of context.
What the Minnesota Timberwolves power forward did do on Wednesday in the wake of some harsh words toward the organization was offer some balance to the idea of him as another unhappy star in a small market seemingly destined to move on to bigger and better things.
Love met with the media on Wednesday morning before the Wolves were scheduled to host the Denver Nuggets to address comments he made to Yahoo! Sports that were critical of Timberwolves leadership. In it, he complained about getting a four-year deal instead of the maximum five-year contract extension last January, called into question the plan that team president David Kahn has for building around him and even seemed to hint at a perception that the organization was favoring Ricky Rubio over him in the team's long-term plan.***** Jeff Schwartz's framing to get Love paid was Rubio versus Love. It was Love versus the fact you can't give your lone five year designated max to someone who is nowhere near that, and among the most selfish, me first players in all of pro-sports.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 29, 2023 17:37:21 GMT -6
Cool. Did Woj ask how you broke your hand?
*****
"I'm not going to fall back and say I didn't mean the things that I said," Love said. "I do believe this is the closest-knit team that we have, the coaching staff has been great and we have a chance to make something very special this year and for years to come."
.....
Love has heard the whispers about Rubio getting the five-year deal, and he told Yahoo that "it was a projection over a sure thing. There's no question there was an agenda here. A different agenda."
Love and Rubio are close friends, and when asked about it on Wednesday, he continued to heap praise on the point guard who is due to come back from a torn ACL in his left knee any day now.
"I never have a problem with anybody getting paid," Love said. "If there's one other guy to pay on this team it's Ricky Rubio. I've kind of been enamored with him since he got here. He's a pass-first point guard, a guy I haven't really played with before.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 29, 2023 17:42:19 GMT -6
Or you could say you lied about breaking your hand to distract from what would have been a negative story for you, at a time when you just got paid.
*****
"In some people's mental makeup it's just not in them," he said of forgetting. "Just moving forward is the biggest thing. That's the same thing I talked about with coach and with David yesterday. I just need to move forward and hopefully this thing won't keep coming up. I'm done talking about it, really from here on out after today. I'm hoping we can just move on and winning will take care of everything."
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2024 12:37:16 GMT -6
In celebration of the Wolves Process, and Rubio stepping away from the NBA, I thought folks would think it's fun to know I saw the news, as I was picking up Wolves merch I had created from the United We Run era, in preparation for this years Wolves finals push.
Also, inspired by the new 2K's "2010 LeBron mode" I broke out 2K17, and created the ideal 2012-13 Wolves roster. I was hoping to share, but looks like 2K doesn't have on the server anymore, but it's effectively that era Wolves among 16-17 rosters-ish. And let me tell you something, The Lion is starting, averaging 13.4 points a game. They said it couldn't be done!
Starting lineup = Rubio (age 26), Miles (age 29), Williams (age 25), Randolph (age 27), and Pek (age 30). Bench includes Barea, Ellington, Johnson, Beasley, Hollins, but can flex with Tolliver. It is a blast, and still old school rules, so O looks different, shot clock resets etc. If not he perfect game it's pretty damn good, I forgot how excellent this one was, and while I don't play much it's been a great add to Wolves nights from time to time.
Larga vida a los lobos del proceso! Tat option.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2024 12:47:41 GMT -6
When it comes to Rube's I would say those whole first two seasons ruled, and then when they were trying again in 16-17 after getting Towns. To me what I first think of is being there on draft night, and walking out as people I was with told me what Bill Simmons told them, which is he is never coming over.
Wolves never really had great point guard options. We were coming off of Jaric, Banks, Telfair, I guess Foye sort of. Those first two games (he wasn't starting initially) were absolutely electric. The Process Thunder, and new Heat, and what's interesting about that O, is it was sort of ahead of it's time, and much more free flowing than season two of Rick Saddlebags. He was making passes I had never seen on a basketball court before, and really only reserved for Magic, and LeBron. We sort of get that with Joker, Luka, Giddey, but they truly seemed to come out of nowhere, versus now, where it's kind of the same thing every trip down. I learned more about offense watching guys like Andre Miller, Rondo, or Double R, than LeBron by a mile, because they're doing it without drawing a double, or being the most unbelievable athlete on earth.
Still hopeful he makes one last run in Paris, but if not what a ride. Can still go back and watch those FIBA games where he gets to play more free than here. More right shot/play, than a handful of high usage scorers jacking every trip down. A good reminder if you enjoy a particular player, and they're in the league a decade 10-12 years that's a great run.
Among the most underrated players of his era if you're looking at my points tracker, and the analytics revolution that removed everything we love about basketball to favor "efficiency."
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2024 12:56:22 GMT -6
When I think about this O, I think about how do we keep two on the move, both the ball and Ant, or in the second group, how do we space for Kyle, and J-Mac.
Two on the move, and right shot, which includes clean in rhythm mid-range, which is not the same as anything not at the rim or three, analytics lumps it into.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2024 14:33:16 GMT -6
Finally was able to get off the toilet today, and fire off some thoughts. It looks like this place has flourished without me, so I will lean into less frequent, thoughts and takes, and can keep in the PKHPP thread to avoid prying eyes.
CF is a miracle man. All of the credit when things go well, none of the blame for the high volume of close losses he's racked up over his time. Unfortunately the local media's framing of Ant's just a moron, discounts the years where closing looked the same with D-Lo or Kat at the helm. The idea that OKC was closed because Ant passed the ball, completely discounts how that's happening, specifically the type of sets Ant is getting, compared to that Orlando game.
For one, Ant's turns at the wheel should be setting those screens higher up the court, than say Mike. Why is that? Why is Mike running those little side pick and roles, versus getting those screens up higher? Part of it is he has Ant, and Kat spacing opposite of him and the opponent can't afford to load up on him. Those are great spots for him and Rudy, to do their thing, while Kat, and Ant magnetize the floor properly, in a way Mike cannot for them. With Ant on ball to close games, ideally you're getting him down floor higher, with space to collapse the d. Finch says the end of that Orlando Magic game was a "movement" set, and if Ant had just drove hard off the screen, he would be fine, versus hesitating to size up the switch, but why is that where we're setting the screen? What are Ant's best screening actions to get him downhill, and where? Also look where Kat is with a couple of those late OKC possessions, he is high above the break, as far away from Ant's initial drive as he can be and still be inbounds. I also like the double screen with Ant and Rudy, and the various iterations you can do there high, and from the center. In those cases you're fine putting NAW, McD, Mike or Naz for those in rhythm catch and shoot three's.
Is Finch's movement set flow? It reminds me of when the Finch fans talk about how flow is better because it's so unpredictable, but it's like what are we talking about? You know what is extremely predictable? Is when you have a guy like Naz who is only going to shoot at the rim, or open in rhythm, catch and shoot three's. It's a great way to retain efficiency, but it doesn't really help team basketball. Much more important than "unpredictability which does not exist post FOM is executing whatever simple actions best suit your personnel. What were we doing well late game towards the end of that Nuggets series? The entire league, and Wolves coaching staff have the answers here. They will figure it out, and then everyone's going to be like Finch is an offensive genius, truth is he has done some of the dumbest things a coach has ever attempted offensively. In his defense it's hard to tell what works if you're just basing it off of efficiency during late game O. Kat drives, and Naz drives are very easily removed, so it's about getting your ball movers downhill, and in 2024 that more or less just turns into Ant. Mike is nice, but he has struggled against bigger, more athletic teams, which is why it's so important we develop Ant late game.
In regards to the trade deadline, Naz for Jones works, and we would be crazy not to do that. More important than who's shooting the in rhythm catch and shoot three's is how are you generating them? Mike, Jones, and Kyle are coming off the books, and I lean resigning Tyus and Kyle over 36-7 Mike, but there's a chance if you move Naz you can retain all three, or maybe a better option is there this off-season. That's clearly the move, even if we are in love with him. The idea that it's Mike, or Kyle is not true. It's four of Mcd, Ant, Naz, Kat, and Gobert. It is wild to me so many fans desperately want Kat and Rudy to fail so we could retain Naz and McD. I don't know what that's about, maybe you could even throw a couple seconds plus Naz and get Kispert and Jones.
A general rule of thumb is you don't trade a first for a bench guy, and while Tyus is starting for Wizards now, most teams that move for him or doing so with the idea he is part of a second unit. Obviously if you can add Tyus for two seconds, and scraps you do it, but we are (I have a potty mouth)ed if that's Kyle.
The fear of second apron, not bringing back Mike Conley is misguided (like the time Vecna told us Love is a top ten player), but what those folks should know is that even if you are deathly afraid of both, Wolves technically don't have to shed money until next trade deadline. Not this off-season, and again, is no different than any team in the history of the league making roster decisions when you are paying your offensive engine big money, Ant, Kat, Rudy. I know how to win games with those three. I don't know how with Ant, McD, Naz, and Rudy. It would very much depend on what we are getting in return. If it's picks and young guys, we are punting this season, and I don't get why we'd do that.
My guess is it's just easier to net some of the smaller adds, than move NR. Odds are that's what they do, and hard to argue we're in the mix for best in the west, and would likely have more of a gap if we took closing games more seriously.
The Naz stuff is so funny though, because those games fans have all tried to trash Kat, or Ant closing, he's laying eggs too. It feels like Finch and Naz are movement shooters, it's like you can't critique either because of their role. Technically we are paying Naz to be that 6th man scorer, so even if that's what you wanted add, that's technically what we're paying him to do right now. If he could do it consistently that solves some of those offensive woes as well.
All-Star game has been a joke for years. Putting Steph, LeBron, AD, over Kings and Rudy just highlights that once again. It ended when national media decided it was their job to fluff, and pad individual resumes, which takes me to the 65 game hullabaloo.
This race to efficiency broke basketball. We literally changed the rules, to make things more efficient, but another large piece of that is load management. A lot of padding, some of analytics is measuring shooting efficiency, with is your team winning that night, and for years certain guys around the league had picked which of the back to back nights they are playing, so if other key guys sit, they also are resting. You know that that really helps, shooting efficiency, point totals, and winning percentage when so and so's on the court. It's all inflated, and just a ton of fluff in most regular season numbers as a result. Or if you're a player that only takes rim, or open catch and shoots, that is another way of fluffing up meaningless numbers in terms of winning games. You can shoot efficiently, and win games, but they're not near as inextricably linked as the NBA intellectual dark web understands it be, and continues to prop it up as. Naz only taking those shots no doubt helps his metrics, but like K-Love, you can manipulate anyone's efficiency however you like, if that's their role.
That combined with FOM is why so many games look like rec league bs. I believe Wolves will lock in, and figure it out, because there's just not that much happening late in games that differs from any other team. There are only so many things you can do there, and figuring out best sets for Ant, versus Mike or another guard, is where it starts. I also would like to see us close with True Dire Wolves, which requires getting Ant's sets correct end of game, which the coaching staff can and will do push come to shove. We sometimes do it, so it's not like we don't know how.
I have made three bets in my lifetime, Bubble Suns, last years Wolves (assuming D-Lo would have been moved sooner, and this years Wolves). We have the talent, just need some luck health wise, and figure out crunchtime, as well as O during the Ant less minutes earlier in the game. If we do that, prepare to soar. If we don't prepare for Jordi Fernandez, or Becky Hammon, either way Wolves sitting in an amazing spot right now.
PS: The month of January is yet another reason why the NBA needs a shorter reg, just delete that two week period stars are going 60 to honor Kobe. It's just the antithesis of everything basketball is supposed to be. The good news is there does appear to be some heat around d, just need to make sure NBA circles the why correctly. Folks are talking about it, but for whatever reason not narrowing in on the why, which was the FOM rule, not resetting the offensive shot clock. I have zero confidence the league will address this well, and will come up with nine other gimmicks that make it seem like they've done something, and that it's worth betting on.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2024 14:34:21 GMT -6
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2024 15:22:53 GMT -6
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2024 15:24:01 GMT -6
And of course, the news of Rubio’s return to action made Mitchell happy: “It’s good to see him there playing again in Spain. For me it’s just the gradual growth, seeing such an incredible career, seeing him grow from the kid I used to watch (on TV), passing through Utah”. Last but not least, Mitchell has become a fan of Barcelona, because of Ricky Rubio: “I have to be a Barça fan because of him, I will always give him love and support, he is my boy and I appreciate everything he has done for me”. – via EuroHoops.net
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2024 15:36:32 GMT -6
For modern ball, that first part of the season was about fun as it gets. So many good games against top end teams and we’re right there with them.
Big Rude is FO REAL. Too bad Vecna deleted his pod on the Rudy trade where he said Wolves gave up six or seven picks! He’s so good at quoting himself, this would be a good opportunity for him to reiterate how terrible his takes are.
One of the greatest success stories of the year is Chicago holding on to their team to compete this postseason. For three seasons Morey Media (interchangeable with Warriors pods) have been trying to get Caruso to GS, DeRozan/Drummond to Philly, and then there’s the clutch angle who if Zach is healthy is likely on his way to LA, although, if Zach was healthy, Chicago would be closer to that first season together before he and Ball got hurt. It makes sense LaVine and DeRozna are better with a more natural point. LaVine can do the straight line drive stuff, but his handle isn’t as good as DeRozan. Zach would really be best running actions for, to keep on the move next to a point like Double R. It’s important to keep in mind heads were pushing for Chicago to blow it up, to help Daryl and Save Our Steph even after Embiid went down. There’s a chance Chicago has a better postseason, given Embiid’s typical dip, and now coming off whatever this injury is. Why in the world would Chicago blow it up to help Philly?
And the idea they can’t let DeRozan walk, why not? They got four good years with him, what great assets are they flipping him for at his age, on an expiring deal? Understanding these arguments are being made for the purpose of manipulating the market is essential to what these morons are doing.
As for the January lull, it’s good to take a look around the league, there is a fair amount of good teams losing to bad teams, including Boston losing to someone pretty bad, there were a couple others I can’t recall of the top of my head. IMO it’s partly due to what Karl said, about being bored. I think players (just like fans) get bored in the drive and kick era, and it’s difficult to maintain good basketball at the current pace over 82 games. I 100% understand where Kat gets bored trading jumpers, when he’s used to being able to take off and drive wherever and whenever he wants last several years, but there are just a lot of nights where one or both teams look like they’re going through the motions. Ant’s out there shooting left handed it is what it is. This is what the regular season is. If it were a shorter season, the whole regular season is an “in season tourney.” Some playoff series are more fun, but they’re fewer than NBA likes to pretend they are. Why would players get up for an All-star game looking at today’s game? Even playoff games we’re watching Jimmy Butler drive, and defense has to just let him get to the hoop, and then he jumps into them at the rim. A playoff that has multiple 50 point games from Brunson, Tatum, Steph, Jimmy is very watered down. The more I think about it the more there is zero chance the league will ever correct this. Maybe they remove some of the offensive player jumping into guy stuff, but they’ve built all these guys up like Brunson, Haliburton, and SGA, they’re not going to suddenly allow defense again. Everyone in the league can drive, because you can’t play defense, which is why Butler’s career has exploded post FOM in the playoffs. It will be extremely difficult to claw back from players who are used to going wherever they want on the floor with little to no resistance.
Some positive news, double R is back with the team in Spain, and will likely be in the Olympics this summer. That would be my chip. No reason for a player of his caliber to stick around the NBA post FOM. Leave that stand in the corner stuff to the “organizers” and NR’s of the world. I knew basketball was over, when we replaced point guard with “they just need an organizer.”
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2024 15:37:00 GMT -6
Our greatest fears are being confirmed. There is a CONE OF SILENCE in local media around the only story that would have had any impact on this franchise. We’ve lost JK. There’s only one courageous writer, who allegedly has no strings to hold him down, I’ve been told he’s not afraid to burn bridges, except for when it comes to the bridge to the Jeff Schwartz, and Adrian Wojnarowski propaganda/bot farm. There is nothing indicating to me he is as free as he claims, unless you count just climbing on board with national narratives. Do the job you should have done ten years ago.
Local media tends to think if they reference “knuckle push-ups” it’s like a wink to their audience, that yes, we know that’s not what it was, but in doing so, they are doing exactly what Schwartz intended you to do, which is amplify, and repeat something that clearly was a lie, so Woj could redirect it back on Mr. Kahn.
*****
Tom PowerTom Powers: Timberwolves’ Kevin Love dispels conspiracy theoriess: Timberwolves’ Kevin Love dispels conspiracy theories
Conspiracy theories abound with regard to what really happened to Kevin Love’s hand.
Did he slip on the dance floor of some swanky club? Did he mishandle a jack while replacing a tire? And the most popular of all: Did he simply haul off and punch someone?
“I’ve heard it all by now,” Love said. “Hey, sorry I don’t have a better story for you. It’s more sexy having punched something. But it’s also more idiotic, for lack of a better term.”
Still, Kevin, you can understand why so many people are raising eyebrows. A knuckle push-up? Really?
“Of course,” he said. “I’ve heard everything. This isn’t TMZ, this isn’t People magazine, and I think most people are just looking for a story. For me, I know what happened. I’m not trying to get around it. I’m not trying to lie. That’s what happened.”
He did not wink after saying it. Nor did he nudge anyone in the ribs. And the fingers on his left hand weren’t crossed. (The fingers on his right hand were immobilized in a cast.)
Love took part in the Wolves’ practice Wednesday, Oct. 31, as much as he could, anyway, stepping on the court for the first time in more than a week. In the team’s grand scheme of things, Love’s injury falls somewhere between calamity and total disaster. With Love and Ricky Rubio expected back sometime after mid-December, the big question is whether the team can stay afloat in the playoff race.
I have a hard time envisioning that, even with a beefed-up supporting cast.
“I think in years past we probably would have been in trouble,” Love said. “But I think with Pek and Luke and J.J. and Brandon and A.K. and Derrick and Shved — I think with all the different guys we have on this team, we’re going to be OK. I think if we just play good basketball and we continue the defense we’ve been playing thought the preseason, I think we’ll win some ballgames.
“The sooner we get Ricky and myself back and get to a full roster, I think we’re going to have a major breakthrough and continue to play better.”
Darned knuckle push-ups.
“It was pretty much a freak accident,” Love insisted. “It was just a weird thing.”
I’ll say this: If something screwy had caused the injury, Love certainly could have made up a better story. Saying he hurt himself doing a push-up is like a veteran of the Invasion of Normandy saying he injured himself tripping over his canteen. If Love really had decked someone or bumped into a disco ball or something, he likely would have made up a story that was a lot less dopey.
“If I had to make up a story? Yeah. I would have done some, you know, crazy story, the way my mind works,” Love agreed.
Yes, like saving a senior citizen from a bunch of ferocious hoodlums. Or maybe catching a baby after it was tossed out the window of a burning building. But the knuckle push-ups thing is too lame to be a lie. OK … I’m buying it.
Love was sporting the tennis-ball look at practice. He has been shaving his head to raise awareness for breast cancer. It was a nice thing to do, and his hair just now is starting to grow back. I was concerned, however, that with his right hand in a cast he was trying to shave his head with his left. He could lose an eyebrow or an ear that way.
Love assured everyone that others have done the shaving for him. And now he doesn’t have to worry about it anymore. “This will be it for me,” he said. “I’m going to start growing it out again.”
The Wolves’ opener is rapidly approaching. If they can just find a way to stay near .500 until Love and Rubio get back, they might still be in the playoff hunt.
“Well know more next week on where my hand is at,” Love said. “And I’m planning on being back sooner rather than later.”
But will it be soon enough to save the 2012-13 season?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2024 11:03:57 GMT -6
www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/39606079/from-embiid-70-luka-73-nba-offenses-become-too-goodWhy national guys never mention the fact we can pinpoint the exact rule change, and time the league destroyed basketball is sus. As recent as 2016-17, you would never had guys like McD, or Naz driving to the hoop with defenders backing away from them all the way to the rim. Let alone Jaylen Brown as a primary initiator. FOM rule change + no longer resetting the shot clock on offensive boards to 24 seconds is why the all-star game, and many regular season games look like pick up games. One of the craziest plays in the NBA to me is watching Steph on Sunday night dribble around on the wing, as Aaron Gordon circles around him, and follows behind him to the rim. Pre FOM Steph is not going by anyone without a screen. This is the crux. People want to point to more efficient shooting, but it starts with the fact every single player in the NBA can drive to the rim now if they have a fraction of a step. The reason teams are chucking three's is far more about FOM, and the fact you can't keep guys out of the lane, or defend the perimeter, than 3 is more than two, or guys or more skilled. If you don't think guys like Derrick Williams, Courtney Lee, Wes Johnson, or CJ Miles could straight line drive to the rim all night with no d, you're insane. Point guards were required, because not just anyone could initiate, or move the basketball like we see across the board now. While it's true the pool is deeper, given the growth of euro and g-league, I would argue it's never been easier to play in to the NBA than right now. I think there a lot of guys who can come in an play NBA offense today, and average say 12 points a game. Has nothing to do with teams playing smarter, or guys being more skilled. This is without a doubt the NBA's steroid era. New for the 2018-19 season, stipulated by item No. 12 (B), Section 1 in the NBA Rule Book, players are no longer permitted to “hold, push, charge into, impede the progress of an opponent,” or do anything else that would instantly cause the man they’re guarding to be “re-routed.”
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2024 12:42:22 GMT -6
www.twincities.com/2012/10/17/timberwolves-kevin-love-wont-need-surgery-on-broken-hand/Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman was happy to learn Thursday, Oct. 18, that Kevin Love would not need surgery to heal his broken right hand, but Adelman was quick to declare a new policy for the team: no more knuckle push-ups. The Wolves confirmed that Love fractured the third and fourth metacarpal bones Wednesday morning at his home while doing knuckle push-ups, a training activity that will sideline the two-time NBA all-star forward six to eight weeks. “I think that should be taken out of the repertoire for sure,” Adelman said Thursday. “In fact, all push-ups … anything to do with the hands.” Moments after learning how Love had injured his hand, Adelman said he saw Wolves point guard Ricky Rubio doing push-ups and told the training staff to stop him. In Adelman’s mind, the last thing the Wolves need is another injury, particularly to Rubio, who is still recovering from a major knee injury. Love and Rubio, the Wolves’ two best players, both will be out of the lineup until at least mid-December. Love’s projected return is more promising after his visit Thursday to New York hand specialist Dr. Andy Weiland, who examined Love and said surgery will not be required. Love issued a statement after meeting with Weiland: “Yesterday, I had a post-practice commitment and decided to work out at my home with my personal trainer before heading to Target Center,” he said. “While doing various push-ups, including knuckle push-ups, which are part of my regular workout routine, I hurt my hand. I immediately knew something was wrong and called head athletic trainer Gregg Farnam.” Love continued: “Although I’m disappointed that this injury happened, I will work extremely hard to stay in shape and return to the court as quickly as possible. We have added a lot of depth to our roster this season, and I have complete confidence in my teammates and coaching staff that they will step up and we will be successful during this time. I’m looking forward to supporting our team and helping out any way I can until I get back on the court.” Weiland told the Wolves that Love still is facing a six- to eight-week recovery, which suddenly puts pressure on an optimistic team to get off to a strong start while Love and Rubio recuperate. Love’s injury immediately shifts the focus to forwards Andrei Kirilenko, Derrick Williams, Dante Cunningham, Chase Budinger and Lou Amundson. “It’s not just the one spot,” Adelman said of Love’s power forward position. “The point guards will have to do more, (shooting guard) Brandon (Roy) will have to do more, and (center Nikola Pekovic) will have to do more. Everybody will have to step up and do more.” Though the Wolves have to figure out a way to compensate for Love’s 26.0 points and 13.3 rebounds per game of last season, Adelman did not lay out a specific plan after Thursday’s practice. He also did not anoint Williams, the player most likely to benefit from Love’s absence, as Love’s replacement in the starting lineup. Adelman said the slimmer, fitter Williams will have to prove he’s worthy of extra minutes. “He hasn’t played the same since training camp,” Adelman said of the second-year forward. “We’ll have to keep pushing him. He has to be aggressive all the time. It’s an opportunity for him and the other guys. The main thing we’re looking for from everybody is consistency.” Adelman is considering moving Kirilenko to Love’s spot at power forward, creating an opening for Williams, Budinger or Cunningham at small forward. Cunningham, acquired in a trade with Memphis, is more of a rebounder and defender; he averaged 2.1 points per game last season with Memphis. If Adelman shifts Kirilenko to power forward, Budinger and Williams could be the primary options at small forward. Budinger, acquired in a trade with Houston, knows Adelman’s system but does not have Williams’ inside strength. Williams has been used at both forward positions, but his intense offseason conditioning program has made him quicker and improved his stamina. The physical improvements make Williams more suited for small forward, but he still hasn’t convinced Adelman that he’s ready to elevate his game after a sporadic rookie season. “I know this is my time, and I want to make the most of it,” Williams said. “It’s the dream of every player to be able to make the most of an opportunity given to them. The work I did in the summer has prepared me for this.”
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2024 12:44:58 GMT -6
Great teammate, so the entire team knew he was lying, Adelman also lying for him, on top of Adelman would trash guys defense while everyone of Love's teammates has to deal with stat padding, and watching him ole dues to the rim. That's how you create instant shit chemistry, on top of him then doing an interview with Woj trashing his teammates.
Kahn should have just point blank told us what's happening if local media was going to cover for him.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2024 12:53:27 GMT -6
And this had followed Love missing a pre-season game he had slept on his arm wrong, which we all know happens to early 20's pro athletes all the time.
If fans hear this story, and then Love does that Woj interview, he's gone, and we don't waste two seasons trying to appease at the time easily the most overrated player/loser teammate in the history of the NBA.
That Woj interview and Love's unhappiness/trashing Kahn was the biggest story in the NBA, and because local writers were and remain fans of a small group of very influential media shills at the time, there was no push back.
A shill, also called a plant or a stooge, is a person who publicly helps or gives credibility to a person or organization without disclosing that they have a close relationship with said person or organization.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2024 17:27:13 GMT -6
Jeff Schwartz Bomb: This Canis link is a good example of how drugged Wolves fans base was at the time (see Rudy Gobert trade a season ago): www.canishoopus.com/2014/8/27/6072943/kahn-is-finally-gone12-13 team started out 5-2, and then lost five straight missing Pek, Bud, and Barea, for a few games, some of which Love was back for. So we have him rejoining the team after trashing them, and pitting his contract versus teammates Rubio and Williams, which is an insane thing that has never happened before.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2024 17:34:04 GMT -6
It's so interesting how Love would always pit himself against teammates from Jefferson, to Williams, Ricky, or JJ, and national heads were constantly covering, and spinning for this guy. How Wolves fans gobbled up all that trash, and never was like, wait, what?
James Harden gets fined for conduct detrimental to a team, obviously Love doesn't because Woj was doing work for Jeff like an psychopath, but could Woj or any sports writer technically be penalized today if that happens? Where they are trashing a players team/teammates on behalf of an agent.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 5, 2024 16:07:20 GMT -6
Let the airing of grievances begin!
Listening to Dunc'd On and Hollinger talk the league curbing O was hilarious. Nate is on board with illegal screens, and FOM, obviously because without it, Steph is a very containable normal movement shooter, who dooesn't do much else. The league broke basketball to favor those two teams specifically.
It's funny for Hollinger to be like, maybe they could do something off ball. The FOM changed both on and off ball offense. It is not just passing and cutting, hence the step backs, and plays like Steph "shaking" Aaron Gordon the other night. Zero change Steph is crossing up guys in 2024 pre-FOM with no illegal screen. That is the single rule change that broke basketball, to hear them come up with 10 other solutions that have nothing to do with what were talking about makes no sense.
There is a direct link between that rule change, and the spike in unstoppable offense we've seen for six years. You can't seriously follow the league professionally, and not point to this, and the offensive shot clock resetting unless you're intentionally misframing this. Either they didn't know, or they knew the whole time and hawked this whole league is more skilled than ever bull intentionally. I am open to the idea they don't know.
As for Wolves, we read way too much into one or two games, pocket of games here and there, and have for a while. You look at those games pre break, and it did look like we were moving the ball better, and more purposely, but part of that is look at the rosters we were playing.
Our problems are still our problems, which is how do we generate good looks, when teams switch or take away our drives. You could say well, it's about knocking down shots, but those two things are linked. If you're not able to generate good shots, you're less likely to knock down.
I have some questions about that last play Wolves tried late, I don't get bunching Kat and Ant so close together there. Kyle mentioned getting separation whether you're the ball handler, or setting the screen, Kat's never been great at that, but I would be curious what that was supposed to do there. Seems like the natural play is to run Ant through, make d react to him, and find Kat, or Mike, but I would also go Dire there, especially against Clips. Some teams Mike's fine, but he can struggle with size, more athletic d in terms of creating. Ant, McD, Kyle, Towns, Gob.
It's fun because if you look at recent history, it would seem to indicate Wolves will not close well come playoff time. I tend think they will. To me watching our late game O evolve over the last three years has mostly been about undoing Finch's previous three years. But the question of how to generate good looks in this scenario is not unique to Wolves. I thought they figure it out against OKC, but their d looks a little different obviously than Clips. How are C's closing in that scenario? Or Nugs for that matter, how are Joker and Jamal spacing typically. We don't need Kat to be Joker, but spacing of he and Ant is mostly what we're talking about here. Kat is not great at getting separation, so whatever the play design is should prioritize Ant cutting off him hard. I still think Finch forces Kat into a guard role at times, again this is his primary innovation to offense during his time here, let Kat play big. Kat's driving started because Finch saw him as a primary initiator, and against good teams he's best used more like a Porzingis.
I'll say this about Bean Town, the East is still the East. But they are somewhat similar in terms of late game O, woes, have they figured it out, or just playing slush? Who's a better late game conductor, Joe, or CF? They are different, but the Joe Maz critique was very similar to what some Wolves fans are saying with Finch, Ant/Tatum, and Brown/Kat. The thing is we should be using Kat like Kat, to me that's where a lot of our fartinig around seems to happen/spacing gets junked etc.
Might have caught a break with Ant's kid coming now, versus smack dab in the middle of playoffs, figure out his routine or whatever.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2024 9:01:45 GMT -6
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Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2024 9:33:38 GMT -6
Feel bad for Kat, just a terrific season. I’d be curious if they could pinpoint a play where this might have happened, he wasn’t looking 100 lately, which is good to remember, if someone in their prime suddenly looks out of sorts, there's more to it than they're just a dumb player.
Can they get an injury exception to add a body? Maybe a center? Great opportunity for Naz Reid fan club to test all those numbers I hear about.
Maybe we can get by with a small ball rotation in the second group, overstocked on fours with Kyle, Naz, Minott, Miller, Warren, and whoever that other signing was. Would have been nice to get Garza more run time during the season. Might be able to get by with him in second units until we shorten the rotation.
Main priority will now be making sure we’re not running Rudy into the ground.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2024 9:40:09 GMT -6
Maybe he can evolve into more of a true big/spacer, cut back on some of those drives next year.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2024 12:47:27 GMT -6
The early heartbreak of being a Vikings fan, combined with the injuries that killed Wolves process era, sort of make me immune from the displeasure this gives me. It is also easier knowing that we at least got to see it, and know it works, and Wolves fans (not so much national heads) will at least acknowledge the role injuries have played, something for reasons very known they did not back then.
Maybe we'll get lucky, and he's back for playoffs, but I would hate to rush him back, and risk the next two years on top of this one.
Until then I'll continue to fight he NBA narrative wars. Detroit Pistons were forced into tanking hard early. I saw them like week two, and they were missing all of their vets, I don't know if that was injury, or intentional. They played Hayes because they were trying to pump up his value.
Monty Williams was terrific in Phoenix, and if you know anything about hoops, you would know that team was great when healthy, which really didn't happen until the end of the year and into the bubble.
It's idiotic to look at Suns team with CP versus without, because you're not factoring in they were good the year before, versus now when they didn't have Paul, they were starting Cam Payne, versus he or Rubio.
HTB, and the talking Ape appear on one with Monty Williams, and the Pistons. Know it is agenda driven, and they are full of shit when tuning in. Trying to figure out why, but that team imploded because they invested in a 60 year old CP, versus paying their core four. That was the choice they made, it's why it didn't work. I doubt they even make it to the finals if not for weak COVID season following the bubble. Very very inflated couple years for Suns, and they put all their chips on the Point Guy versus paying keeping double R, Book, Bridges, Johnson and Ayton for five years.
I don't get why JK's in bed with these dummies now, but might as well make it useful and crack down on these assholes.
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