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Post by levine on Jan 7, 2024 10:50:23 GMT -6
Injury Report Updated as of Saturday at 8:30 PM CT
Minnesota OUT: Jaylen Clark (right Achilles tendon rupture rehab)
Dallas OUT: Dante Exum (right plantar fascia sprain) Maxi Kleber (right small toe dislocation)
DOUBTFUL: Dereck Lively II (left ankle sprain)
QUESTIONABLE: Luka Dončić (right ankle swelling) Richaun Holmes (personal reasons) Markieff Morris (illness) Grant Williams (right ankle sprain)
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Post by XRaySpecs on Jan 7, 2024 12:28:11 GMT -6
OUT: Jaylen Clark (right Achilles tendon rupture rehab) Anyone heard anything on Clark's timeline? I believe he tore his Achilles in mid March and recovery can be variable, but 6-9 months is often cited as far gross timeline for basic return (more time to recovery to higher intensity exercise). I haven't heard anything about where he's at.
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Post by XRaySpecs on Jan 7, 2024 12:30:36 GMT -6
Injury Report Updated as of Saturday at 8:30 PM CT Dallas OUT: Dante Exum (right plantar fascia sprain) Maxi Kleber (right small toe dislocation) DOUBTFUL: Dereck Lively II (left ankle sprain) QUESTIONABLE: Luka Dončić (right ankle swelling) Richaun Holmes (personal reasons) Markieff Morris (illness) Grant Williams (right ankle sprain) I'm hoping we get Luka tonight. I want to see how we match up with a duo as good on offense as Luka and Kyrie can be.
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Post by levine on Jan 7, 2024 12:37:41 GMT -6
OUT: Jaylen Clark (right Achilles tendon rupture rehab) Anyone heard anything on Clark's timeline? I believe he tore his Achilles in mid March and recovery can be variable, but 6-9 months is often cited as far gross timeline for basic return (more time to recovery to higher intensity exercise). I haven't heard anything about where he's at. My guess is he essentially “redshirts” this year and starts next year in Iowa. I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s in Iowa all season next year. Between missing a year and having almost zero functional offense, he has a long road ahead of him.
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Post by XRaySpecs on Jan 7, 2024 12:43:44 GMT -6
Anyone heard anything on Clark's timeline? I believe he tore his Achilles in mid March and recovery can be variable, but 6-9 months is often cited as far gross timeline for basic return (more time to recovery to higher intensity exercise). I haven't heard anything about where he's at. My guess is he essentially “redshirts” this year and starts next year in Iowa. I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s in Iowa all season next year. Between missing a year and having almost zero functional offense, he has a long road ahead of him. It does seem like that's the plan. I'm just wondering when he'll be able to do on court stuff. His shooting needs work. He's on a 2 year two way I believe which seems like a good fit as he gets his rehab timeline covered and then the Wolves get a year to see what he's got next year in Iowa.
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Post by quinn on Jan 7, 2024 21:34:03 GMT -6
Tough game to drop. Dallas is a really good team and it would've been a huge win had we pulled it off. Kyrie was absolutely unreal and this was one of those games that shows you just how special of a basketball player he is. Just incredible.
But man, that was winnable. Costly mistakes at the end by Rudy cost us a few possessions, and had we stayed out of foul trouble early on in the game, I think that could've turned out differently.
Jaden had a ROUGH one tonight. Couldn't throw it into the ocean and had he been able to make some shots, again, I think it turns out a little differently.
I thought KAT played well too. I really liked seeing the play drawn up for him in the last minute where he had a movement 3 attempt. I love that he took it even though it was contested. I really want to see our best 3 pt shooter shoot more 3 pt shots and I think it's good for him to just take them, no matter how contested, because I think he's still got a good probability of making them.
Just gotta move onto the next one after this. Tough loss, but this is a tough stretch of games that's almost over.
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Post by kingsxman on Jan 7, 2024 21:43:54 GMT -6
Very good and fun game. Happy to see Kat take a few more 3's than he usually does. I dont even care that he didnt make a lot because that will come. Its a game they should have won but you cant make the kind of dumb mistakes they did in the last 3 minutes and expect to win. Those were things that they were doing successfully for most of this year. Still......with 2 tough road games coming up with the Magic and Celtics (back to back) it would have been very nice to get this as I could see both of those being losses.
One thing that I can see happening though is the national media starting to jump on the "The wolves arent as good as we thought because they played all these teams with players missing earlier in the year. Now they are losing when playing teams with all their players". To a certain degree they wouldnt be all wrong. But...I think we're still a pretty damn good team.
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Post by jojo on Jan 7, 2024 22:31:38 GMT -6
Very good and fun game. Happy to see Kat take a few more 3's than he usually does. I dont even care that he didnt make a lot because that will come. It’s a game they should have won but you cant make the kind of dumb mistakes they did in the last 3 minutes and expect to win. Those were things that they were doing successfully for most of this year. Still......with 2 tough road games coming up with the Magic and Celtics (back to back) it would have been very nice to get this as I could see both of those being losses. One thing that I can see happening though is the national media starting to jump on the "The wolves arent as good as we thought because they played all these teams with players missing earlier in the year. Now they are losing when playing teams with all their players". To a certain degree they wouldnt be all wrong. But...I think we're still a pretty damn good team. I think that’s a legitimate argument. But I also think the Wolves are still in an early stage of figuring out their team especially on offense. Look at New Orleans- they are finally getting it together after a couple years of floundering a bit. The Wolves have some time before hitting their peak.
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Post by XRaySpecs on Jan 8, 2024 9:31:32 GMT -6
Anyone else found it a little worrisome that after the game, Ant again said he needs to take more shots? Last time he said that after the OKC game, he proceeded to stunt the offense with tunnel vision shot hunting the next few games.
I know Rudy had some miscues down the stretch, but the Jaden and KAT 3 pt attempts in the last few minutes were good looks IMO. They just didn't go in. That happens. I would agree that it's tricky with Rudy in the last few minutes because success involving him has to be very selective and executed exactly, but I don't want Ant forcing shots when the correct pass is to kick it to an open 3 pt shooter with a good look. In closing time, that's going to be Conley, Jaden, or KAT and open 3s from those guys are good shots. Jaden had a rough shooting night, but if the offense isn't going to look good if Ant is going to stop making those passes.
Rather than Rudy screening for Ant with the ball, I'd love to see more Rudy screens away from the ball for Ant or KAT depending on which is in the primary action.
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Post by jojo on Jan 8, 2024 11:10:16 GMT -6
Anyone else found it a little worrisome that after the game, Ant again said he needs to take more shots? Last time he said that after the OKC game, he proceeded to stunt the offense with tunnel vision shot hunting the next few games. I know Rudy had some miscues down the stretch, but the Jaden and KAT 3 pt attempts in the last few minutes were good looks IMO. They just didn't go in. That happens. I would agree that it's tricky with Rudy in the last few minutes because success involving him has to be very selective and executed exactly, but I don't want Ant forcing shots when the correct pass is to kick it to an open 3 pt shooter with a good look. In closing time, that's going to be Conley, Jaden, or KAT and open 3s from those guys are good shots. Jaden had a rough shooting night, but if the offense isn't going to look good if Ant is going to stop making those passes. Rather than Rudy screening for Ant with the ball, I'd love to see more Rudy screens away from the ball for Ant or KAT depending on which is in the primary action. Saw that too. Finch needs to change his mindset to recognizing when to be aggressive with shots and when to pass. If he is passing up legitimate opportunities to score it’s one thing, but stay away from forcing shots into teeth of the defense. I think Finch realizes that’s what Ant needs to focus on.
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Post by quinn on Jan 8, 2024 12:25:56 GMT -6
Anyone else found it a little worrisome that after the game, Ant again said he needs to take more shots? Last time he said that after the OKC game, he proceeded to stunt the offense with tunnel vision shot hunting the next few games. I know Rudy had some miscues down the stretch, but the Jaden and KAT 3 pt attempts in the last few minutes were good looks IMO. They just didn't go in. That happens. I would agree that it's tricky with Rudy in the last few minutes because success involving him has to be very selective and executed exactly, but I don't want Ant forcing shots when the correct pass is to kick it to an open 3 pt shooter with a good look. In closing time, that's going to be Conley, Jaden, or KAT and open 3s from those guys are good shots. Jaden had a rough shooting night, but if the offense isn't going to look good if Ant is going to stop making those passes. Rather than Rudy screening for Ant with the ball, I'd love to see more Rudy screens away from the ball for Ant or KAT depending on which is in the primary action. Yes, and that's the most worrisome thing about this game. I don't really know what makes Ant think that the way to win is by him dominating the ball MORE than he already does. Wasn't it just a game or two ago that he was saying he needs to get Conley the ball more and let him initiate? Ant had pretty bad tunnel vision when he had it going in the first quarter. He was getting to the hoop with ease, but then when that disappeared, he threw up a couple gross mid-range moving shots that had no chance. Dallas then proceeded to go on a run. It's things like that that make me think we're just not a high IQ team.
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Post by quinn on Jan 8, 2024 12:30:20 GMT -6
I hate to say it too, but we need to have the conversation about just how much Kyle is helping this team right now. I saw someone on Twitter say that Connelly needs to save Finch from himself and trade Kyle. I don't think that's too far off. I don't know if Finch would ever stop playing Kyle no matter how bad he's playing offensively.
I don't know if Kyle's just in his own head right now or what it is, but he is just not Kyle Anderson right now. 4 pts, 4 assists, and 1 rebound while committing 3 fouls. That's not the Slo-Mo I know. And with his playoff deficiencies combined with him being on an expiring contract, I think you almost have to move him for more guard help.
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Post by kingsxman on Jan 8, 2024 12:31:19 GMT -6
Anyone else found it a little worrisome that after the game, Ant again said he needs to take more shots? Last time he said that after the OKC game, he proceeded to stunt the offense with tunnel vision shot hunting the next few games. I know Rudy had some miscues down the stretch, but the Jaden and KAT 3 pt attempts in the last few minutes were good looks IMO. They just didn't go in. That happens. I would agree that it's tricky with Rudy in the last few minutes because success involving him has to be very selective and executed exactly, but I don't want Ant forcing shots when the correct pass is to kick it to an open 3 pt shooter with a good look. In closing time, that's going to be Conley, Jaden, or KAT and open 3s from those guys are good shots. Jaden had a rough shooting night, but if the offense isn't going to look good if Ant is going to stop making those passes. Rather than Rudy screening for Ant with the ball, I'd love to see more Rudy screens away from the ball for Ant or KAT depending on which is in the primary action. Saw that too. Finch needs to change his mindset to recognizing when to be aggressive with shots and when to pass. If he is passing up legitimate opportunities to score it’s one thing, but stay away from forcing shots into teeth of the defense. I think Finch realizes that’s what Ant needs to focus on. I didnt read that quote but yes, its worrysome. Its kind of like he's not aware that he's causing a lot of our offensive problems. Its like because he's our best offensive player he thinks that there is no way HE can be the source of issues. As for Finch figuring out how to get Ant focusing on this, you can kind of tell that Finch isnt a parent. If he was, he'd be the kind that says "dont do that or else....". And the kid does it..and he says "Dont do that or else..". At some point there has to be some repercussions for not doing what the coach wants. I saw some pretty bad shots by Ant (and turnovers) towards the end of the game last night. That cant stand with all the offensive talent we have. (its not a lot..but its more than just Ant).
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