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Post by levine on Jan 20, 2024 11:26:51 GMT -6
We have to play MUCH better than we did the past 2 games.
Minnesota OUT: Jaylen Clark (right achilles tendon rupture rehab) Leonard Miller (G League assignment) Josh Minott (G League assignment)
Oklahoma City QUESTIONABLE: Lu Dort (illness)
OUT: Ousmane Dieng (G League assignment)
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Post by Scorched on Jan 20, 2024 21:33:41 GMT -6
We have got to be the dumbest team in basketball.
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Post by langcow on Jan 20, 2024 23:14:24 GMT -6
We have to play MUCH better than we did the past 2 games. I don’t think they got your memo
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Post by langcow on Jan 20, 2024 23:30:10 GMT -6
This is funny - I kid you not, this is my Chinese fortune cookie just now: “Before the beginning of great brilliance there must be chaos.”
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Post by jojo on Jan 21, 2024 7:45:54 GMT -6
They played hard but stupid and Mike had his worst game of the season. Plus OKC is a tough matchup- I’d almost rather play Denver. Hope they learn something from this game. Turnover issue is not going away.
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Post by levine on Jan 21, 2024 9:53:12 GMT -6
Another choke. This team can not handle pressure. They need to fix that or we're 1 and done in the Playoffs.
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Post by quinn on Jan 21, 2024 10:09:47 GMT -6
Another choke. This team can not handle pressure. They need to fix that or we're 1 and done in the Playoffs. I remember Dane pointed out how the Thunders main goal was to pack the paint and make us beat them from outside. It appears to have worked as we shot 37 threes compared to their 24. It also forced us into making decisions about having to either attack the rim and get swallowed up by a crowd or move the ball on the perimeter. Knowing us, both lead to turnovers which just tells the story of the season here. Just horrendous ball security. 15 TOs from the starters and 6 from the bench. We had 21 turnovers to their 8. Any contending team can’t just give the ball away that much. Possessions are just too valuable in the playoffs. If we continue to turn the ball over this much, it won’t be a pretty story for us come April. Also, Mike is just off right now. Another stinker for him in what’s been a poor stretch. He had 3 TOs which tells me something’s up with him. Unsure if it’s an injury or just fatigue at his age, but it just goes to show how important it is to get him some help come the deadline.
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Post by jojo on Jan 21, 2024 11:20:09 GMT -6
Another choke. This team can not handle pressure. They need to fix that or we're 1 and done in the Playoffs. Problem with running flow offense is when things get tight guys don’t know what to do. Run plays so they know their options. Guess it takes some painful losses for Finch to get the message.
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Post by kingsxman on Jan 21, 2024 12:01:43 GMT -6
Another choke. This team can not handle pressure. They need to fix that or we're 1 and done in the Playoffs. I find it hard to believe Finch didnt know this was going to be their approach. If Finch knew this, then the players should know this and the players should know then that the plan is to get (and take) 3 point shots. I see Mike got the message but didnt convert (1-9). Kat on the other hand, our BEST 3 point shooter, was 1-4. Edwards was 1-3. So either our coach didnt get have the right game plan and convey it to our players (doubtful when you look at Conleys attempts) or our 2 best players once again arent doing what they've been told to do. I'm just sick of saying the same thing over and over about Towns: Shoot more fing 3's. Its pretty simple. And he simply wont do it. Which is why he is the one that needs to be moved for good pieces in the offseason. I feel that Ant will eventually get it but he's one of these guys who has to bang his head 3 times before he remembers to duck. It was a very frustrating loss because it was so preventable....and so unavoidable given the things mentioned above.
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Post by kingsxman on Jan 21, 2024 13:16:43 GMT -6
Reposting from "Limozeen" on Canis:
Just to put in context how bad the Timberwolves' turnover issues are (and also how much room for improvement it leaves), the Wolves' net rating would be the best in the league, just ahead of Boston, if every team had an average turnover rate on offense and an average "possessions that start with a steal" rate on defense.
Their offensive efficiency would be 118, which would be about the same as Denver, Philadelphia, New York, New Orleans, and Atlanta under the same adjustment, and their defensive efficiency would marginally improve as well (staying #1).
Adjusted net rating top 10:
MIN 8.63 (+2.43) BOS 8.46 (-1.26) OKC 6.05 (-1.95) PHI 5.59 (-2.16) LAC 5.23 (-0.45) NOP 4.28 (-0.66) NYK 4.26 (+0.29) CLE 3.81 (+0.55) DEN 3.76 (-1.23) PHX 3.02 (+1.75)
Basically every other good team gets at least a half-point of efficiency out of being better than league average at avoiding turnovers, while the Wolves are giving away 2.5 points per game because they're so bad at it.
Optimistic take: they're the best team in the league when they just get a shot. Pessimistic take: they're really bad at just getting a shot.
I'm feeling much more pessimistic after watching them piddle away what should have been a great win against OKC, but at least there's room for improvement.
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Post by kingsxman on Jan 21, 2024 13:22:53 GMT -6
One other thing to consider: there are only 6.5 games seperating the #1 team (us) from the 8th seed.
In other words, we are one extended SGA injury away from potentially facing the Thunder in the first round of the playoffs. Which would be the most Timberwolvsey thing that could happen.
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Post by araxen on Jan 21, 2024 14:38:07 GMT -6
There needs to be an offense with less than 5 minutes to go in a game. ANT isoing it up for the entire 5 minutes will make for an early playoff exit if we don't fix that. It's very annoying to see that it hasn't been fixed, and a lot of dumb turnovers are happening due to it.
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Post by kingsxman on Jan 21, 2024 15:06:17 GMT -6
There needs to be an offense with less than 5 minutes to go in a game. ANT isoing it up for the entire 5 minutes will make for an early playoff exit if we don't fix that. It's very annoying to see that it hasn't been fixed, and a lot of dumb turnovers are happening due to it.Couldnt agree more.
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Post by levine on Jan 21, 2024 15:36:03 GMT -6
I’d love to see what Daigneault could do with our roster…
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Post by jojo on Jan 21, 2024 22:25:09 GMT -6
Eh maybe. But he’s got Shai. That’s helps a bit.
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Post by levine on Jan 21, 2024 22:33:13 GMT -6
Eh maybe. But he’s got Shai. That’s helps a bit. Look at the whole team. They all move with purpose on offense and defense.
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Post by quinn on Jan 22, 2024 7:47:35 GMT -6
Eh maybe. But he’s got Shai. That’s helps a bit. Look at the whole team. They all move with purpose on offense and defense. And they've always been a team that's been better than the sum of its parts. I still don't think the Thunder as currently constructed are really the 2nd best team in the West talent-wise. Shai, Chet, and J-Dub carry that team. But that's the testament to Daigneault and getting his guys to buy in. He's got them playing with such purpose and precision that it's hard to doubt this team right now. Honestly, COY is going to come down to Daigneault and Finch. Finch has done a great job, but the team still has very coachable flaws that's holding it back. There's a real argument that Daigneault deserves it over Finch.
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Post by jojo on Jan 22, 2024 8:09:54 GMT -6
I got no problem with Daigneault winning COY. But you play the cards you’ve been dealt. Sometimes coaching this team is like herding cats.
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Post by XRaySpecs on Jan 22, 2024 11:34:46 GMT -6
Look at the whole team. They all move with purpose on offense and defense. And they've always been a team that's been better than the sum of its parts. I still don't think the Thunder as currently constructed are really the 2nd best team in the West talent-wise. Shai, Chet, and J-Dub carry that team. But that's the testament to Daigneault and getting his guys to buy in. He's got them playing with such purpose and precision that it's hard to doubt this team right now. Honestly, COY is going to come down to Daigneault and Finch. Finch has done a great job, but the team still has very coachable flaws that's holding it back. There's a real argument that Daigneault deserves it over Finch. Daigneault is a very good coach for sure. It sure helps though to have an MVP caliber lead guard who generates efficient offense and then regulars who shoot 46% (Williams), 43% (Dort), and 39% (Holmgren) from 3. Dort has become a huge weapon with his D and shooting and Williams and Holmgren are future all stars if not already. It's interesting to me how much credit coaches get when guys develop like Williams or Dort, but then others don't like Giddey. I don't know the answer to the balance of credit to give to a coach. I do think Daigneault is a good one though. He's the COY so far. Are our flaws really coachable? Specifically to the TOs, most of our regular guys are right at the their career averages for TOs per 36. Ant's are up from 3 to 3.6, but that's understandable given how much more he's got the ball in his hands making plays. KATs TOs are actually down from his last 5 seasons as he's at 3.0 (recently 3.2-3.4). Rudy, Conley, and NAW are down as well. Kyle's are the only guy who's TOs are up as he's at 2.2 compared to 1.7 career. I'm worried that we just have guys who turn it over a lot. Ant should clearly be working to improve his TOs, but even if he does, will that help significantly? Are we expecting KAT to really change at this point? Rudy's hands aren't getting better. Even if Ant cuts off a half a TO and Kyle goes back to his usual, we're still a bottom 10 team in TOs.
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Post by levine on Jan 22, 2024 15:37:53 GMT -6
Jon K on Daigneault:
OKC has been terrific this season, but even last year, you could see how well-coached the Thunder are. Everyone knows their roles. They run great offense and compete like hell on defense. Most impressively, despite being one of the youngest teams in the league, the Thunder play with a maturity and precision that belies their age. Daigneault deserves a ton of credit for that and would be a deserving winner of this award.
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Post by Bonecrusher on Jan 23, 2024 8:21:59 GMT -6
The Thunder are probably the most disciplined team in the league.
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