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Post by levine on Feb 15, 2024 10:58:48 GMT -6
Minnesota QUESTIONABLE: Anthony Edwards (right knee soreness) Wendell Moore Jr. (left knee soreness)
OUT: Jaylen Clark (right Achilles tendon rupture rehab)
Portland PROBABLE: Scoot Henderson (left foot sprain)
OUT: Malcolm Brogdon (right elbow tendinitis) Moses Brown (left wrist fracture) Juan Minaya (G League assignment) Rayan Rupert (G League assignment) Shaedon Sharpe (lower abdominal surgery) Robert Williams III (right knee ligament tear)
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Post by levine on Feb 15, 2024 11:00:01 GMT -6
Win With SizeThe Timberwolves overwhelmed the Blazers inside in Round 1 on Tuesday. Minnesota scored 50 points in the paint, led by 22 (!!) from Anthony Edwards, 14 from Rudy Gobert, and six from Naz Reid. Those are all rock solid marks from a Wolves team playing either without Karl-Anthony Towns for large stretches due to foul trouble, or with a much less aggressive version of him on the drive, afraid of having to sit back down as a result of another offensive foul. That number would’ve soared past the 55.1 points in the paint per game Portland allows (26th in the NBA), but the Timberwolves earned 33 trips to the free throw line (tied for second-most in a game this season), where they connected on a season-high 30 freebies. Towns (8/8), Anderson (6/6) and Edwards (5/5) each made all of their attempts. Beyond that, the Wolves corralled 12 offensive rebounds they turned into 17 second chance points. Gobert grabbed six of them, but made a ton more missed much more difficult for Portland to bring down because of his activity on the glass. While Portland did score 19 fast break points, the Wolves should be able to “play big” in the paint and score inside against a Grant/Deandre Ayton frontline better than the Blazers can convert in transition — if Towns stays out of foul trouble. A renewed focus to post Towns up on Grant, run pick-and-roll to force Ayton to defend in space and on the roll against Gobert, and setting stagger screens up for Edwards against either Toumani Camara or Matisse Thybulle to give Ant a runway into the paint once again should all combine to produce a 60+ point night in the paint on Thursday. The quicker the Wolves can establish themselves around the rim, the easier it will be to create open 3-point looks, an area the Timberwolves have done a much better job in of late. Minnesota is 24th in the league in 3-point attempts (32.0 per game) on the season despite ranking second in percentage (39.3%). But over the last five games, Minnesota has upped their attempts to 36.6 per game (11th), while also shooting an even better percentage (41.5%), which includes a down night in Los Angeles on Monday (11/34 — 32.4%). www.canishoopus.com/2024/2/14/24073212/wolves-vs-blazers-preview-starting-time-tv-schedule-injury-report-odds-anthony-edwards-rudy-gobert
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Post by XRaySpecs on Feb 15, 2024 13:15:37 GMT -6
Ayton was really effective on Tuesday going 11-12 from the floor and had 16 rebounds. It seems like a trend that bigs who can make shots from the short mid range have hurt the Wolves this year. Claxton had a nice game when we played BRK and Jonas V. has made shots consistently from in the lane for NO this year. Embiid roasted us from the mid range.
For as good as the Wolves D has been this year, it seems like teams can hurt us if they have a big that can make shots from that range. Rudy is the best rim protector as a help guy, but to do that, he gives his guy a little cushion that they use to hit those shots.
Hopefully we can work on a way to limit that starting tonight.
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Post by Nick K on Feb 15, 2024 23:58:32 GMT -6
Quite the performance tonight. WOW?! Not that it was pretty. But when we were good we were really good.
The word was to key Any around KAT!! Just heard it from the coach. Ant has to grow up.
They want KAT star of the show. This way they teach ANT its not all about him. Ant needs that.
Well, Ant had a great night after all. 34-7-6 rebs,
I love Ant recently saying KAT was the best player on the team!! He wasn't blowing smoke. Kat and Ant get along famously and hang out together.
Because of this we'll be tough to beat going forward.
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Post by stretcharmstrong on Feb 16, 2024 7:38:55 GMT -6
This had the marks of a trap game. Coming off two difficult match ups. Nope, they handed it to Portland. Glad players from the bench got some time to play.
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Post by Nick K on Feb 16, 2024 12:20:02 GMT -6
This had the marks of a trap game. Coming off two difficult match ups. Nope, they handed it to Portland. Glad players from the bench got some time to play. Yep. Nice game by Monte Morris too.
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Post by XRaySpecs on Feb 16, 2024 13:00:43 GMT -6
Quite the performance tonight. WOW?! Not that it was pretty. But when we were good we were really good. The word was to key Any around KAT!! Just heard it from the coach. Ant has to grow up. They want KAT star of the show. This way they teach ANT its not all about him. Ant needs that. Well, Ant had a great night after all. 34-7-6 rebs, I love Ant recently saying KAT was the best player on the team!! He wasn't blowing smoke. Kat and Ant get along famously and hang out together. Because of this we'll be tough to beat going forward. I know statistically that the Wolves aren't likely to even go to the WCF let alone the finals or win it all, but I'm sure going to enjoy this ride!
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Post by kingsxman on Feb 16, 2024 15:22:31 GMT -6
Quite the performance tonight. WOW?! Not that it was pretty. But when we were good we were really good. The word was to key Any around KAT!! Just heard it from the coach. Ant has to grow up. They want KAT star of the show. This way they teach ANT its not all about him. Ant needs that. Well, Ant had a great night after all. 34-7-6 rebs, I love Ant recently saying KAT was the best player on the team!! He wasn't blowing smoke. Kat and Ant get along famously and hang out together. Because of this we'll be tough to beat going forward. I know statistically that the Wolves aren't likely to even go to the WCF let alone the finals or win it all, but I'm sure going to enjoy this ride! unless they flame out in the first round. Then...I'll be pissed. That said...I dont think that happens with Rudy and Mike here.
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Post by XRaySpecs on Feb 16, 2024 15:32:04 GMT -6
unless they flame out in the first round. Then...I'll be pissed. That said...I dont think that happens with Rudy and Mike here. The top 10 in the West is brutal. It's possible that the Wolves could be the #1 seed and get a red hot GS team that wins there way into the playoffs from the 9 or 10 seed. We could easily wind up the 2nd or 3rd seed and have PHX or NO in the first round and those teams aren't typical bottom half of the bracket teams. Dallas is scary in a first round matchup. My point is that it's most likely that the Wolves won't win and even if it's in the first round I'm still going to enjoy the ride to get there. I enjoy this team even with some of their frustrations.
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Post by kingsxman on Feb 17, 2024 8:52:24 GMT -6
unless they flame out in the first round. Then...I'll be pissed. That said...I dont think that happens with Rudy and Mike here. The top 10 in the West is brutal. It's possible that the Wolves could be the #1 seed and get a red hot GS team that wins there way into the playoffs from the 9 or 10 seed. We could easily wind up the 2nd or 3rd seed and have PHX or NO in the first round and those teams aren't typical bottom half of the bracket teams. Dallas is scary in a first round matchup. My point is that it's most likely that the Wolves won't win and even if it's in the first round I'm still going to enjoy the ride to get there. I enjoy this team even with some of their frustrations. Trust me, i know. Thats kind of my point. I'll still be pissed though because it usually isnt quite this bad. Its the wolves luck to be tops in a year when its so even. As long as the Lakers dont get in. Other than the Pels, thats my nightmare scenario: first round matchup with the Lakers. No way we get a call in that series.
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Post by Nick K on Feb 17, 2024 12:05:45 GMT -6
Quite the performance tonight. WOW?! Not that it was pretty. But when we were good we were really good. The word was to key Any around KAT!! Just heard it from the coach. Ant has to grow up. They want KAT star of the show. This way they teach ANT its not all about him. Ant needs that. Well, Ant had a great night after all. 34-7-6 rebs, I love Ant recently saying KAT was the best player on the team!! He wasn't blowing smoke. Kat and Ant get along famously and hang out together. Because of this we'll be tough to beat going forward. I know statistically that the Wolves aren't likely to even go to the WCF let alone the finals or win it all, but I'm sure going to enjoy this ride! I think we have as good a chance as any to go all the way. I'm not counting on it but I expect 2nd rd minimum and probably more.
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