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Post by levine on Apr 10, 2024 9:51:23 GMT -6
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Post by XRaySpecs on Apr 10, 2024 10:44:39 GMT -6
I love when Woj and Shams duel!
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Post by XRaySpecs on Apr 10, 2024 10:51:18 GMT -6
What a big game. A Wolves win means we just need 1 of the final 2 games to clinch the 1 seed. Being #1 in the West would be a huge accomplishment given the level of competition this year.
I wish the Wolves could have coasted a little more vs. the Wizards, but according to Ant it's not going to matter! All the analysts have Denver on autopilot to the Finals. I think the Nuggets already know the Wolves are for real, but a win tonight would put them on notice. Beating them three times (and the other loss happening like it did) would have to shake their confidence at least a little?
Go Wolves!!!
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Post by Bonecrusher on Apr 10, 2024 11:32:10 GMT -6
I'm not hoping for much because it is a back to back and we are in Denver but we do have a fully rested Naz for the game and I think ANT is really pumped up by what happened last night it translates into today. If they keep their turnovers (hence low opposition fast break points) we have a great shot of winning.
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Post by Nick K on Apr 10, 2024 21:35:45 GMT -6
Hell of a game tonight boys. Reid just had a dribble drive to the basket that was something to behold! 70-65 Wolves 5 min left in the 3rd.
Last year we gave up huge lead after lead to Denver late. It will be interesting to see how much we're learned and grown as a team if we can hold on.
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Post by darko on Apr 10, 2024 22:30:18 GMT -6
Really nice game by Tony Brothers.
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Post by Nick K on Apr 10, 2024 23:02:23 GMT -6
Really nice game by Tony Brothers. It's time for him to retire.
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Post by kingsxman on Apr 11, 2024 6:54:05 GMT -6
I still stand by my comment I've made in the past: I actually prefer the wolves to be down at half as they tend to come out with more fire in the 2nd half. You could kind of see where this was going as soon as Denver got the last lead. Crunch time defensive woes and missed assignments just derailed this team last night. Unfortunate as it was all right there for the taking but we resorted to Ant iso ball which turned into missed shots with points at the other end that couldnt get matched. Once that lead got to 8 we were sunk.
Sucks because I'm not sure they are going to come out with the requisite fire against Atlanta. Denver is not going to lose to either of the 2 patsies they have left and we still have to win at least 1 of the last 2 to guarantee 2nd place.
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Post by kingsxman on Apr 11, 2024 6:54:33 GMT -6
Really nice game by Tony Brothers. It's time for him to retire. He's a good ref but he had his moments last night.
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Post by Bonecrusher on Apr 11, 2024 7:08:31 GMT -6
This was the 3 sharpshooters I mentioned earlier. Watson got hot, Braun, Porter and Murray. They hit their shots. We went down and it was one and done. Everyone forgot to rebound. Hell, how many rebounds did Denver steal from free throws?
Lastly Jaden should have had his ass on the bench in the 2nd half. Time for NAW to start the games. He's earned it.
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Post by Bonecrusher on Apr 11, 2024 7:14:08 GMT -6
I still stand by my comment I've made in the past: I actually prefer the wolves to be down at half as they tend to come out with more fire in the 2nd half. You could kind of see where this was going as soon as Denver got the last lead. Crunch time defensive woes and missed assignments just derailed this team last night. Unfortunate as it was all right there for the taking but we resorted to Ant iso ball which turned into missed shots with points at the other end that couldnt get matched. Once that lead got to 8 we were sunk. Sucks because I'm not sure they are going to come out with the requisite fire against Atlanta. Denver is not going to lose to either of the 2 patsies they have left and we still have to win at least 1 of the last 2 to guarantee 2nd place. If anyone saw the potential matchup shown during the game last night, we 100% needed this game. As it sits, we likely get the 2nd seed and guess who we play first round? Winner of the play in between Phoenix and Pelicans. We likely lose 1st round especially if it's Phoenix.
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Post by kingsxman on Apr 11, 2024 8:22:56 GMT -6
I still stand by my comment I've made in the past: I actually prefer the wolves to be down at half as they tend to come out with more fire in the 2nd half. You could kind of see where this was going as soon as Denver got the last lead. Crunch time defensive woes and missed assignments just derailed this team last night. Unfortunate as it was all right there for the taking but we resorted to Ant iso ball which turned into missed shots with points at the other end that couldnt get matched. Once that lead got to 8 we were sunk. Sucks because I'm not sure they are going to come out with the requisite fire against Atlanta. Denver is not going to lose to either of the 2 patsies they have left and we still have to win at least 1 of the last 2 to guarantee 2nd place. If anyone saw the potential matchup shown during the game last night, we 100% needed this game. As it sits, we likely get the 2nd seed and guess who we play first round? Winner of the play in between Phoenix and Pelicans. We likely lose 1st round especially if it's Phoenix. You cant make this stuff up. The worst matchups for us are probably the most likely that we have. I think we all knew this was going to happen.
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Post by darko on Apr 11, 2024 8:25:35 GMT -6
Tough one in Denver, they're full strength, we're missing Kat, odds are we lose but just a classic swing with the refs here. Three quick fouls on Kyle in like 30 seconds, Rudy gets the poke away and Jokic throws him across the floor, and then next trip down Joker picks up a foul on Rudy. When that happened I knew it was done.
It is good to see games like that though against playoff d, and see how hard it is for Ant to both generate shots for everyone and carry the load offensively. We need Kat if we're going to do anything here.
I was thinking about the difference between good O today, and 2010. Back then you'd want the ball, and a your biggest offensive threat moving around the court which opens things up for the rest of the team. Today instead of both the ball moving, and an offensive player, because everyone plays four out you have to have one guy that requires doubling, and a second to relieve the pressure (as a playmaker or scorer). LeBron Ky, Dray Steph, Joker Murray, Giannis Middlton or Holiday. I think that's why Ky and Luka have a shot now that they have some d around them, and why Paul, Griffin and Jordan were for real in the mix. Need a primo scorer, and that second guy either needs to be an elite spacer, or have gravity to balance the court, or they have to be a ball mover/elite playmaker.
I would love a team to play with two bigs inside the arc, and get both the ball, and a primary offensive player moving, that still works, it just everything's based on spread and drive, but that is still an effective especially if you don't have two elite offensive threats out there. I also think a big reason why leads aren't safe isn't just the opponent is shooting three's, but the team with lead never changes pace, and keeps chucking as well. Would be great to see a team get a lead, and control the game with good O, and not rushing everything, something that Nuggets are able to do with Joker.
Playoff O will look much more like this, than what the offense has been the last three weeks or so. Hopefully Kat Man is close to 100. Really would have been nice to have home court if we see Denver, there will be more games like this in the playoffs where it's a short 3 minute burst that completely swings momentum, and that's where you need your homerun hitters to punch back, or find a way to make it easier for them offensively.
One of the flaws of spread everything is it's easily taken away if you really only have one guy. Which is why teams used to have offense.
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Post by darko on Apr 11, 2024 8:28:50 GMT -6
We can beat any team in the west, and playoffs likely will swing with health, but we need either another playmaker, or Kat's O.
And I absolutely do not take for granted that if we had injuries that say Cav's or Bulls have had, we're in the same boat, and national heads are trashing us, but if we have Kat, Gob, and Ant we've got a real shot here.
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Post by Bonecrusher on Apr 11, 2024 9:57:10 GMT -6
We can beat any team in the west, and playoffs likely will swing with health, but we need either another playmaker, or Kat's O. And I absolutely do not take for granted that if we had injuries that say Cav's or Bulls have had, we're in the same boat, and national heads are trashing us, but if we have Kat, Gob, and Ant we've got a real shot here. Last night for Denver, Jaden should have been sitting and Gobert, Naz, NAW, Ant and Conley/Morris/JMAC would have been what I would have tried. Let Jaden, Garza, JMAC, Kyle on the second squad. Kyle and Jaden should never share the floor. The opposing team just overwhelms Ant or Gobert and don't guard either of them that tightly. Also for Denver watch Jokic closely. If he's upset or gets flustered we are likely to win.
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Post by darko on Apr 11, 2024 10:59:12 GMT -6
Last night for Denver, Jaden should have been sitting and Gobert, Naz, NAW, Ant and Conley/Morris/JMAC would have been what I would have tried. I'd go Dire. Ant, McD, NR, Kyle, Big Rude. Need a second creator and that gets difficult for Minnesota Mike late. I'm fine with McD shooting there, if we can generate clean looks for him. This is where Leo Miller is exciting as possible initiator from the four spot with an Ant level offensive guy. I see a lot of folks wanting Kat in the corner, and no doubt he should fire away when the ball finds him there, but the most effective use of his gravity is still upper trap, as deep above the break as he is comfortable shooting opposite Ant Rudy, unless he's involved in the initial screen. As far back from the three point line as comfortable, it should be the most difficult close out in basketball.
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Post by darko on Apr 11, 2024 12:05:06 GMT -6
Game 7 of the finals, tie game, under five minutes, Celtics versus Wolves who's offense is more successful?
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