2023 Wolves

I don’t expect this post to garner much attention. But don’t look now the T-Wolves are 6-2. I’m not a fan of Towns, but Anthony Edwards looks legit.

Towns has had some good games and some bad games. He seems worse than he actually is because of how stupid he plays for stretches at a time.
Rudy is the real anchor of the team so far. He is looking so much different than last year.
I really think Mike Connely is the reason the team is flowing better. Such an upgrade from D-Lo.
The rest of this road trip should tell us a lot about them.

And yet there’s a 46 page thread devoted to the most over rated franchise in all professional sports..

But it is unreal to finally see a decent defense from the Wolves..

Timberpuppy’s who?

ANT is worth the price of admission. They’ve been fun to watch, except when KAT starts pouting because he’s not getting the calls.

KAT is the cancer. Realize it and get a good trade worked out.

Love the wolves and love this defense. We are contesting every shot and closing out in bunches. Finch has this team playing hard. Agree with others I hate towns. He will be traded after this season I would guess

3rdtryguy wrote:

KAT is the cancer. Realize it and get a good trade worked out.

I realized it, Jimmy realized it but some people are slower than others. followed this team since 89 and i can say that it feels different this year. i still think they are playing too good to be true so we will see how they sit a month from now?

they can beat playoff contending teams no doubt, it was the bad teams that they could not take care of. so far so good!

Naz needs to play more.

Agreed…….Naz Reid!

Already a folk hero in this state. Someday he might be as big as Paul Bunyan

they are for real I guess. warriors are not the old warriors but they absolutely took them out.

crappie55369 wrote:

Love the wolves and love this defense. We are contesting every shot and closing out in bunches. Finch has this team playing hard. Agree with others I hate towns. He will be traded after this season I would guess

THis defense is absolutely legit! So much fun to watch. They have like 5 guys ranked in the top 15 in defensive metrics with Gobert leading the way and now McDaniel is back so he will really help too.

Love seeing some positivity for the Tpups, hopefully you guys can keep the thread flowing so I know when the playoffs start and might tune in then. NBA games are generally pretty painful to watch imo.

They are 7-2 right now after winning 6 in a row. Gave the first loss of the season to the NBA Champion and another team that I think was in the FInals last year.

Imagine how much better they would be if Gobert could make free throws. Hacka Shaq 2.0.

If all the big heads and selfish attitudes can be put away and they play as a team … this could continue.

The bandwagon will get crowded in the New Year if the winning continues.

I wish I could watch more games, ANT is the real deal, I hope they trade Towns to make room for Reid to get more playing time.
I like Rudy, but they gave Denver the farm and the neighbors as well to get him.

Jazz got: Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Leandro Bolmaro, Walker Kessler, Jarred Vanderbilt, 2023 first-round pick (unprotected), 2025 first-round pick (unprotected), 2027 first-round pick (unprotected), 2029 first-round pick (top-five protected)

hop307 wrote:

Jazz got: Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Leandro Bolmaro, Walker Kessler, Jarred Vanderbilt, 2023 first-round pick (unprotected), 2025 first-round pick (unprotected), 2027 first-round pick (unprotected), 2029 first-round pick (top-five protected)

Yes they did give up a lot but heres the deal – how many NBA draft picks ever amount to something? Most dont. You might have 2 or 3 players that have an all star appearance here or there, a few players that become nice roll players and the rest washes out of the league within a few years or become just bench filler. Now when you consider the draft picks that the wolves gave up are all in the 20’s (will be) and i would say who really cares? Lastly, take a look at the Timberwolves draft record over the last 20 years. They got 3 picks right – KAT, ANT, Garnett. Thats it. And those were all top 5 picks with ANT and KAT being #1’s. Every other pick they have selected has been awful. I dont think we will be missing those picks especially when we are hoisting the Larry O Brien in June and Gobert is named DPOY

The NBA needs more teams like the Wolves, Bucks, etc to be relevant. I can only take so much of the Lakers, Golden State, NY, Boston, Miami. The smaller market areas are often undervalued or don’t get the free agents that others do.

The Wolves could make a nice run with this group if they play together and share the ball. The best teams in the NBA have not only star talent, but stars that score and take shots within the flow of an offense (Golden State, Milwaukee, Boston as recent examples). The teams that essentially take turns playing 1 on 1 rarely succeed in the current playoff format (Dallas, probably the Clippers). I’ve seen the Wolves play both ways. When they are sharing the ball and showing a concerted effort on defense, they are a top 5 team in the West for sure.

buckybadger wrote:

The NBA needs more teams like the Wolves, Bucks, etc to be relevant. I can only take so much of the Lakers, Golden State, NY, Boston, Miami. The smaller market areas are often undervalued or don’t get the free agents that others do.

I agree. Unfortunately, in the sport of basketball, 1 players impact on the outcome of a team is far greater than any other major sport outside of maybe soccer. In games like baseball or football or hockey you need a full roster of talented players working together. This gives basketball stars enormous leverage to force their way out of smaller markets to go to more glamorous teams. They have made some changes in the way teams can pay players and whatnot in the last few years to try to curb this a bit but players are finding ways around that. See Lilliard

Did any of you guys see the rant some talking head did on James Harden? He was dead spot on about him!

CaptainMusky wrote:

Did any of you guys see the rant some talking head did on James Harden? He was dead spot on about him!

Yeah that was funny. And true!

crappie55369 wrote:

Yeah that was funny. And true!

100%

crappie55369 wrote:

Lastly, take a look at the Timberwolves draft record over the last 20 years. They got 3 picks right – KAT, ANT, Garnett. Thats it. And those were all top 5 picks with ANT and KAT being #1’s. Every other pick they have selected has been awful.

RIP Jaden McDaniels

Good call. Forgot to include him. My point bring draft picks are often busts and are overrated IMO. I’m not saying the trade was good value for us. I too think it was an overpay. But I’ve seen enough timberwolves drafts to be glad to have gobert instead of seeing who the wolves take at pick 22…

Just giving you sh!t
Completely agree with your point on draft picks

crappie55369 wrote:

Good call. Forgot to include him. My point bring draft picks are often busts and are overrated IMO. I’m not saying the trade was good value for us. I too think it was an overpay. But I’ve seen enough timberwolves drafts to be glad to have gobert instead of seeing who the wolves take at pick 22…

The Wolves did draft Walker Kessler, and one could argue he’s on pace to be comparable if not better than Gobert. Factor in the salary and that he’ll play 8-10 more years, and the argument becomes even stronger.

I like Gobert, but I’m really getting sick oh him going 2-10 at the charity stripe.

How about the first couple minutes of last nights game? LOL Green is a toolbag. Wolves win again.

we are so good

crappie55369 wrote:

we are so good

I am far from a BB guy but this team is so much fun to watch!