Utah (11-22) vs Minnesota (5-26)

[Mattya]

I'm tired of hearing excuses for Thad concerning his mom. Yes, that's a horrible thing, but it was a long term illness, not a shock that took him by surprise. It does not excuse his **** play in the least. The fact is that trading that pick for him has morphed into a horrible mistake.

Just because you have had time to realize something is coming doesn't mean you can just get over it immediately once it does happen.

I have to agree about it being time to bury the Thad's mom as an excuse. And the pun is intended. There have been literally thousands of pro athletes that deal with deaths to loved ones in a season and they don't just completely fall apart the entire season over it.

Its a pretty low brow pun. He has only been back a little over a month. It obviously had an impact on him. Personally I think he will come through fine with more time.

[TheZachAttack]

This team sucks but there's still a lot to be positive about.

Rubio/Wiggins/Shabazz
Lavine

That's a great guard group to build around.

Rubio (12ppg/10 apg/5 rpg/3 spg +bpg
Wiggins (20 ppg/3 apg/5 rpg/3 spg + bpg
Shabazz (18 ppg/2 apg/ rpg/1 bpg +spg)

Zach Lavine (12 ppg/4 rpg/2 spg + bpg) *Off the bench

Plus Gorgui Dieng looks to be devoloping into..

10-12 ppg
8-10 rpg
2-4 apg
3-5 spg + bpg.

Can't wait to watch

Starters
Rubio
Wiggins
Shabazz
2015 top 5 draft pick
Dieng

Rotation guys

Lavine (PG/SG)
Nemanja Bjelica (SF/PF)
Bennett (PF)
Pekovic (C)

Plus, Adrien/Daniels/Budinger/Hummell/Radrulzci seem like guys we can build off of as depth guys.

Headed into the 2015 season if we had a roster that looked like...

PG:

Starter: Rubio
Backup: _____
3rd guy: Zach Lavine

SG:

Starter: Wiggins
Backup: Lavine
Spacing: Daniels/Budinger

SF:

Starter: Shabazz
Backup:Bjelica
Defenisive:Adrien
Spacing: Daniels/Budinger/Hummell

PF:

Starter: _________ (#1 pick)
Back ups: Bennett/Bjelica
Defensive: Adrien
Spacing: Hummell
C:

Starter: Dieng
Backup: Pekovic (offense off the bench)
Foul trouble big: Raduljica

Starting 5...

PG: Rubio = set
SG: Wiggins = set
SF: Shabazz = set
PF:
C: Gorgui Dieng = set

6th man: Zach Lavine (PG/SG)
Backup C: Nikolas Pekovic (C)
Backup PF/SF Neman Bjelinca and Anthony Bennett
Floor spacing: Hummel/Daniels/Budinger
Big for foul trouble: Raduljica

***Martin, Williams, Thad, will hopefully be gone

[Feilong]

Woke up 3 in the morning to watch the Pups. I thought we could win it, at least to show something promising.
I watched the first 2 1/2 Q. I regret so much for sacrificing my sleep for this **** performance.
Everything is awful, defense and offense.
Offensively it was pass , pass, jumpshoot or give it to Bazz or Wig for 1on1.
Defense is just terrible. Open shot after open shot. Burke 1 shoulder fake and Lavine was done. 2 passes and someone was completely open for a 3p.
Thad was unwatchable. Dead man walking. 0 effort.
Dieng has grease in his hands. He can't catch a rebound, he can't catch a pass. Totally invisible in the game.
Bazz made back to back buckets and that was all for the night.
How can Adrien have 8R in 15mins and Dieng+Thad 7R in 60 mins? I don't get it.
How can Gobert have 11R, Favors 8R, Booker 15R and Dieng only 6R? Thad and Bazz 1R? I don't understand.
Who coaches the bigs how to rebound? Who?
I am not even sure Ricky can do much. OK we will finally have an offense which will be watchable but defense? He will do a better job than Lavine and Mo but he can't cover everyone.

[Basti]

So glad I fell asleep in the 3rd quarter...

[Grits n Gravy]

One thing I took away from this is the reminder that when you have the chance to draft a 7-2 mobile, promising center with a 7'9 wingspan you always sell the pick and take the money.

[eyeontheprize]

Jazz fan here.

I know things don't look pretty now, but I'm scared to play you in the seasons to come. Pek is a beast down low. Wiggins will be in All-Star before he is 22. Bazz looks like a nice young piece. Martin is deadly when hes on the court. Since health has killed you guys this season so far you might be getting a top 3 pick. Adding a Okafor or Towns would be deadly. Or you could add someone like Mudiay which might make more sense. Rubio is fun to watch, but do you guys really think he can stay healthy? Then you have a cheery on top with Bennett who may become a valuable piece.

I creamed over Wiggins last year when we were tanking. I'm sad you guys got him. Hes putting up 20 pts and not even close to having a good feel for the NBA game. Dear heavens this kid is going to be a beast once he figures it out.

Since you guys are in our division Im scared at all these pieces you have. Best of luck to you, and lets hope both our teams develop, stay healthy, and can knock off the Thunder as the division champs in years to come.

[jpatrick]

One thing I took away from this is the reminder that when you have the chance to draft a 7-2 mobile, promising center with a 7'9 wingspan you always sell the pick and take the money.

This.

[cartermaxim13]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/APkrawczynski/status/551587394798252032[/tweet]

If that means, Bazz is out of the starting lineup just because of one mediocre game, I'm out. Thad should definitely be replaced by Bennett when Ricky comes back. Maybe that would also give AB a confidence boost to regain his level he had in the beginning of the season.

[minimus]

If that means, Bazz is out of the starting lineup just because of one mediocre game, I'm out. Thad should definitely be replaced by Bennett when Ricky comes back. Maybe that would also give AB a confidence boost to regain his level he had in the beginning of the season.

Keep Bazz in starting 5. Replace Young with Hummel.

[NewWolvesOrder]

One thing I took away from this is the reminder that when you have the chance to draft a 7-2 mobile, promising center with a 7'9 wingspan you always sell the pick and take the money.

This.

So which pick did we sell?

[Klomp]

One thing I took away from this is the reminder that when you have the chance to draft a 7-2 mobile, promising center with a 7'9 wingspan you always sell the pick and take the money.

This.

So which pick did we sell?

I think he's talking about 26 in 2013. But why draft Gobert after we just drafted Dieng?

[Devilzsidewalk]

whats done is done, but Gobert looks like he has really nice potential. Definitely a more impactful player than gorgui.

[PZiv]

whats done is done, but Gobert looks like he has really nice potential. Definitely a more impactful player than gorgui.

For now, with the current state of affairs. Gorgui will become a late bloomer trust me, he will. And its gonna be Gorguious to behold that


As for Shabazz, there seems to be a strife beetwen coach Flip and Shabazz, he really isn't doing something that was a deal on practices and briefings, and somehow whatever was told seems to slow him down and kinda restrains his game.
Either way Young and LaVine even with current state of affairs have nothing to do starting.

[Killboard]

Its hard argue about Gorgui being our Center of the future or that we are set with him along Rubio or Wiggins, but definetly he is the best defensive center we had in years. His numbers in that regard are not great but he is playing with the corpse of Thad Young beside him so is not fair look the things without perspective.
Play him a little more with Adrien and see what happens. I know they are our only centers but i really like saw them for stretches since they are the best rebounders and wingspan guys. From a offensive point they are willing passers and dont understimate the power of set good screens.

[minimus]

Rodney Hood looks better than I thought.

[karch34]

If that means, Bazz is out of the starting lineup just because of one mediocre game, I'm out. Thad should definitely be replaced by Bennett when Ricky comes back. Maybe that would also give AB a confidence boost to regain his level he had in the beginning of the season.

Keep Bazz in starting 5. Replace Young with Hummel.

I'm willing to bet what you see is Hummel over Young as the only change. maybe Mo over Lavine, but I doubt it. Bennnett is in the dog house so you know he's not going to get the start.

[Sothron]

I'm tired of hearing excuses for Thad concerning his mom. Yes, that's a horrible thing, but it was a long term illness, not a shock that took him by surprise. It does not excuse his **** play in the least. The fact is that trading that pick for him has morphed into a horrible mistake.

Just because you have had time to realize something is coming doesn't mean you can just get over it immediately once it does happen.

I have to agree about it being time to bury the Thad's mom as an excuse. And the pun is intended. There have been literally thousands of pro athletes that deal with deaths to loved ones in a season and they don't just completely fall apart the entire season over it.

Its a pretty low brow pun. He has only been back a little over a month. It obviously had an impact on him. Personally I think he will come through fine with more time.

Eh, it was late and I was salty about another loss. And more than sick of T Young being absolutely horrible this season. And I mean what I said. You can't let a death in the family take you out of your game for an entire season. Or at least don't try to use that as an excuse to keep people from criticizing your performance. This is a professional game.

[Mattya]

I'm tired of hearing excuses for Thad concerning his mom. Yes, that's a horrible thing, but it was a long term illness, not a shock that took him by surprise. It does not excuse his **** play in the least. The fact is that trading that pick for him has morphed into a horrible mistake.

Just because you have had time to realize something is coming doesn't mean you can just get over it immediately once it does happen.

I have to agree about it being time to bury the Thad's mom as an excuse. And the pun is intended. There have been literally thousands of pro athletes that deal with deaths to loved ones in a season and they don't just completely fall apart the entire season over it.

Its a pretty low brow pun. He has only been back a little over a month. It obviously had an impact on him. Personally I think he will come through fine with more time.

Eh, it was late and I was salty about another loss. And more than sick of T Young being absolutely horrible this season. And I mean what I said. You can't let a death in the family take you out of your game for an entire season. Or at least don't try to use that as an excuse to keep people from criticizing your performance. This is a professional game.

He personally probably doesn't use it as an excuse. We luckily can step back and see the difference in play before and after. This is a professional game, but just because you are getting paid millions to play a game doesn't mean you are a robot. Since we aren't playing for anything, we have seen better play his entire career outside of this past month, I'm fine giving him more time. You can call him out for bad play, but you don't have to ignore factors that are totally legitimate just because you are salty.

Matter of fact I would bet the same people that rip him for playing poorly would be just as mad if he played well and we won some of thsee games and hurt our draft position.

[urinesane]

I'm tired of hearing excuses for Thad concerning his mom. Yes, that's a horrible thing, but it was a long term illness, not a shock that took him by surprise. It does not excuse his **** play in the least. The fact is that trading that pick for him has morphed into a horrible mistake.

Just because you have had time to realize something is coming doesn't mean you can just get over it immediately once it does happen.

I have to agree about it being time to bury the Thad's mom as an excuse. And the pun is intended. There have been literally thousands of pro athletes that deal with deaths to loved ones in a season and they don't just completely fall apart the entire season over it.

Its a pretty low brow pun. He has only been back a little over a month. It obviously had an impact on him. Personally I think he will come through fine with more time.

Eh, it was late and I was salty about another loss. And more than sick of T Young being absolutely horrible this season. And I mean what I said. You can't let a death in the family take you out of your game for an entire season. Or at least don't try to use that as an excuse to keep people from criticizing your performance. This is a professional game.

Don't be gross. Professional or not it's a GAME.

[Calinks]

Not everyone responds the same to a death. Thad is clearly not the same player now he was before the death. Maybe the death isn't the main factor but that's what makes the most sense to us as outside observers. I wont dismiss it and I'm not going to get pissed at the man for it. It is what it is, people grieve in different ways. Some players suffer a death and they turn their game up to a new level, that's not Thaddeus. The death, being on a horrendous team again, losing day in and day out, maybe that's taken its toll and he's in a really bad place. Doesn't matter that she was ill for month or that she died unexpectedly. The fact is someone he loved dearly was there one day and gone forever the next. You can't assume that the time period for him being devastated by that is over now that it's be 30 days. Sometimes it just doesn't work like that.