Gore + Boobies: Raptors v. Wolves gamethread

[Worm Guts]

I think we had issues with inexperience. Rubio, Love and Pekovic have never played a playoff game. It's tough to go from 30 wins to 50 wins, I think we needed the intermediate step.
Anyway I think Adleman and Saunders are similar caliber coaches. If you have talent you'll win, if you don't you won't. If the the players fit the system, you'll overachieve by a few games. If they don't you'll underachieve.
I'll worry about the coach more when we play games that matter.

[Calinks]

This is why I came into the season with low expectations. We do not have experience, we are way too young. You are not winning games with teenagers getting heavy minutes. Adding another top pick will not help immediately either. The team needs more experienced players if you are trying to have a 40 win season next year. I think playoffs are pretty much out of the question for at least two more seasons barring serious talent infusion.

[Worm Guts]

This is why I came into the season with low expectations. We do not have experience, we are way too young. You are not winning games with teenagers getting heavy minutes. Adding another top pick will not help immediately either. The team needs more experienced players if you are trying to have a 40 win season next year. I think playoffs are pretty much out of the question for at least two more seasons barring serious talent infusion.

What hurt the most this year was all our good veterans were hurt a big chunk of the year. I don't expect to make the playoffs next year, but if Rubio, Martin, Garnett and Pekovic (ha) stay healthy it will make a big difference.

[Merc_Porto]

This is why I came into the season with low expectations. We do not have experience, we are way too young. You are not winning games with teenagers getting heavy minutes.

I see your point.
But you didn't know the rookies were getting heavy minutes in the begining of the season, unless you were counting (understandble) with so many injuries. Lets take a look at rotation in the begining of the season:

Pek / Dieng
T.Young / Bennett
Wiggins / Budinger / Shabazz
Martin / Brewer
Rubio / Mo Williams

A improved bench (Young but improved), a worst starting lineup? Sure.
But that is not a "too young team" actually.

4 Of the 5 starters have experience already.

[Calinks]

This is why I came into the season with low expectations. We do not have experience, we are way too young. You are not winning games with teenagers getting heavy minutes.

I see your point.
But you didn't know the rookies were getting heavy minutes in the begining of the season, unless you were counting (understandble) with so many injuries. Lets take a look at rotation in the begining of the season:

Pek / Dieng
T.Young / Bennett
Wiggins / Budinger / Shabazz
Martin / Brewer
Rubio / Mo Williams

A improved bench (Young but improved), a worst starting lineup? Sure.
But that is not a "too young team" actually.

4 Of the 5 starters have experience already.

I came into the season thinking Lavine, Wiggins, Shabazz, Dieng, and Bennett would all get major rotation minutes. That was just way too many young players to do anything significant with. With the addition of Young I thought there was some hope for a decent outing still (30-40 wins) but Thad had a lot of issues and wasn't as good a fit as I thought. I think fully healthy we would have certainly done better but I still think even then we would have struggled big. If we get lucky, maybe the season after next we could make the playoffs, its not totally unachievable.

We need major leaps from a few young guys (Wiggins, Dieng, Lavine) we need the new rook to not be a major liability as rookies ususally are. We need Shabazz to be a great force off the bench and healthy. Rubio needs to step up. I feel we need Martin and another good season from him. Three point shooting. A lot of things need to be better, most importantly health of course.

[Calinks]

I will say this, I liked Flip's idea of mixing in vets. I know some didn't like him but I felt Mo was a great back up PG. That was a really good signing. Brewer is also a good player to have but he has to be in the right situation, he was asked to do too much here and not play to his strengths. Thaddeus just didn't really fit, he probably would have looked a lot better without his tragedy though. Even still, those guys were not enough to carry us. Not a bad idea though, I think next season we should take a similar approach. Look to move some young guys for proven vets. I do hope we hang on to Lavine, Shabazz, and Dieng though.

[minimus]

This is why I came into the season with low expectations. We do not have experience, we are way too young. You are not winning games with teenagers getting heavy minutes. Adding another top pick will not help immediately either. The team needs more experienced players if you are trying to have a 40 win season next year. I think playoffs are pretty much out of the question for at least two more seasons barring serious talent infusion.

What hurt the most this year was all our good veterans were hurt a big chunk of the year. I don't expect to make the playoffs next year, but if Rubio, Martin, Garnett and Pekovic (ha) stay healthy it will make a big difference.

Look at MIL, they have team identity, even if they have a lot young players. It is something I would try to develop next year.