Game 42 OKC at Minnesota 1/20/24 30-11

[winforlose]

Glad fans are pissed about this choke job, players should be ashamed.

We talk about the statement wins. This was a statement loss. The statement is Ant is not ready to be the guy, and we need another PG/playmaker who can lift us up when we are falling down. I kept wondering what happens if Ant is benched at the 3:00 minutes remaining mark of the fourth and Naz comes in.

[Neeva]

I forgot that Finch also choked.

[_AIJ_]

Until they figure out their turnover problem, this team wont get past the first round

[FrenchMinnyFan]

Until they figure out their turnover problem, this team wont get past the first round

Many ways to improve that:
- Be more focused, we were better last few games until tonight.
- Avoid absolutly to let Ant carry the ball at money time.
- I'm also f.... unhappy when we try to find Rudy at all cost. Tonight Mike, KAt make it too many times and it result in TO or miss shoot. Give Rudy the ball when he take advantage of his opponent and go for easy bucket, not when he is surround by 3 players as Rudy is not good enough to handle it.

[Calinks]

Well-earned loss tonight. In the first half I was thinking, we don't deserve this win. OKC starters thoroughly outplayed ours. The offense once again, was non-existent down the stretch. Shai did what he had to do to put his team on his back down the stretch. We looked like buffoons fouling and turning the ball over all night. Just playing like trash.

You don't turn the ball over 20+ times, you don't foul every other possession we win comfortably. I am really worried about our offense and discipline. When you saw Denver last post-season, those guys were execution masters. We have looked like that at times but lately, we are littered with mistakes. This is not what an elite team does.

They really need to wake up. Stop the terrible starts. Stop the horrendous turnovers. Get this offense figured out so we don't have these major droughts to close out games. Shaq may be on to something, if Edwards doesn't get cooking, we look dead in the water. I don't know if this team cannot figure out how to get anything out of Towns anymore when a shot is needed.

[winforlose]

Well earned loss tonight. If the first half I was thinking, we don't deserve this win. OKC started thoroughly outplayed ours. The offense once again, was non-existent down the stretch. Shai did what he had to do to put his team on his back down the stretch. We looked like buffons fouling and turning the ball over all night. Just playing like trash.

You don't turn the ball over 20+ times, you don't foul every other possession we win comfortably. I am really worried about our offense and discipline. When you saw Denver last post-seaosn, those guys were execution masters. We have looked like that at times but lately, we are litered with mistakes. This is not what an elite team does.

They really need to wake up. Stop the terrible starts. Stop the horrendous turnovers. Get this offense figured out so we don't have these major droughts to close out games. Shaq may be on to something, if Edwards doesn't get cooking, we look dead in the water. I don't know this team cannot figure out how to get anything out of Towns anymore when a shot is needed.

Yet we win that game without the refs taking the block and layup away. 4 points was the entire margin for victory (the fifth was a foul game free throw.) As bad as we played and we played putrid, we still should have won that game. Just like the Boston game, the Toronto game, the Dallas game, and more. We have so much raw talent that it can almost make up for our lack of structure, but as we have been seeing it’s not enough against the elite teams. I get that developing Ant is a process but I am starting to lose my faith in Finch because he doesn’t hold Ant accountable for the same behavior that cost us the Grizzly series two years ago, and is costing us games today. He doesn’t run offense for KAT and is content to let him be just another role player. He doesn’t do enough to generate off ball movement, or put guys in positions to maximize Rudy. I think organized chaos is failing and if Finch doesn’t adapt he will fail with it.

[Calinks]

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[Guest84]

While this game was definitely there for the taking, they’re still first in the west with this loss.

They’re not going to win every game and games like this are a great reminder of what they need to correct. Of course it’s frustrating to watch but this team has made great strides over the last few years.

With every win they’re a championship team and with every loss it’s blow it up. This team needs to go through adversity throughout the season so that they can learn how to deal with it in pressure moments.

How many times have we seen teams cruise only to be upset later? Dallas vs GS

I’d rather lose a few now to be better prepared for later. Also, okc is a good team so it’s not a statement loss. We just need to get the next one.

The fact that they can play poorly but still have a chance to win is a big improvement from yesteryear. The TO are the issue. It’s seems like they heard the talk about their offense and are now trying to increase the pace.

I prefer them control the pace and keeping it slower, making games a dog fight. It was a better recipe for them early on.

[thinktank]

We just don’t have that dog in us.

Watched from hotel in Costa Rica and it way a **** was to end an otherwise great day!

[winforlose]

While this game was definitely there for the taking, they’re still first in the west with this loss.

They’re not going to win every game and games like this are a great reminder of what they need to correct. Of course it’s frustrating to watch but this team has made great strides over the last few years.

With every win they’re a championship team and with every loss it’s blow it up. This team needs to go through adversity throughout the season so that they can learn how to deal with it in pressure moments.

How many times have we seen teams cruise only to be upset later? Dallas vs GS

I’d rather lose a few now to be better prepared for later. Also, okc is a good team so it’s not a statement loss. We just need to get the next one.

The fact that they can play poorly but still have a chance to win is a big improvement from yesteryear. The TO are the issue. It’s seems like they heard the talk about their offense and are now trying to increase the pace.

I prefer them control the pace and keeping it slower, making games a dog fight. It was a better recipe for them early on.

In recent weeks, the Dallas loss, good lead in the fourth and blow it. Boston game good lead late in the fourth and blow it. OKC game, good lead late in the fourth and blow it. These loses are not unrelated. Your point is stuff happens, my point stuff happens but not in a vacuum. Finch is failing to fix it, Ant is failing to fix it. Worse, these losses are not the ho hum kind. Losing to Boston means no tie breaker which might mean no home court in the finals. Losing to OKC might mean losing the #1 seed and no home court in the WCF. These are the teams we need to beat and the games we cannot afford to lose, and we are losing them in the worst way possible.

[Calinks]

We shouldn't overeblow these losses but we shouldn't just dismiss them either, there are issues with the team. No team is perfect either but we were playing a better brand of basketball earlier in the season. It's only the halfway mark so we have time to improve. I hope we do. If we don't I really feel like we won't go very far. We are good enough to beat a mediocre lower seed but any team with a really potent offense, I would be worried about. I could see us pulling a first-round choke and it would be embarrassing and huge let down after this awesome season.

[shangrila]

We shouldn't overeblow these losses but we shouldn't just dismiss them either, there are issues with the team. No team is perfect either but we were playing a better brand of basketball earlier in the season. It's only the halfway mark so we have time to improve. I hope we do. If we don't I really feel like we won't go very far. We are good enough to beat a mediocre lower seed but any team with a really potent offense, I would be worried about. I could see us pulling a first-round choke and it would be embarrassing and huge let down after this awesome season.

It would be more than embarrassing.

I believe anything short of the WCF will lead to a KAT trade. That's not a comment on his skills or character or anything else, it's just a reality of the cap situation we find ourselves in. We've gotten screwed hard by the timing of this new CBA.

[KGdaBom]

Until they figure out their turnover problem, this team wont get past the first round

You need a chill pill LMAO.

[BlacJacMac]

Until they figure out their turnover problem, this team wont get past the first round

You need a chill pill LMAO.

He’s not wrong.

We’re not winning a series turning it over like this.

Thankfully we have half a season to try to figure it out.

[Dewey]

We turn the ball over like a high school team … other teams understand that this is how you beat MN

[life_saver]

I think I agree with this take

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[KGdaBom]

Until they figure out their turnover problem, this team wont get past the first round

You need a chill pill LMAO.

He’s not wrong.

We’re not winning a series turning it over like this.

Thankfully we have half a season to try to figure it out.

He is wrong. We were playing a top 4 team in the NBA based on record and came within an eyelash of winning. Round one of the playoffs we will be playing a team that's like the 14th best in the NBA. We are a lock to win one round. I think we could win 4 rounds.

[minimus]

I think I agree with this take

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I think the same can be said about Towns last season, when as PF he did not have same old sweet spots as before as five out C. Although I think both Towns and Edwards have been improving at it.

[FrenchMinnyFan]

At least it's nice to see ANT aware of his mistake. I do think he can improve. Still plenty of games for that. The last 3 or 4 games were better in this area.

[_AIJ_]

Im still not over on that loss