KGdaBom wrote:Calinks wrote:For me right now there are only a handful of teams I can feel confident in as far as winning the title. In order.
1. Denver (Last year they were just far and away above everyone else at execution)
2. Boston (They look incredible this year, little to no weaknesses)
3. Clippers (I didn't believe in them before but they have proven to be really good and seem strong all over)
Those are really the only three I feel very confident about. After them, I would say these other teams have a shot.
4. Bucks (Too much top end talent and they have been there before)
5. 76ers (I don't have too much faith but they have been dominant this year, consistently they destroy lesser competition, Embiid is next level right now)
I think I slide the Wolves in next at 6. On paper and with how they have played this season when they are at their best, I would say they are good enough to slot in right behind Boston at number 3. That said, we have too much negative history, too little experience, and too many warts I deem catastrophically detrimental to winning a championship.
I just can't see us turning around our offense enough, see Towns not make a ton of costly mistakes (fall to the floor, rack up fouls, stray voltage), Ant not turn the ball over and get tunnel vision in some big time moments, or some teams beating us with some hot shooting and speed that exploits our bigs for enough games to win a series.
I just think we have too many holes right now to good enough to win it all. I could see it happening in a season or two if the team could stay together and continue to grow and improve but I don't think they can iron all of that out in the little time we have.
I would normally consider top 6 as being a contender, but based on your narrative you consider us to have about 0.1% chance. I think you suffer the same malady as a lot of Wolves fans. You know our team too well so your know our faults and don't consider us good enough. The other teams have as many and usually more faults than we do. Boston just lost by 9 at home to the Lakers playing without Bron or Brow. You think they don't have weaknesses?
I think the other teams have weaknesses but I think ours are glaring. I think the NBA game is heavily biased in favor of wing players and guards so I also give teams who have stars in those positions an edge over us who has most of our star power tied up in bigs. So even if a team like Boston or the Clippers has some issues that can cost them games, I think their stars have a better shot of bailing the team out anyway because they have players like Brown, Tatum, George, Leonard, and even Westbrook, who can easily turn the tide by just getting hot or getting a bunch of easy trips to the line, etc.
We don't really have that outside of Ant. Sure Towns can get going but it rarely happens and its harder for bigs to do that in the playoffs. The other reason I give a lot of these other teams the edge is because their players have more big game experience and success there. The Wolves finally do have some experience now. Our new vets have a ton and KAT and Ant have had two playoff series in the last two years. That helps.
That said we all know KAT's playoff performances has been very spotty. I can't be ultra-confident he will overcome that.
We just have too many knocks against us in my eyes, currently, for me to be very comfortable with this team possibly winning a title this season. If we can clean up some of our issues my thoughts will change. Mostly I need our offense to be better. Me ranking them 6th isn't a bad thing either, it's a damn good team. I just don't think they are good enough to win the title right now but yes, they do have a chance.
When luck shuts the door skill comes in through the window.
