Timberwolves Apology Thread

[OkcSinceSGA]

The wolves looked scary too me since the warriors dynasty but they just never put it together.
Imo if they win it will move the nba further from small ball and towards tall athletic guys who are skilled at everything and can defend. Started already with the nuggets last year and even the bucks. Warriors 22 was an anomaly

Actually I would argue it started with the Lakers in 2020, was repeated by the Bucks in 2021, and was more or less refined and perfected by the Nuggets, since Jokic is just a unique talent, and adding Gordon opened up a lot of things on both sides of the court.

I’m very happy to see players push the league back to physicality, size, versatility. They still shoot a ton of 3s but I love the idea of defense first teams (Minny) and attack the paint teams (OKC) being teams of the future vs the small ball, 6’4 centers shooting 1 million 3s.

[bledredwine]

Dear Timberwolves,

I sincerely apologize.

I was wrong.
Very wrong, as a matter of fact.

You see,
I just assumed that all squads would play like cookie-cutter teams in a cookie-cutter system. Wolves,
you've proven me wrong and I'll give the NBA a chance again.

Sincerely,

Benedict Cumberbatch

PS. Tell grandmother that I miss her cooking every day. I'd like
nothing more than to reminisce about our time in the Navy.

[turnaroundJ]

the wolves players' defense is what people think 90s defense is. lol no one has ever had to deal with this combination of smart, long and switchable defenders that can play 90 feet.

[SomeBunghole]

You really have to give them credit for the Gobert trade because Connelly thought(correctly, in hindsight) the team was one major piece away from contending and he didn't simply go out and get a star whose skillset overlaps with what they already have on the roster.

People love to talk about value of players as if the league was a free market, which it very obviously isn't. Gobert is a 3-time(possibly soon-to-be 4-time) DPOY and the greatest interior defender of this generation. He was available and the Wolves had the assets and the willingness to pay luxury tax. A few FRPs up and down and 10 million in salary up or down doesn't make any difference if you actually believe he's the final piece. What other comparable player was available?

As we also found out a few weeks later, Mitchell was certainly available for a very similar package, as were quite a few other disgruntled stars. The Wolves could've gone the Suns or the Clippers route(what does Bradley Beal bring to the table that Durant and Booker don't already?) but they instead filled a need instead of simply getting the biggest name they could. You really have to praise them for it. Other than the Celtics, no one else in the NBA seems to be showing that kind of discipline.

[Alatan]

Cant speak for anyone but myself, but I certainly owe the TWolves an apology. Ive been saying all season that this team was giving me 1 seed Gobert Jazz vibes, a great regular season team that wasnt a serious contender, and I admit that I was dead wrong. This team is scary. They're big, strong, athletic, fast, great defensively, can shoot, and they hustle. Huge credit to that FO, because i didnt see the method behind the madness when they made the Gobert trade, but damn if this team isnt scary...

To be honest i dont think they would be much worse without Gobert and his supermax.

[bledredwine]

the wolves players' defense is what people think 90s defense is. lol no one has ever had to deal with this combination of smart, long and switchable defenders that can play 90 feet.

Have you ever seen Hakeem Olajuwon play basketball? The New York Knicks? Seattle Supersonics? The 90s Chicago Bulls?
That's GOAT level team defense. You obviously haven't seen it.

I'd like to introduce you to what regular playoff games between defensive teams looked like,
and to introduce what contesting shots looks like. Here are the Knicks playoff games of the 90s vs of now.

Watch on YouTube

Watch on YouTube

I mean, come on man

[Wingy]

I liked the Gobert trade because I like teams that try to win.

But Ainge still gets to be a genius for a bunch of picks in the late 20s that yield nothing.

Wtf is Ainge doing anyway? You blow it up, get lots of assets, that all makes sense.

Then you completely half ass your tank job to get worse picks, and trade plus assets to the Lakers of all teams for a single first? Not saying those 3 players warranted a haul, but I think he could’ve split them up in different packages for additional picks, even if they were just 2nds.

[ryguy613]

Cant speak for anyone but myself, but I certainly owe the TWolves an apology. Ive been saying all season that this team was giving me 1 seed Gobert Jazz vibes, a great regular season team that wasnt a serious contender, and I admit that I was dead wrong. This team is scary. They're big, strong, athletic, fast, great defensively, can shoot, and they hustle. Huge credit to that FO, because i didnt see the method behind the madness when they made the Gobert trade, but damn if this team isnt scary...

...Like I was saying, the Twolves are NOT for real. Theyre a bunch of bums. Nobody who knows ball would ever believe they had a shot in this series. I told yall... shoulda listened to me, but NOOOO. yall had to fall for these FRAUDS!

[jkvonny]

Cant speak for anyone but myself, but I certainly owe the TWolves an apology. Ive been saying all season that this team was giving me 1 seed Gobert Jazz vibes, a great regular season team that wasnt a serious contender, and I admit that I was dead wrong. This team is scary. They're big, strong, athletic, fast, great defensively, can shoot, and they hustle. Huge credit to that FO, because i didnt see the method behind the madness when they made the Gobert trade, but damn if this team isnt scary...

...Like I was saying, the Twolves are NOT for real. Theyre a bunch of bums. Nobody who knows ball would ever believe they had a shot in this series. I told yall... shoulda listened to me, but NOOOO. yall had to fall for these FRAUDS!

[tsherkin]

...Like I was saying, the Twolves are NOT for real. Theyre a bunch of bums. Nobody who knows ball would ever believe they had a shot in this series. I told yall... shoulda listened to me, but NOOOO. yall had to fall for these FRAUDS!

This is a hot take. They are a very, very good defensive team with an individual star who plays great in the playoffs, but around him, the guys aren't really producing brilliant offense. Blood from a stone, right? It wasn't their strength in the RS and it remains not their strength now, but if they can grind away at you defensively and Ant keeps exploding, they're very much going to make themselves a tough out.

[Shaka_Zulu]

Cant speak for anyone but myself, but I certainly owe the TWolves an apology. Ive been saying all season that this team was giving me 1 seed Gobert Jazz vibes, a great regular season team that wasnt a serious contender, and I admit that I was dead wrong. This team is scary. They're big, strong, athletic, fast, great defensively, can shoot, and they hustle. Huge credit to that FO, because i didnt see the method behind the madness when they made the Gobert trade, but damn if this team isnt scary...

...Like I was saying, the Twolves are NOT for real. Theyre a bunch of bums. Nobody who knows ball would ever believe they had a shot in this series. I told yall... shoulda listened to me, but NOOOO. yall had to fall for these FRAUDS!

*noting down hot take merchants*

[Rishkar]

I had Wolves as the third most likely champion going into the playoffs, so I'm feeling pretty high and mighty about myself

[shrink]

Cant speak for anyone but myself, but I certainly owe the TWolves an apology. Ive been saying all season that this team was giving me 1 seed Gobert Jazz vibes, a great regular season team that wasnt a serious contender, and I admit that I was dead wrong. This team is scary. They're big, strong, athletic, fast, great defensively, can shoot, and they hustle. Huge credit to that FO, because i didnt see the method behind the madness when they made the Gobert trade, but damn if this team isnt scary...

...Like I was saying, the Twolves are NOT for real. Theyre a bunch of bums. Nobody who knows ball would ever believe they had a shot in this series. I told yall... shoulda listened to me, but NOOOO. yall had to fall for these FRAUDS!

You guys get this is humor, right? He skipped the green font, but it shouldn’t be needed. He’s intentionally quoted himself to make fun of himself, and the way so many people change their entire opinions on momentary events - even on a website that is about GM, and their longer approach?

I laughed. Nice post, ryguy!

[ryguy613]

Cant speak for anyone but myself, but I certainly owe the TWolves an apology. Ive been saying all season that this team was giving me 1 seed Gobert Jazz vibes, a great regular season team that wasnt a serious contender, and I admit that I was dead wrong. This team is scary. They're big, strong, athletic, fast, great defensively, can shoot, and they hustle. Huge credit to that FO, because i didnt see the method behind the madness when they made the Gobert trade, but damn if this team isnt scary...

...Like I was saying, the Twolves are NOT for real. Theyre a bunch of bums. Nobody who knows ball would ever believe they had a shot in this series. I told yall... shoulda listened to me, but NOOOO. yall had to fall for these FRAUDS!

You guys get this is humor, right? He skipped the green font, but it shouldn’t be needed. He’s intentionally quoted himself to make fun of himself, and the way so many people change their entire opinions on momentary events - even on a website that is about GM, and their longer approach?

I laughed. Nice post, ryguy!

...glad somebody got the joke

[Shaka_Zulu]

...Like I was saying, the Twolves are NOT for real. Theyre a bunch of bums. Nobody who knows ball would ever believe they had a shot in this series. I told yall... shoulda listened to me, but NOOOO. yall had to fall for these FRAUDS!

You guys get this is humor, right? He skipped the green font, but it shouldn’t be needed. He’s intentionally quoted himself to make fun of himself, and the way so many people change their entire opinions on momentary events - even on a website that is about GM, and their longer approach?

I laughed. Nice post, ryguy!

...glad somebody got the joke

[bstein14]

I had Wolves as the third most likely champion going into the playoffs, so I'm feeling pretty high and mighty about myself

They have the right mix of defense, vets, and youth. I also think they were 3rd most likely behind Denver and Boston.

OKC was too young and NY not enough beyond Brunson combined with health issues Minny looked more likely to be able to head to the finals over anyone else outside of the Nuggets in the West.

[Potential]

I'm sorry Timberwolves but it's over. That fun little 2-0 lead will never be forgotten. As we all said since October, the Nuggets vs Celtics Finals will be fun

[ShootersShoot]

LOL @ those that thought it was going to be easy after the first two games. Teams have come back to win from an 0-2 deficit six times since 2021, as recently as last year (warriors vs kings). In 2021, two teams came back from 0-2 twice (bucks and clips).

[KnixtapeH20]

the wolves players' defense is what people think 90s defense is. lol no one has ever had to deal with this combination of smart, long and switchable defenders that can play 90 feet.

Have you ever seen Hakeem Olajuwon play basketball? The New York Knicks? Seattle Supersonics? The 90s Chicago Bulls?
That's GOAT level team defense. You obviously haven't seen it.

I'd like to introduce you to what regular playoff games between defensive teams looked like,
and to introduce what contesting shots looks like. Here are the Knicks playoff games of the 90s vs of now.

Watch on YouTube

Watch on YouTube

I mean, come on man

Basketball was so much more exciting when everything was mostly taking it to the rack & mid range

[bledredwine]

the wolves players' defense is what people think 90s defense is. lol no one has ever had to deal with this combination of smart, long and switchable defenders that can play 90 feet.

Have you ever seen Hakeem Olajuwon play basketball? The New York Knicks? Seattle Supersonics? The 90s Chicago Bulls?
That's GOAT level team defense. You obviously haven't seen it.

I'd like to introduce you to what regular playoff games between defensive teams looked like,
and to introduce what contesting shots looks like. Here are the Knicks playoff games of the 90s vs of now.

Watch on YouTube

Watch on YouTube

I mean, come on man

Basketball was so much more exciting when everything was mostly taking it to the rack & mid range

I couldn't agree more.

It had aggression, competitiveness, and many posters.

You rarely see posters now.