Game 29: Minnesota Timberwolves @ Dallas Mavericks, 1:30 PM CT

[FrenchMinnyFan]

Just watch replay. We play well 3 quarter then the usual struggling and we let ANT play alone and Kyrie went hot. As long as Finch does not fix that, we will struggle. The positive things , apart the win is that for 3 quarters, the defense was great, ball movement better...

[winforlose]

48 minutes. A basketball game is 48 minutes. When do you think these guys will realize that? Also the fourth turned into no pass iso ball BS. What in the actual **** is wrong with Finch to allow that?

But at the same time....it's 48 minutes. In the 48 minutes, they did enough to win the game. The part where they went up 20 shouldn't hold less weight than the stretch where they gave up most of that lead.

This gets back to the win vs performance debate. Is it enough to win, or do you have to put on a performance fans WANT to watch. They escaped with the win tonight, but they played the way they usually play during a loss. Fans know this same s*** will cost them games in the future. Put another way, if they don’t learn to play and win properly, they won’t do either in mid to late April and beyond, assuming of course they are even still playing.

[ILC]

Ant has to realize no one in the world can stop him in transition and getting to the rim especially. He can speak BS about "they're sending 3 people at me in the paint", but that only means there's 2 open on the perimeter then.

Last night they were fantastic for 3 quarters running and playing with pace. The whole team is so athletic opponents can't keep up with them. Same thing happened in that comeback vs GSW the other day.

Then the 4th comes and they slow it down even before Ant and Randle came in. It's a common problem with teams thinking that just because it's the 4th quarter you have to slow it down to run out clock or play 1-on-1. The Celtics before they won the title had the same problem, everyone talked about how they play fantastic for 3qs and then whenever it's a close game they revert to iso ball from Tatum and JB. Wolves have to realize they have maybe the most athletic team in the league and put pressure on the rim first and everything else will come along.

Encouraging signs last night but they have to keep up that pace for the full 48.

[shrink]

Good post. This sticky ball has been something Finch has preached to Ant for years, and while he’s made some improvements, sometimes he just reverts back to selfish play. I wonder what the trigger is? Maybe with Randle, he knows there is less chance of getting the ball back? Last night when his hero Kyrie started going off, did Ant want to go off himself?

I thought both Randle (23-10-8) and DDV had very good games. Naz struggled, particularly on defense.

Sometimes have to just say, “good job” to the opposing player. Kyrie was amazing in the second half, making shots even when the defense was sound. The Mavs have two of the best shot-makers in the game, and I admire the way their role players hustle for rebounds. It would be nice to see some of our players show this amount of hustle.

[dschroeder01]

Good post. This sticky ball has been something Finch has preached to Ant for years, and while he’s made some improvements, sometimes he just reverts back to selfish play. I wonder what the trigger is? Maybe with Randle, he knows there is less chance of getting the ball back? Last night when his hero Kyrie started going off, did Ant want to go off himself?

I thought both Randle (23-10-8) and DDV had very good games. Naz struggled, particularly on defense.

Sometimes have to just say, “good job” to the opposing player. Kyrie was amazing in the second half, making shots even when the defense was sound. The Mavs have two of the best shot-makers in the game, and I admire the way their role players hustle for rebounds. It would be nice to see some of our players show this amount of hustle.

The blown lead was an indictment of Ant's mindset/leardership IMO. At the end of the 3rd, the tide started to turn when Ant decided to hog the ball including a possession where no one else touched the ball with him just dribbling into a contested shot. It was a Christmas day game and the Wolves were rolling playing team ball. Ant knew the post game narrative would praise the victor and he wanted the spotlight. A few dead possessions there and Dallas chipped into the 28 pt lead with a little momentum going into the 4th. Momentum is hard to get back so queue the blown lead.

While it's true that Randle has been a major let down, most of the supporting cast isn't helping, and Finch has been disappointing, a big big part of the Wolves issues fall on Ant. Few want to say it though. Ant has gladly accepted and pushed the narrative of being the next face of the league, but he's not living up to it. He's not making his teammates better at all. Today he tried to put his name in the spotlight and it killed the vibe. He made the hoop to ice it at the end so people won't remember what led to that situation.

[Benjams]

My post game thought is if Luka played all game, Wolves would have been in trouble. Doncic was lighting it up before the injury. Randles drop back perimeter defense is a huge liability. Randles defense is broke, its defense that won't stop any shooter.

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[dschroeder01]

My post game thought is if Luka played all game, Wolves would have been in trouble. Doncic was lighting it up before the injury. Randles drop back perimeter defense is a huge liability. Randles defense is broke, its defense that won't stop any shooter.

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Maybe. Not sure I saw Randle isolated on Luka that much. The Wolves were up 13 and playing well when Luka got hurt. With Luka in the game, does Kyrie get the same opportunities to get going? One can't assume anything about what would have happened. Maybe if the lead were less, Ant doesn't ballhog away the momentum? Maybe the Wolves don't lose focus with Luka looming?

[Guest84]

Watch on YouTube

;t=183s

[Benjams]

Not sure I saw Randle isolated on Luka that much.

It may have been the whole Wolves team playing that style of defense, but there were a few Luka hit when Randle was giving too much space which stood out.

If you look at the last few games, it was the same recipe in the making. Bad drop back perimeter defense. From 3 point range; Trae Young 4-7, bench player Garrison Matthews 7-8, Steph Curry 7-16, Buddy Hield 4-9, KAT 5-5, Mikal Bridges 4-8, Miles Mcbride 4-9, Luka was at 3-5 with 16 mins.

I guess my point is mainly the horrible 3-point defense lately, not used to it because defense is supposed to be their strength.


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[Folklore]

My post game thought is if Luka played all game, Wolves would have been in trouble. Doncic was lighting it up before the injury. Randles drop back perimeter defense is a huge liability. Randles defense is broke, its defense that won't stop any shooter.

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Maybe. Not sure I saw Randle isolated on Luka that much. The Wolves were up 13 and playing well when Luka got hurt. With Luka in the game, does Kyrie get the same opportunities to get going? One can't assume anything about what would have happened. Maybe if the lead were less, Ant doesn't ballhog away the momentum? Maybe the Wolves don't lose focus with Luka looming?

People can assume anything. But the odds of Dallas wining with the superstar Luka goes up greatly with him on the floor. Like any other game with the star out of the game most of the time we can count on a win. Why is it different now? All I'm taking from it is Ants solo play and Finch not doing anything about it. And also Rudy asking for the ball so much so far from the rim that Ant threw it away trying to get it to him. If a play is broken then its time to move on. I liked that the team got the ball to Rudy a lot more when it wasn't forced.

[LSWF]

I rewatched the game today. The officiating was terrible. Wolves would've won by 30 if we got a fair whistle.

[winforlose]

I rewatched the game today. The officiating was terrible. Wolves would've won by 30 if we got a fair whistle.

The way Ant went after the Zebras, I doubt we get one of those any time soon.

[LSWF]

I rewatched the game today. The officiating was terrible. Wolves would've won by 30 if we got a fair whistle.

The way Ant went after the Zebras, I doubt we get one of those any time soon.

Ant is easy for me to root for. He is a star that doesn't flop to win. I like that he calls it as he sees it. NBA would be a much better product if flopping was eliminated.

[winforlose]

I rewatched the game today. The officiating was terrible. Wolves would've won by 30 if we got a fair whistle.

The way Ant went after the Zebras, I doubt we get one of those any time soon.

Ant is easy for me to root for. He is a star that doesn't flop to win. I like that he calls it as he sees it. NBA would be a much better product if flopping was eliminated.

True. But he yells hey Ref a lot, and we sometimes see the calls reversed. That works against him. He also gets overall emotional and gives stupid statements to the the press. He needs to stop saying the right thing, and starting doing the right thing.

[LSWF]

The way Ant went after the Zebras, I doubt we get one of those any time soon.

Ant is easy for me to root for. He is a star that doesn't flop to win. I like that he calls it as he sees it. NBA would be a much better product if flopping was eliminated.

True. But he yells hey Ref a lot, and we sometimes see the calls reversed. That works against him. He also gets overall emotional and gives stupid statements to the the press. He needs to stop saying the right thing, and starting doing the right thing.

I agree he could stop the "hey ref" nonsense. I think back to my youth, when I was 23 and dinosaurs still roamed the earth, don't know if I would have better mental and emotional maturity. He has time to do better.

[FrenchMinnyFan]

Agree with you guys. I'm annoyed by ANT sometimes, the way he play, the way he talk, the way he act.... but then i remember he is 23 and when i was 23 ( long ago) and national Table tennis player, i was not very smart on many occasions. Maturity take times to come and being a very rich young guy like him does not help.

[shrink]

Ant wasn’t wrong when he said “he and Rudy don’t get foul calls because refs punish us for being stronger than their opponents.”

But that shouldn’t be taken personally. Refs have always done that to stronger players.

I remember when I was 23, and I thought just “being right” should be the end of the discussion. It takes some experience and maturity to see a better overall view, and not just see things through your own personal lens.

[winforlose]

Agree with you guys. I'm annoyed by ANT sometimes, the way he play, the way he talk, the way he act.... but then i remember he is 23 and when i was 23 ( long ago) and national Table tennis player, i was not very smart on many occasions. Maturity take times to come and being a very rich young guy like him does not help.

As long as he doesn’t demand a trade or continue to use his immaturity to damage team chemistry, then I say let it be. But the former is coming the more he accomplishes the latter, and that is a problem of his own making.