"KG Tanked It" -Taylor

[deeney0]

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Taylor expected KG to play if he wasn't hurt. Is that too much to expect?

KG is fricking Iron Man. Nobody goes through 82 games without injury. I don't remember which season (04-05, 05-06, and 06-07 tend to run together in my mind at this point), but one of those KG played February and March on a hobbled ankle that most guys would've at out with because the Wolves were still in the playoff race. So if he decides be act human and actually sit out with an injury when they're out of a playoff race, suddenly he's tanking?

Again, no one really knows if he was injured or not. We don't have enough information, so this falls into MNDH's dreaded "benefit of the doubt" gray area, and I don't understand the case for believing Taylor over KG there.

[shrink]

Again, no one really knows if he was injured or not. We don't have enough information, so this falls into MNDH's dreaded "benefit of the doubt" gray area, and I don't understand the case for believing Taylor over KG there.

True we don't know if KG was injured, but the point is that TAYLOR didn't think KG was injured, and he has access to all the trainer information.

[bmac]

But if Taylor said KG was tanking, that would mean that he wasn't injured, right?

I don't know. Does the team medical staff not evaluate injuries? If medical attention was refused by Garnett, etc. why wasn't he fined/suspended?

If he was tanking, why wasn't this brought up last season when it would have been relevant?

The timing of the whole comment is

[deeney0]

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True we don't know if KG was injured, but the point is that TAYLOR didn't think KG was injured, and he has access to all the trainer information.

Which brings it back to he said he said, and I don't see why its Taylor who ought to be believed.

[deeney0]

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The timing of the whole comment is

Makes sense to me. It was in the paper 3/18, interview was probably 3/17, Glen Taylor looks like a leprechaun... it all adds up.

[shrink]

Which brings it back to he said he said, and I don't see why its Taylor who ought to be believed.

Why do you think that?

I can see a benefit for KG saying he was injured when he wasn't, but I see no benefit for Taylor to say KG wasn't injured when he was.

[bmac]

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Why do you think that?

I can see a benefit for KG saying he was injured when he wasn't, but I see no benefit for Taylor to say KG wasn't injured when he was.

Using this logic, I see no reason why Rashard Mccants would "cover" for KG:

Earlier in the day one of the Dime crew talked to Rashad McCants and asked what he thought of Taylor

[tanat-0s]

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Casey -- in case you hadn't noticed, you argue with EVERYBODY these days. Every post!

I suppose though you think everyone else is the problem. Or maybe you're just trying to pick another fight for your own amusement?

I've kind of given up discussing things with you, because while you used to have differing positions, these days I don't think you really believe what you post any more, or else you wouldn't disagree with everyone.

Well, general consensus in this thread is that Taylor is a douche who had no buisness talking about "tanking" with a few retards picking up on KG and defending FO like they always do.
So it's either you have majority of the posters here on ignore or you are living in your own imaginary world were everybody agrees with you except casey.

[shrink]

Do you read other threads?

And c'mon. You really want to go with casey's "money has nothing to do with it" line?

This is the NBA. Money ALWAYS has something to do with it.

[4ho5ive]

The NBA, where Owners bad mouthing their Franchise player 11 months after the fact when the player is on a new team and did nothing to warrant the personal attack which in the end only makes the owner look foolish...happens

I like the tagline alot!

In a related note, I didnt feel it was a personal shot by KG, but this one hurt:

"I have nothing to do with the Minnesota Timberwolves."

I know its true, but ouch

[Worm Guts]

According to Chad Hartman, management asked KG to sit the 2nd and 4th quarters of the games they wanted to tank. KG didn't want any part of it and said to either play him or sit him, so they made up an injury for KG.

[Worm Guts]

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Why do you think that?

I can see a benefit for KG saying he was injured when he wasn't, but I see no benefit for Taylor to say KG wasn't injured when he was.

There is clear evidence that management wanted to tank. I don't understand how you continue to deny it.

[shrink]

According to Chad Hartman, management asked KG to sit the 2nd and 4th quarters of the games they wanted to tank. KG didn't want any part of it and said to either play him or sit him, so they made up an injury for KG.

That's the first anyone has posted such a thing.

It is a little interesting how we look at the word "tank" with all its negative connotations.

1. Did KG say, "playing me less is tanking?" and I don't want anything to with it?

2. Did the Front Office say, "well, we might win if KG plays less, but if he doesn't play at all, THAT'S tanking?"

The front office always overestimated how talented the team was. I'm sure they'd rather have their fans get to see "some" KG than "no" KG. However, I can also see how agonizing it would be to a competitor like to have to sit, particularly in a close game.

I'll stand by what I said though. Taylor paid KG to play, and KG cashed the check, so it was Taylor's decision. Also, Taylor speaking up now is pretty unclassy.

[Worm Guts]

That's the first anyone has posted such a thing.

It is a little interesting how we look at the word "tank" with all its negative connotations.

1. Did KG say, "playing me less is tanking?" and I don't want anything to with it?

2. Did the Front Office say, "well, we might win if KG plays less, but if he doesn't play at all, THAT'S tanking?"

The front office always overestimated how talented the team was. I'm sure they'd rather have their fans get to see "some" KG than "no" KG. However, I can also see how agonizing it would be to a competitor like to have to sit, particularly in a close game.

I'll stand by what I said though. Taylor paid KG to play, and KG cashed the check, so it was Taylor's decision. Also, Taylor speaking up now is pretty unclassy.

Even if you think KG should have played the games, Taylor's comments were still false. Tanking started with management.

[MN Die Hard]

Well, general consensus in this thread is that Taylor is a douche who had no buisness talking about "tanking" with a few retards picking up on KG and defending FO like they always do.

The big one being that Garnett said good things about Boston, which u and a few other retards took as being negative towards Minnesota.

My favorite part is how if you dont agree with Beavis and Butthead here you're a (Please Use More Appropriate Word). Oh how I miss the third grade. Are you guys coming after our lunch money next, maybe after you throw snowballs at some stupid girls?

[mandurugo]

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I'll stand by what I said though. Taylor paid KG to play, and KG cashed the check, so it was Taylor's decision. Also, Taylor speaking up now is pretty unclassy.

The problem here is that none of us can know for sure who made the decision and why. Everyone knows:

1) it was in the wolves best statistical interest to tank (setting aside the arguement that tanking is deterimental to the team for other reasons)
2) KG has a reputation for always playing and practicing 100%. This is so widely accepted that some argue it is a flaw in his ability that he can't play/practice at a lower intensity.
3) KG was affected by leg injuries to some degree on both of the seasons he didn't play the last few games.
4) Taylor is a moron who gained nothing by trying (for some fans succeeding) to trash the reputation of the most important player in franchise history.

In the face of conflicting testimony, we can't know how badly he was hurt or who pulled the plug on his season. We could spin different scenarios that might provide reasonable sounding motivations for both parties - but what is the point? Why is this still under discussion? Granted this board was created for idle speculation of fans, but in this case the only thing that is being accomplished is pissing eachother off I think. Which is filtering into the discussion on other topics...

[deeney0]

According to Chad Hartman, management asked KG to sit the 2nd and 4th quarters of the games they wanted to tank. KG didn't want any part of it and said to either play him or sit him, so they made up an injury for KG.

Sounds an awful lot like Al not getting back in until later and later in the 4th this year - Al should've been put in with 8 minutes left in the Portland game when they were down 6, but he didn't get in until 3.5 minutes left and down 11.

[PPAW4Life]

Glen Taylor is a billionaire.

5 games salary for KG won't even put a dent in him.

The real issue here isn't about money, responsibility, or even tanking.

The real issue is perception of blame.

Glen Taylor doesn't want to be blamed for "tanking" so he is saying KG is the one who sat out the last 5 games and that small sample of "tanking" games is the reason for the horrible season the Twolves had to endure.

Yeah, who ever buys that is probably still buying Timberwolves tickets.

[horaceworthy]

According to Chad Hartman, management asked KG to sit the 2nd and 4th quarters of the games they wanted to tank. KG didn't want any part of it and said to either play him or sit him, so they made up an injury for KG.

That was during the '05-06 season, in order to lose and keep KG's consecutive games streak going (Casey actually did use him that way for one game, then KG was shut down). Last year KG's minutes in his final two games were cut back to about 32 per game, but they weren't cut back to the 24 mpg level of the year before.

Those defending Taylor here are coming off as pretty desperate and gullible. KG's certainly not perfect, but not only were Taylor's comments were completely uncalled for, all the context clues point to tanking beginning with management. He certainly has the right to say whatever he wants (and not just because he signed KG's paychecks), but having a right and being right are not the same thing.

It's possible that Taylor was taken slightly out of context here. In the next sentence that he was quoted he talked a little bit about the morale of the players after KG was shut down. It's possible that he meant that "[It was missing] KG that tanked it," not simply that KG tanked the season. If that's the case, then those defending Taylor by saying KG tanked come off even more foolish than they already have.

[shrink]

That was during the '05-06 season, in order to lose and keep KG's consecutive games streak going (Casey actually did use him that way for one game, then KG was shut down). Last year KG's minutes in his final two games were cut back to about 32 per game, but they weren't cut back to the 24 mpg level of the year before.

Those defending Taylor here are coming off as pretty desperate and gullible. KG's certainly not perfect, but not only were Taylor's comments were completely uncalled for, all the context clues point to tanking beginning with management. He certainly has the right to say whatever he wants (and not just because he signed KG's paychecks), but having a right and being right are not the same thing.

It's possible that Taylor was taken slightly out of context here. In the next sentence that he was quoted he talked a little bit about the morale of the players after KG was shut down. It's possible that he meant that "[It was missing] KG that tanked it," not simply that KG tanked the season. If that's the case, then those defending Taylor by saying KG tanked come off even more foolish than they already have.

Good post. I don't follow your last part though.

If KG decided he was not going to play at all, and dishearten the team, why does that make the case more for him?

Personally, I think people who are saying its either "defend Taylor" or "defend KG" are vastly oversimplifying here.

If KG decided to shut himself down, then he bears some blame.

No matter what Taylor believed, he was wrong to say it, so he bears blame.

Its not "defend one or the other .." Both guys could have been in the wrong here.