Game 4: Wolves vs Dallas.

[dschroeder01]

1. I'm about ready to bench Naz Reid and give his minutes to Luka Garza.
His defense and rebounding could not possibly be any worse. Big huge freaking gaping hole at backup center.

The guy who led the team in rebounds couldn't be worse at rebounding? I get that Naz hasn't been a good rebounder for his career, but he did ok vs. Dallas given their personnel. Lively and Gafford are tall, strong and athletic. Naz is having his best rebounding season of his career, up nearly 40% this year from last (small sample size alert). Garza? Sure he can rebound, but good luck defensively especially against a team like Dallas.

The guy who has been disappointing on the glass is Randle. He's averaging a career low in rebounds. In general though, rebounding is a team thing and we've struggled. Jaden isn't a great rebounder for a forward with his length. Donte is normally a better rebounder than he's shown. We need to do better. Not sure I'd first point at Naz though given his improvement so far this year.

[Calinks]

I don't understand how boxing out has become a lost art in the NBA and Idon't understand why a team like our who has had major problems getting boards doesn't just drill boxing out like crazy every camp. Seems like if a team just forced their players to do it, they would dominate the glass in the modern NBA because damn near nobody does it.

[BlacJacMac]

1. I'm about ready to bench Naz Reid and give his minutes to Luka Garza.
His defense and rebounding could not possibly be any worse. Big huge freaking gaping hole at backup center.

The guy who led the team in rebounds couldn't be worse at rebounding? I get that Naz hasn't been a good rebounder for his career, but he did ok vs. Dallas given their personnel. Lively and Gafford are tall, strong and athletic. Naz is having his best rebounding season of his career, up nearly 40% this year from last (small sample size alert). Garza? Sure he can rebound, but good luck defensively especially against a team like Dallas.

The guy who has been disappointing on the glass is Randle. He's averaging a career low in rebounds. In general though, rebounding is a team thing and we've struggled. Jaden isn't a great rebounder for a forward with his length. Donte is normally a better rebounder than he's shown. We need to do better. Not sure I'd first point at Naz though given his improvement so far this year.

Its surprising and promising that we've outrebounded 3 of our 4 opponents.

[Klomp]

I don't understand how boxing out has become a lost art in the NBA and Idon't understand why a team like our who has had major problems getting boards doesn't just drill boxing out like crazy every camp. Seems like if a team just forced their players to do it, they would dominate the glass in the modern NBA because damn near nobody does it.

I just had a thought, comparing the progression of the game to football. Defenses are worse now, so why has it become a lost art? Frankly, because offenses are becoming so good, so it just seems like the effort has diminished when in fact it has simply been diminished effectiveness.

[Colbinii]

I don't understand how boxing out has become a lost art in the NBA and Idon't understand why a team like our who has had major problems getting boards doesn't just drill boxing out like crazy every camp. Seems like if a team just forced their players to do it, they would dominate the glass in the modern NBA because damn near nobody does it.

It is a lot harder to box-out when players are spread out all over the court and moving.

Very different from the 1990s and 2000s where every player is within 15-20 feet of the rim and hardly anyone is cutting or moving.

It is easy to box-out a stationary opponent. It is incredibly more difficult to box-out a horizontally-moving target.

[Klomp]

I don't understand how boxing out has become a lost art in the NBA and Idon't understand why a team like our who has had major problems getting boards doesn't just drill boxing out like crazy every camp. Seems like if a team just forced their players to do it, they would dominate the glass in the modern NBA because damn near nobody does it.

It is a lot harder to box-out when players are spread out all over the court and moving.

Very different from the 1990s and 2000s where every player is within 15-20 feet of the rim and hardly anyone is cutting or moving.

It is easy to box-out a stationary opponent. It is incredibly more difficult to box-out a horizontally-moving target.

I'm glad someone was able to take my thought to the next level.

[Colbinii]

I don't understand how boxing out has become a lost art in the NBA and Idon't understand why a team like our who has had major problems getting boards doesn't just drill boxing out like crazy every camp. Seems like if a team just forced their players to do it, they would dominate the glass in the modern NBA because damn near nobody does it.

It is a lot harder to box-out when players are spread out all over the court and moving.

Very different from the 1990s and 2000s where every player is within 15-20 feet of the rim and hardly anyone is cutting or moving.

It is easy to box-out a stationary opponent. It is incredibly more difficult to box-out a horizontally-moving target.

I'm glad someone was able to take my thought to the next level.

[minimus]

I don't understand how boxing out has become a lost art in the NBA and Idon't understand why a team like our who has had major problems getting boards doesn't just drill boxing out like crazy every camp. Seems like if a team just forced their players to do it, they would dominate the glass in the modern NBA because damn near nobody does it.

It doesn't show up in highlights

[younggunsmn]

1. I'm about ready to bench Naz Reid and give his minutes to Luka Garza.
His defense and rebounding could not possibly be any worse. Big huge freaking gaping hole at backup center.

The guy who led the team in rebounds couldn't be worse at rebounding? I get that Naz hasn't been a good rebounder for his career, but he did ok vs. Dallas given their personnel. Lively and Gafford are tall, strong and athletic. Naz is having his best rebounding season of his career, up nearly 40% this year from last (small sample size alert). Garza? Sure he can rebound, but good luck defensively especially against a team like Dallas.

The guy who has been disappointing on the glass is Randle. He's averaging a career low in rebounds. In general though, rebounding is a team thing and we've struggled. Jaden isn't a great rebounder for a forward with his length. Donte is normally a better rebounder than he's shown. We need to do better. Not sure I'd first point at Naz though given his improvement so far this year.

You know if I were just looking at box scores I'd agree with you.
But watching the games, he's not physical or grabbing any tough rebounds, he's getting a lot of freebies where gobert has cleared out the paint for him, and giving up way too many offensive boards due to poor positioning and box outs.
And his defense is beyond atrocious. He gets caught in "limbo", as JJ Redick calls it, on pretty much every pick and roll.
Naz needs to level up or we are going to have to start looking hard at alternatives to the 3 big rotation we are trying to run.
He's the guy who is going to have to be the swing man positionally between the 4 and 5.
He's right about the same size and length as Gafford, but Gafford is much, much more physical.

Randle spent half the game defending on the perimeter because of Finch's switching scheme.
He actually battled pretty hard and took a few tough contested rebounds because of his physicality.
Things you arent getting if you are just looking at a box score and seeing 9 rebounds for Naz and 7 for Julius.
He was awful the first game against the Lakers, but the effort the last 3 games from him has been really good.

Eventually things are going to flip and Dante and Mike will start making shots and Randle and NAW will go back to being mediocre shooters, especially once FInch starts developing consistency with the offense and his rotations.

Randle playmaking from the middle of the floor, Dante attacking corner closeouts. These are things we can work with.
We just need to delete Ant pounding the ball from the right slot out of the playbook.

[m2002brian]

Watch on YouTube

I had a good laugh

[Neeva]

Finch needs to be called out, he’s been horrible in both losses, that **** lakers loss is looking terrible

[Klomp]

Finch needs to be called out, he’s been horrible in both losses, that **** lakers loss is looking terrible

How is it looking terrible? Because the Lakers lost to an undefeated Cavs team?!

[younggunsmn]

Watch on YouTube

I had a good laugh

He's absolutely right in everything he pointed out.
Defensive fundamentals are completely missing from the team this year.

[Calinks]

Finch needs to be called out, he’s been horrible in both losses, that **** lakers loss is looking terrible

Lakers have looked great so far, nothing wrong with that loss. We have looked ok. We are not a top team at this moment, we are merely good. We might have to throw out what we did last year, this team is different.

There are key pieces missing. No Towns and Anderson. Conely looks a lot different. Those are significant changes. We haven't adjusted well. The defense has not been the same, got to see more games and see what kind of team this one will be but its not longer safe to assume we will pick up exactly where we left off last season, probably going to be something different.