Playoff Race and Scoreboard Watching

[winforlose]

Find it funny that no matter what over the last
month+, we stay stuck at the 7th seed. Might be our destiny, and not that bad of a place to be.

Tonight we ended in 6th again. I said this a few days back, but we absolutely control our destiny now. If we win out we cannot be 7th or 8th. Literally cannot. Destiny is what happens to teams like LAC whose playoff position is out of their hands (winning out still could land them in the play in.) We have a thumb on the scale, now we just need our players to get their thumbs out of their ***es and play real basketball the next four games.

[winforlose]

Find it funny that no matter what over the last
month+, we stay stuck at the 7th seed. Might be our destiny, and not that bad of a place to be.

Too many f ups against inferior competition earlier that home loss to Pacers b team and the home loss to hackless wizards are huge right now

What is even worse is the OT loss to Huston. Just win that game would had made Wolves the in-season tournament division winner. We would be in 4th place place right now. One game behind LAL. Also keep HOU interested in the last 4 games vs GSW, LAC, LAL,DEN. Wolves very possibly looking to take the #2 seed.

Didn’t we get two easier games because we lost that one. I am not sure winning that game would have improved our record, but I legitimately don’t know.

[TimberKat]

Too many f ups against inferior competition earlier that home loss to Pacers b team and the home loss to hackless wizards are huge right now

What is even worse is the OT loss to Huston. Just win that game would had made Wolves the in-season tournament division winner. We would be in 4th place place right now. One game behind LAL. Also keep HOU interested in the last 4 games vs GSW, LAC, LAL,DEN. Wolves very possibly looking to take the #2 seed.

Didn’t we get two easier games because we lost that one. I am not sure winning that game would have improved our record, but I legitimately don’t know.

Good point, the added games were against Lakers and SAS. We won both. Instead of GSW/OKC/Bucks/Hawks. You can argue we could had end up 1-1 and have the exact record. However, HOU still would have one more loss which helps keep things interesting.

[shrink]

Too many f ups against inferior competition earlier that home loss to Pacers b team and the home loss to hackless wizards are huge right now

I agree with you, and whether you blame Ant or Finch, this has been a problem for the last three years.

But I want to add perspective

First, this happens to all good teams. Teams, human beings, can’t maintain 100% focus and competitiveness for a full 82 games. Even when the 73-9 Warriors lost a few games they were heavily favored in (like a home game vs MIN, dealing with Shabazz Muhammed!). All teams with decent records include some bad losses - that’s just reality.

Second, the Wolves specifically doesn’t get up as well for bad teams, but for three years has been very good about getting up for the best teams. The second part is far more important than the first, because you only face good teams in the playoffs. Whether you credit Ant or Finch, over the last three years MIN has had one of the best records against good teams.

Yes, struggling through the uncertainty of this game was painful. But I’d rather be us heading into the playoffs, than a worse team with a similar overall record that routinely beats the cupcakes. We are a team that other good teams don’t want to face in the playoffs, because we have the upside to rise to the occasion.

[Ethomasp31]

Find it funny that no matter what over the last
month+, we stay stuck at the 7th seed. Might be our destiny, and not that bad of a place to be.

Tonight we ended in 6th again. I said this a few days back, but we absolutely control our destiny now. If we win out we cannot be 7th or 8th. Literally cannot. Destiny is what happens to teams like LAC whose playoff position is out of their hands (winning out still could land them in the play in.) We have a thumb on the scale, now we just need our players to get their thumbs out of their ***es and play real basketball the next four games.

As we get closer and closer to the end of the season, I see your point about it being good that the LAC keep on winning. We were 3-0 against them and the only way they would win a tie-breaker against us is if they won their division.

Last night JMD, Naz and Randle did not play well. Naz has got to start shooting the ball better. He had 20 great games in the middle of the season and got off to a good start to the season, but besides that he is shooting barely above 30% from 3 for the year. I would not give him $25M a year. If he is our starting 4 we are not a contender for anything. He's the guy I would use in a sign and trade to try and get KD. We would have to give up the Pistons 1st, the Jazz 2nd rounder and more too.

Here are the updated odds for seeding in the Western Conference. The wolves need to win out in my opinion to assure that they avoid the play-in. Everyone keeps on winning. Just looking at it, we have the best chance to be the 4th seed, 5th seed and 6th seed of any of the teams. By Wednesday morning it is possible that we have a 6 way tie at 47-32 for spots 3-8. Wouldn't that be fun!!! Also, the LAC and MEM are about 50% chance to avoid the play-in, while the Wolves GSW, LAL and Nuggets are all between 71.3 (us) and 80.2 (LAL) to avoid the play-in. CRAZY stuff!!

https://www.basketball-reference.com/friv/playoff_prob.html

[Baseline81]

I agree with you, and whether you blame Ant or Finch, this has been a problem for the last three years.

But I want to add perspective

First, this happens to all good teams. Teams, human beings, can’t maintain 100% focus and competitiveness for a full 82 games. Even when the 73-9 Warriors lost a few games they were heavily favored in (like a home game vs MIN, dealing with Shabazz Muhammed!). All teams with decent records include some bad losses - that’s just reality.

Of course the blame falls on the shoulders of Finch. You could argue Edwards for a year, but for three? If a coach cannot recognize one of his players has been a significant reason as to why the team is unable to regularly beat lesser teams, that's on him.

As to the underline, yes, but to the degree it happens to the Wolves is different. Even you and Klomp have to admit it's not a rarity but rather a common occurrence at this point for Minnesota to struggle will non-playoff teams.

[TimberKat]

Here are the updated odds for seeding in the Western Conference. The wolves need to win out in my opinion to assure that they avoid the play-in. Everyone keeps on winning. Just looking at it, we have the best chance to be the 4th seed, 5th seed and 6th seed of any of the teams. By Wednesday morning it is possible that we have a 6 way tie at 47-32 for spots 3-8. Wouldn't that be fun!!! Also, the LAC and MEM are about 50% chance to avoid the play-in, while the Wolves GSW, LAL and Nuggets are all between 71.3 (us) and 80.2 (LAL) to avoid the play-in. CRAZY stuff!!

https://www.basketball-reference.com/friv/playoff_prob.html

It's funny how those stats works. If everyone has greater than 50% chance to avoid play-in than who is going to be in play-in. At the moment, it does look like LAC and MEM but that could change with one loss from any team. It's too bad HOU is not closer to the pack. GSW made their run. MEM won their two tough away games. Totally agree we need to win out starting with Bucks.

[shrink]

I agree with you, and whether you blame Ant or Finch, this has been a problem for the last three years.

But I want to add perspective

First, this happens to all good teams. Teams, human beings, can’t maintain 100% focus and competitiveness for a full 82 games. Even when the 73-9 Warriors lost a few games they were heavily favored in (like a home game vs MIN, dealing with Shabazz Muhammed!). All teams with decent records include some bad losses - that’s just reality.

Of course the blame falls on the shoulders of Finch. You could argue Edwards for a year, but for three? If a coach cannot recognize one of his players has been a significant reason as to why the team is unable to regularly beat lesser teams, that's on him.

As to the underline, yes, but to the degree it happens to the Wolves is different. Even you and Klomp have to admit it's not a rarity but rather a common occurrence at this point for Minnesota to struggle will non-playoff teams.

Doesn’t at least some of the fault that Ant hasn’t matured lie with Ant? We have a thread for that.

And yes, MIN loses more games against bad team. But like I said, they also win more games against good teams. You can’t complain about one, and ignore the other.

[Neeva]

Ant gets up for the tougher competition the bad coaching is a constant throughout no matter if the competition is good or bad!

[shrink]

I was watching Starting Five, they got to the All Star Game, and I forgot Chris Finch was coaching it.

[winforlose]

Too many f ups against inferior competition earlier that home loss to Pacers b team and the home loss to hackless wizards are huge right now

I agree with you, and whether you blame Ant or Finch, this has been a problem for the last three years.

But I want to add perspective

First, this happens to all good teams. Teams, human beings, can’t maintain 100% focus and competitiveness for a full 82 games. Even when the 73-9 Warriors lost a few games they were heavily favored in (like a home game vs MIN, dealing with Shabazz Muhammed!). All teams with decent records include some bad losses - that’s just reality.

Second, the Wolves specifically doesn’t get up as well for bad teams, but for three years has been very good about getting up for the best teams. The second part is far more important than the first, because you only face good teams in the playoffs. Whether you credit Ant or Finch, over the last three years MIN has had one of the best records against good teams.

Yes, struggling through the uncertainty of this game was painful. But I’d rather be us heading into the playoffs, than a worse team with a similar overall record that routinely beats the cupcakes. We are a team that other good teams don’t want to face in the playoffs, because we have the upside to rise to the occasion.

No team does it this often, no team is this bad in the clutch. That Ant make was ridiculous. Double teamed, no room to operate, turn around in mid air to beat the shot clock. We don’t just consistently play poorly against bad teams, we consistently run terrible action ATO end of game. We also happen to have the most clutch losses because of this. Had we lost that might have doomed our entire season.

[winforlose]

I was watching Starting Five, they got to the All Star Game, and I forgot Chris Finch was coaching it.

You can have a great roster that plays well enough to cover for their coach (last year.) When they don’t (22/23 and 24/25) then you see him for his warts. You can drive fast with a race car, but you are not a professional racer unless you can consistently win and avoid crashing said car.

[shrink]

Ant is 2-for-21 in the clutch because Finch, the guy who preaches ball movement, tells Ant to go 3-on-1 and never pass. That’s why I blame Finch. He’s responsible for the 19 misses, Ant is a blameless 2-for-2

In fact, all our youth are rotation players if stupid Finch had only played 15 players each game! And all our non-youth are stars too. Finch must be the worst coach ever to only be 1.5 games out of third at 46-32, given all these flawless players that fit together perfectly.

(Does every damn thread need to include the same people spamming their same complaints about Finch? We literally have a thread titled, “The Official Fire Chris Finch Thread.”)

[winforlose]

Lakers with a 10 point lead after 1. OKC really needs to up their defensive intensity. Giving up 42 points on 72% shooting is… not good. We could really use some OKC help these next two games.

Update: 3 minutes into the 2nd the Lakers have exploded the lead to 20. They are shooting 10 of 12 from deep, and OKC is missing layups. Very concerning start.

[TimberKat]

Lakers with a 10 point lead after 1. OKC really needs to up their defensive intensity. Giving up 42 points on 72% shooting is… not good. We could really use some OKC help these next two games.

Update: 3 minutes into the 2nd the Lakers have exploded the lead to 20. They are shooting 10 of 12 from deep, and OKC is missing layups. Very concerning start.

OKC is shutting it down. I don't know LAL win is good or bad. I think that keeps HOU interested and try to be at GSW tonight as they could lose the 2 seed to LAL

[TimberKat]

Ant is 2-for-21 in the clutch because Finch, the guy who preaches ball movement, tells Ant to go 3-on-1 and never pass. That’s why I blame Finch. He’s responsible for the 19 misses, Ant is a blameless 2-for-2

In fact, all our youth are rotation players if stupid Finch had only played 15 players each game! And all our non-youth are stars too. Finch must be the worst coach ever to only be 1.5 games out of third at 46-32, given all these flawless players that fit together perfectly.

(Does every damn thread need to include the same people spamming their same complaints about Finch? We literally have a thread titled, “The Official Fire Chris Finch Thread.”

I don't know if Finch really tell Ant to do that or he simply put the ball in Ant's hand which Ant won't pass to anyone.

[winforlose]

Lakers with a 10 point lead after 1. OKC really needs to up their defensive intensity. Giving up 42 points on 72% shooting is… not good. We could really use some OKC help these next two games.

Update: 3 minutes into the 2nd the Lakers have exploded the lead to 20. They are shooting 10 of 12 from deep, and OKC is missing layups. Very concerning start.

OKC is shutting it down. I don't know LAL win is good or bad. I think that keeps HOU interested and try to be at GSW tonight as they could lose the 2 seed to LAL

It is very bad. It shores up 3rd for LAL and we don’t want them there. If we are 6th we get the LAL matchup and whistle, or we are 4th or 5th and have OKC in round 2.

Shay just cut the 29 point deficit to 22, but LAL just tied a franchise record for made 3s.

[minimus]

Doncic made 3s over Hartenstein and coue of mid range shots which instantly gave me flashbacks from last season MIN-DAL series. Also I hope Edwards will attack Doncic in direct matchup

[shrink]

I was afraid of this for a week. OKC doesn’t have much reason to put up a fight against LAL.

It’s frustrating that the schedule can affect playoff seedings.

[Loaf_of_bread]

We just go toe to toe vs anyone as the 6 or 7. Okc is the final boss to avoid. If it's LAL, bring it.