Are the Wolves legitimate title contenders

[KGdaBom]

An emoji hug would be interesting. Sorry to disappoint. I just feel like we need to make some trades and improve the offensive scheme to maximize our title chances. I feel like we aren’t where we should be and I believe we can get there, but time is becoming factor. What do you think Wolf?

There's that nit picking.

Miami beat Boston last year. 7 beat 2. If all that matters is regular season wins and losses that should be impossible.

Sorry but DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!! If regular season was all that mattered there would be no need for a playoffs. No comment on my kiss and hug emojis? That was me hugging it out with you .

[Note30]

I think the only thing we lack is experience

[WolfAddict]

An emoji hug would be interesting. Sorry to disappoint. I just feel like we need to make some trades and improve the offensive scheme to maximize our title chances. I feel like we aren’t where we should be and I believe we can get there, but time is becoming factor. What do you think Wolf?

Not disappointed at all my friend I'm generally a glass half full kind of guy, to a fault sometimes (a fact my missus hates as she's a worrier) but I can see where you're both coming from.

KG is, rightfully so, excited about this team and its prospects. We've all been Wolves fans for a while and know that there a lot of dark days in our rear view mirror so I can understand, and join in with, that excitement (as I'm sure you can also). This team is scary good when it clicks, and even when it doesn't click perfectly, we still have a resolve that we haven't seen in previous iterations of the Wolves. So, I get the excitement and confidence and I'm loving participating in it as well.

But, I see where you're coming from as well. I'm ex military (Australia) and wholeheartedly agree in constant revision and betterment of a team (be it a sporting team or otherwise), because complacency is a breeding ground for mediocrity. I personally think there are times Coach Finch needs to be smarter with timeouts and rotations, players making really bad decisions and mistakes on the court (Edwards especially with turnovers) and other things that can be enhanced or refined to give this team an even better chance at making a good run in the finals.

So in essence, I'm a fence sitter in this matter and can easily see merits in both sides of argument/debate from up here.

[KGdaBom]

I think the only thing we lack is experience

You don't have experience until you do. We haven't had a playoff run since 2004 and historically; I think; that is usually a requirement to win it all.

[KGdaBom]

An emoji hug would be interesting. Sorry to disappoint. I just feel like we need to make some trades and improve the offensive scheme to maximize our title chances. I feel like we aren’t where we should be and I believe we can get there, but time is becoming factor. What do you think Wolf?

Not disappointed at all my friend I'm generally a glass half full kind of guy, to a fault sometimes (a fact my missus hates as she's a worrier) but I can see where you're both coming from.

KG is, rightfully so, excited about this team and its prospects. We've all been Wolves fans for a while and know that there a lot of dark days in our rear view mirror so I can understand, and join in with, that excitement (as I'm sure you can also). This team is scary good when it clicks, and even when it doesn't click perfectly, we still have a resolve that we haven't seen in previous iterations of the Wolves. So, I get the excitement and confidence and I'm loving participating in it as well.

But, I see where you're coming from as well. I'm ex military (Australia) and wholeheartedly agree in constant revision and betterment of a team (be it a sporting team or otherwise), because complacency is a breeding ground for mediocrity. I personally think there are times Coach Finch needs to be smarter with timeouts and rotations, players making really bad decisions and mistakes on the court (Edwards especially with turnovers) and other things that can be enhanced or refined to give this team an even better chance at making a good run in the finals.

So in essence, I'm a fence sitter in this matter and can easily see merits in both sides of argument/debate from up here.

Other than the Wolves I see 6 teams I would call contenders. Denver, OKC and Clippers in the west. Boston, Milwaukee and Philly if Embiid's injury isn't too severe in the east. Do you see us as being a contender amongst those teams. If so I think you see us as a contender.

[WolfAddict]

Other than the Wolves I see 6 teams I would call contenders. Denver, OKC and Clippers in the west. Boston, Milwaukee and Philly if Embiid's injury isn't too severe in the east. Do you see us as being a contender amongst those teams. If so I think you see us as a contender.

Oh I'm 100% in the "we can (and will) win it all this season" camp brother

But like I said, I see the point you're both trying to make

[KGdaBom]

Other than the Wolves I see 6 teams I would call contenders. Denver, OKC and Clippers in the west. Boston, Milwaukee and Philly if Embiid's injury isn't too severe in the east. Do you see us as being a contender amongst those teams. If so I think you see us as a contender.

Oh I'm 100% in the "we can (and will) win it all this season" camp brother

But like I said, I see the point you're both trying to make

W4L and I agree we are contenders. You take it a huge step past us when you say will win it all. I like the way you think, but my mathematical mind (30 teams 1 champion) can't take that next step.

[Calinks]

For me right now there are only a handful of teams I can feel confident in as far as winning the title. In order.

1. Denver (Last year they were just far and away above everyone else at execution)
2. Boston (They look incredible this year, little to no weaknesses)
3. Clippers (I didn't believe in them before but they have proven to be really good and seem strong all over)

Those are really the only three I feel very confident about. After them, I would say these other teams have a shot.

4. Bucks (Too much top end talent and they have been there before)

5. 76ers (I don't have too much faith but they have been dominant this year, consistently they destroy lesser competition, Embiid is next level right now)

I think I slide the Wolves in next at 6. On paper and with how they have played this season when they are at their best, I would say they are good enough to slot in right behind Boston at number 3. That said, we have too much negative history, too little experience, and too many warts I deem catastrophically detrimental to winning a championship.

I just can't see us turning around our offense enough, see Towns not make a ton of costly mistakes (fall to the floor, rack up fouls, stray voltage), Ant not turn the ball over and get tunnel vision in some big time moments, or some teams beating us with some hot shooting and speed that exploits our bigs for enough games to win a series.

I just think we have too many holes right now to good enough to win it all. I could see it happening in a season or two if the team could stay together and continue to grow and improve but I don't think they can iron all of that out in the little time we have.

[gandlogo]

Not enough offense. Better chance of a first-round exit than making the finals.

[KGdaBom]

For me right now there are only a handful of teams I can feel confident in as far as winning the title. In order.

1. Denver (Last year they were just far and away above everyone else at execution)
2. Boston (They look incredible this year, little to no weaknesses)
3. Clippers (I didn't believe in them before but they have proven to be really good and seem strong all over)

Those are really the only three I feel very confident about. After them, I would say these other teams have a shot.

4. Bucks (Too much top end talent and they have been there before)

5. 76ers (I don't have too much faith but they have been dominant this year, consistently they destroy lesser competition, Embiid is next level right now)

I think I slide the Wolves in next at 6. On paper and with how they have played this season when they are at their best, I would say they are good enough to slot in right behind Boston at number 3. That said, we have too much negative history, too little experience, and too many warts I deem catastrophically detrimental to winning a championship.

I just can't see us turning around our offense enough, see Towns not make a ton of costly mistakes (fall to the floor, rack up fouls, stray voltage), Ant not turn the ball over and get tunnel vision in some big time moments, or some teams beating us with some hot shooting and speed that exploits our bigs for enough games to win a series.

I just think we have too many holes right now to good enough to win it all. I could see it happening in a season or two if the team could stay together and continue to grow and improve but I don't think they can iron all of that out in the little time we have.

I would normally consider top 6 as being a contender, but based on your narrative you consider us to have about 0.1% chance. I think you suffer the same malady as a lot of Wolves fans. You know our team too well so your know our faults and don't consider us good enough. The other teams have as many and usually more faults than we do. Boston just lost by 9 at home to the Lakers playing without Bron or Brow. You think they don't have weaknesses?

[KGdaBom]

Not enough offense. Better chance of a first-round exit than making the finals.

Defense is half the game. If we're the best at defense we can go a long way if we're even OK at offense. I think we're OK.

[FrenchMinnyFan]

I'm not sure we are a top 4 team as there is many good teams right now but the most important thing for me is that most of the outcome depends on us. When we are focus ( it means when KAT and ANT and JMD are), we avoid TO, bad shoot, stupid fouls. As our defense is really the best one, we can beat anybody. And we got Mike which is one of the better clutch man in the NBA,
The point is sometimes we loose our focus and it's very costly specially on 4th quarter. ANT want to be the hero, KAT loose focus and complain devery decision and we become a average team.
Time will tell but i'm optimistic this team can stay focus during PO times and give great battles. After if the planet aligned....

[Biff Cooper]

My answer is yes.

[shrink]

Which team is hoping they run into us in the playoffs?

I would say .. nobody.

[KGdaBom]

Which team is hoping they run into us in the playoffs?

I would say .. nobody.

That is a great way to say it. I don't think anybody in the NBA would want to go up against us either.

[KGdaBom]

My answer is yes.

Welcome aboard.

[KGdaBom]

I'm not sure we are a top 4 team as there is many good teams right now but the most important thing for me is that most of the outcome depends on us. When we are focus ( it means when KAT and ANT and JMD are), we avoid TO, bad shoot, stupid fouls. As our defense is really the best one, we can beat anybody. And we got Mike which is one of the better clutch man in the NBA,
The point is sometimes we loose our focus and it's very costly specially on 4th quarter. ANT want to be the hero, KAT loose focus and complain devery decision and we become a average team.
Time will tell but i'm optimistic this team can stay focus during PO times and give great battles. After if the planet aligned....

That was all a bit convoluted and not a committed statement, but I'm putting you in the yes column.

[frankenwolf]

Those losses include 4th quarter collapses in some cases by double digits to bad teams. We lost crucial seeding games to OKC and Boston. We had breakdowns in some of those 10 wins too including barely beating the Nets. Look at the numbers, turnover rate, offensive efficiency, ect… I am not saying other teams don’t have problems, I am saying we are not living up to our potential. Maybe you don’t care about that, after all a win is a win. But I see living up to our potential as part of building the championship culture that will carry us through series in April, May, and god willing June. Especially on nights where the shots aren’t falling, guys are banged up or in foul trouble, and we are scratching and clawing to stay in the game. Having those systems, and the good habits, and the faith that comes from them, makes good teams great, great teams elite, and elite teams champions. I want that for us in January and February so it will be there in May and June. You should too.

I think that having those errors, bumps in the road, whatever, can lead us to be better in May & June. As has been pointed out, all the good teams lose some headscratchers along the way. The question is, can the players & coaching staff learn from those and apply a fix to the problems?

Yes, the Wolves are contenders and have the possibility to win the Trophy at the end.

[FrenchMinnyFan]

I'm not sure we are a top 4 team as there is many good teams right now but the most important thing for me is that most of the outcome depends on us. When we are focus ( it means when KAT and ANT and JMD are), we avoid TO, bad shoot, stupid fouls. As our defense is really the best one, we can beat anybody. And we got Mike which is one of the better clutch man in the NBA,
The point is sometimes we loose our focus and it's very costly specially on 4th quarter. ANT want to be the hero, KAT loose focus and complain devery decision and we become a average team.
Time will tell but i'm optimistic this team can stay focus during PO times and give great battles. After if the planet aligned....

That was all a bit convoluted and not a committed statement, but I'm putting you in the yes column.

My answer was not crystal clear. My answer is no, this team is not mature enough to win 16 games and remain focus all PO.

[Loaf_of_bread]

This team will never win a championship as long as karl anthony towns is on the roster.