Around the NBA (Part Two)

[Domejandro]

It is insane how garbage the Phoenix Suns are, Kevin Durant is fighting for his life trying to tread water and make the play-in.

HUGE win for Minnesota, though! Tonight catapulted the Timberwolves to the seventh seed! Only half a game back from sixth.

[Klomp]

Would you feel more confident betting KAT and Knicks get to conference finals or us?

This is actually a tough question.

I lean us, but the only thing holding me back in Jalen Brunson. NBA playoffs are where guards shine. However, they have a really tough Boston and Cleveland that they have not matched up well with. Meanwhile, we have our inconsistencies, but we seem to get up for big games. The Lakers are the only matchup I really fear in a series right now, maybe the Thunder.

[TimberKat]

Watching HOU at NOP 2nd qtr. That is one ugly game by both teams. Zion did has a few good moments, so hope NOP win this one.

[Klomp]

Nightmares. So many nightmares.

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[Klomp]

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[TimberKat]

Nightmares. So many nightmares.

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It's deja vu all over again I do wish NYK win that game. It's been no help from any team tonight.

[TimberKat]

Butler is keep GSW in the game vs DET with a big 3rd qtr.

[minimus]

How BOS have stopped Doncic while playing 38 yo Horford at C?

[TimberKat]

How BOS have stopped Doncic while playing 3yo Horford at C?

I didn't watch the full game, but in general, no one stops SGA, Luka, or Kyrie one on one. You have to bring the double team once a while. Wolves suck at that last year, guys like Towns, Naz, and Ant would miss the rotation. I think this year with NAW, Clark, JMcD, DDV, and TSJ, we could fly around switch and double. Having Gobert protect the rim is still important. I don't know if Luka is 100% yet. I would think that is how Celtics play with White, Holiday, Brown, and Tatum. They switch and double.

[TimberKat]

Besides the TWolves win, the best news yesterday was LAC went to OT with SAC. Let hope that impact SAC's back-to-back vs NYK tonight. I been very disappointed this last weekend that DLo and Towns didn't help the TWolves. At least Wiggins did his part in his passive aggressive way.

[minimus]

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[TimberKat]

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Isn't that is exactly how we us Gobert? We are missing that occasion help (for a second or two) or the run back to switch off on the smaller player. That wing guys has to know that like Derek White.

[minimus]

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Isn't that is exactly how we us Gobert? We are missing that occasion help (for a second or two) or the run back to switch off on the smaller player. That wing guys has to know that like Derek White.

Not really. They use KP as a drop bigman. Meanwhile Horford has been consistently one of the best switch pick and roll defenders in entire NBA. But BOS true strength is their swarm intelligence, when their players know how adapt and play multiple defensive schemes. Sure, just having guys such as KP, Horford, Holiday, Brown and White give coaching staff possibility of making any possible scheme work, but still BOS as group are miles ahead of MIN in terms of chemistry, coaching and experience. Fortunately, you can see multiple things in MIN that are trending in right direction:

- DDV is actually very impressive as low man. This has been staple of BOS offense, when Holiday, White are anchoring team defense

- Clark has been defending as PoA defender, as roamer and occasionally against opponent bigmen

- TJ played some good defense by using his strength

- McDaniels has been great as PF

- remember Reid fouling on every defensive possession in his first seasons? He still bites on every fake, but has improved tremendously as rim protector

- NAW is elite defender fighting through screens

They biggest difference between BOS and MIN is that their players and coaches have used their strengths to build a system, while MIN are still learning, collecting components. Getting Gobert was a foundational move, basement to build on top, he singlehandedly has carried franchise from mediocre defensive team to elite.

[TimberKat]

DLo is total garbage vs Lakers tonight. Not getting much help from Nets so far, still have a chance.
Edit: DLo actually played well in the 4th to get the win.

[TimberKat]

Big lineups are death? HOU use Sengun and Adams in the same lineup to beat Orlando.

[TimberKat]

Warriors are so lucky right now. Hield+Payton so far 8 of 9 shooting. 5 of 6 from 3s.

Every team around the Wolves had winning streaks
MEM 3, HOU 3, GSW 5, MIN 5, LAC 3

It's going to be difficult to catch anyone

[winforlose]

Warriors are so lucky right now. Hield+Payton so far 8 of 9 shooting. 5 of 6 from 3s.

Every team around the Wolves had winning streaks
MEM 3, HOU 3, GSW 5, MIN 5, LAC 3

It's going to be difficult to catch anyone

As long as we keep winning I think 3rd is very likely. 50 wins means 3 losses the rest of the way. Without LeBron the Lakers should lose at least 9 more games. Without JJJ Memphis could lose 6. The Warriors will go cold and probably lose 5-8. We have 2 chances to put losses on Denver and 1 loss on Memphis. Our fate is not 100% in our hands, but it is close enough.

[TimberKat]

Warriors are so lucky right now. Hield+Payton so far 8 of 9 shooting. 5 of 6 from 3s.

Every team around the Wolves had winning streaks
MEM 3, HOU 3, GSW 5, MIN 5, LAC 3

It's going to be difficult to catch anyone

As long as we keep winning I think 3rd is very likely. 50 wins means 3 losses the rest of the way. Without LeBron the Lakers should lose at least 9 more games. Without JJJ Memphis could lose 6. The Warriors will go cold and probably lose 5-8. We have 2 chances to put losses on Denver and 1 loss on Memphis. Our fate is not 100% in our hands, but it is close enough.

We will be lucky to get 5th or 6th. I am hoping for 11-5 for 48 wins. Wolves loss too many close games this year.

[Neeva]

Warriors are so lucky right now. Hield+Payton so far 8 of 9 shooting. 5 of 6 from 3s.

Every team around the Wolves had winning streaks
MEM 3, HOU 3, GSW 5, MIN 5, LAC 3

It's going to be difficult to catch anyone

As long as we keep winning I think 3rd is very likely. 50 wins means 3 losses the rest of the way. Without LeBron the Lakers should lose at least 9 more games. Without JJJ Memphis could lose 6. The Warriors will go cold and probably lose 5-8. We have 2 chances to put losses on Denver and 1 loss on Memphis. Our fate is not 100% in our hands, but it is close enough.

We will be lucky to get 5th or 6th. I am hoping for 11-5 for 48 wins. Wolves loss too many close games this year.

To many winnable games lost , too many losses to lottery teams, same **** as 2022-2023 season.

[TimberKat]

NOP tried so hard to give that game away. Thanks to some timely missed FT from Clippers and a triple double from Zion, NOP is going to win this one. A little breathing room for Twolves to hold on to #7 seed.