Game 32: Minnesota Timberwolves (11-20) vs. Brooklyn Nets (16-15) - 8:00 PM ET

[karch34]

Napier showed aggressiveness we haven't had for awhile. Wasn't always pretty but I'll take that over chicken with head cut off we've seen in last couple games from a lot of vets. Reid had moments and Culver played well.

[Crazy-Canuck]

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ouch

[Dewey]

Well that game exemplified a few things ...

1. How sorely we miss a #1 goto.

2. You can win a game with some heart. Napier and Dieng led the charge. Made mistakes, but no drama and just kept playing hard. Others followed.

3. Was kinda fun to see Reid and Martin play roles ... really shows the reality of how replaceable players can be. Next man up - always someone looking for the opportunity.

[minimus]

Was kinda fun to see Reid and Martin play roles ... really shows the reality of how replaceable players can be. Next man up - always someone looking for the opportunity.

We should give credit to our Iowa coaching staff. They are doing excellent job.

Martin has to improve defense and learn some NBA game nuances, but effort is there.

[Jedzz]

Was kinda fun to see Reid and Martin play roles ... really shows the reality of how replaceable players can be. Next man up - always someone looking for the opportunity.

We should give credit to our Iowa coaching staff. They are doing excellent job.

Martin has to improve defense and learn some NBA game nuances, but effort is there.

Martin isn't perfect. But he's way past nuances of players that have owned more minutes on this team this year. Offensively and defensively.

Overall I have liked how they have managed Martin's time on both teams. He still gets a little bent out of shape angry with himself. If that goes too far, those are the moments to rekindle confidence in the Gleague. SHould have been how Culver was handled when he was struggling badly.

Culver by the way, doing much better now that they aren't trying to force him to lead as PG for 28 minutes. The occasional possession seems to be working a little better.

Wish we had coaches that could remind the young guys of things as soon as they come off the floor. Reid had some poor footing going on many of his shots. A little reminder could have went a long way. But his presence was instant on this team. Hard to believe he was one of the last ones to get court time. (Dec 30th)

[minimus]

Was kinda fun to see Reid and Martin play roles ... really shows the reality of how replaceable players can be. Next man up - always someone looking for the opportunity.

We should give credit to our Iowa coaching staff. They are doing excellent job.

Martin has to improve defense and learn some NBA game nuances, but effort is there.

Martin isn't perfect. But he's way past nuances of players that have owned more minutes on this team this year. Offensively and defensively.

Overall I have liked how they have managed Martin's time on both teams. He still gets a little bent out of shape angry with himself. If that goes too far, those are the moments to rekindle confidence in the Gleague. SHould have been how Culver was handled when he was struggling badly.

Culver by the way, doing much better now that they aren't trying to force him to lead as PG for 28 minutes. The occasional possession seems to be working a little better.

Wish we had coaches that could remind the young guys of things as soon as they come off the floor. Reid had some poor footing going on many of his shots. A little reminder could have went a long way. But his presence was instant on this team. Hard to believe he was one of the last ones to get court time. (Dec 30th)

Jedzz, I wish you that all your rants about playing time distribution will be left in 2019 season. Happy new year, buddy!

[Jedzz]

Jedzz, I wish you that all your rants about playing time distribution will be left in 2019 season. Happy new year, buddy!

And I hope all your wishes for using empty minutes to sell players value will feel fulfilled from the 2019 portion of the season.
Happy New Year!

[minimus]

Jedzz, I wish you that all your rants about playing time distribution will be left in 2019 season. Happy new year, buddy!

And I hope all your wishes for using empty minutes to sell players value will feel fulfilled from the 2019 portion of the season.
Happy New Year!

Amen

[KGdaBom]

Yea I wouldnt crown Napier after finally having a good game. People wanted Bayless to start last year after he had a solid stretch of games. Then he went right back to being terrible and his fanclub stopped talking about him.

I had to go to work so i missed overtime but we're calling this a good game for Napier?? Musta had a hell of an OT.

First 3 minutes of OT he was trying to give the game away. Last two he scored a bunch.

[KGdaBom]

wut?

Check the play by play. He was missing every shot and turning the ball over.

I watched the game. In the 4th and OT he was aggressive driving the net, made some, missed some. Put his players in a position to follow him up at times. He is the very reason they chewed up a 5 or 6 pt deficit late in regulation being aggressive like that. Then Dieng feeding off that aggression and cleaning up at times, Culver being clutch on FTs.

Napier was doing his best Rose impersonation and guys were fighting with him. Contrast that to what Teague was doing earlier driving and never getting near the net resulting in turnover.

They all had major turnovers and many a missed pass. But they were being led by someone showing some heart. Dude had 24 pts, on the defensive end he was getting around all screens/picks. Once Teague was out of his way, and he could lead as the sole PG he took over. Got to praise him for that, picking up the intensity when he had to.

We must have been watching different Napiers. He was standing out as the reason we had to make the comeback in regulation and the first three minutes of OT he would give away leads that other players earned for us with constant TOs, missed shots and fouls.

[Jedzz]

Check the play by play. He was missing every shot and turning the ball over.

I watched the game. In the 4th and OT he was aggressive driving the net, made some, missed some. Put his players in a position to follow him up at times. He is the very reason they chewed up a 5 or 6 pt deficit late in regulation being aggressive like that. Then Dieng feeding off that aggression and cleaning up at times, Culver being clutch on FTs.

Napier was doing his best Rose impersonation and guys were fighting with him. Contrast that to what Teague was doing earlier driving and never getting near the net resulting in turnover.

They all had major turnovers and many a missed pass. But they were being led by someone showing some heart. Dude had 24 pts, on the defensive end he was getting around all screens/picks. Once Teague was out of his way, and he could lead as the sole PG he took over. Got to praise him for that, picking up the intensity when he had to.

We must have been watching different Napiers. He was standing out as the reason we had to make the comeback in regulation and the first three minutes of OT he would give away leads that other players earned for us with constant TOs, missed shots and fouls.

He wasn't good early in the game. No question. But either was Teague. As usual the rotation blending ending up with dual PGs everywhere. Teague was the guy who was completely out of sorts this game. Napier brought the energy and aggressive drives to the rim with any kind of ability to reach the rim.

I have a feeling you weren't open to seeing what he was doing by late in the game. Maybe you didn't really finish out watching the fourth thinking it was over before it was? I almost decided to stop watching it got so ugly in the 3rd.

I'm not going to claim he was perfect and willed everything to the win. But he and Dieng and Culver, and earlier Reid, were the reasons they had any chance in this game. It was as usual very close to crumbling at any moment. One miss and they were back down by 5 again in seconds. One make, like one of Martin's late, made all the difference as well. But it was Napier, Dieng, Culver leading the team to a reason to try. I don't think you noticed how much more professional everything started to look after Teague went out and Napier was handed the keys by himself. Moments of it anyway. Sure, there were moments neither team wanted to score at all in this game. But they got passed that.

[KGdaBom]

I watched the game. In the 4th and OT he was aggressive driving the net, made some, missed some. Put his players in a position to follow him up at times. He is the very reason they chewed up a 5 or 6 pt deficit late in regulation being aggressive like that. Then Dieng feeding off that aggression and cleaning up at times, Culver being clutch on FTs.

Napier was doing his best Rose impersonation and guys were fighting with him. Contrast that to what Teague was doing earlier driving and never getting near the net resulting in turnover.

They all had major turnovers and many a missed pass. But they were being led by someone showing some heart. Dude had 24 pts, on the defensive end he was getting around all screens/picks. Once Teague was out of his way, and he could lead as the sole PG he took over. Got to praise him for that, picking up the intensity when he had to.

We must have been watching different Napiers. He was standing out as the reason we had to make the comeback in regulation and the first three minutes of OT he would give away leads that other players earned for us with constant TOs, missed shots and fouls.

He wasn't good early in the game. No question. But either was Teague. As usual the rotation blending ending up with dual PGs everywhere. Teague was the guy who was completely out of sorts this game. Napier brought the energy and aggressive drives to the rim with any kind of ability to reach the rim.

I have a feeling you weren't open to seeing what he was doing by late in the game. Maybe you didn't really finish out watching the fourth thinking it was over before it was? I almost decided to stop watching it got so ugly in the 3rd.

I'm not going to claim he was perfect and willed everything to the win. But he and Dieng and Culver, and earlier Reid, were the reasons they had any chance in this game. It was as usual very close to crumbling at any moment. One miss and they were back down by 5 again in seconds. One make, like one of Martin's late, made all the difference as well. But it was Napier, Dieng, Culver leading the team to a reason to try. I don't think you noticed how much more professional everything started to look after Teague went out and Napier was handed the keys by himself. Moments of it anyway. Sure, there were moments neither team wanted to score at all in this game. But they got passed that.

Overall Napier had a good game. I'm talking only about late regulation and first three minutes of OT. I didn't mention Teague at all.

[Jedzz]

Overall Napier had a good game. I'm talking only about late regulation and first three minutes of OT. I didn't mention Teague at all.

There was to be no late regulation charge or OT without Napier playing as he did. I don't know if you are referring to a slim minute split at the end of regulation causing overtime or what, but if you didn't actually see what happened in the entire fourth, how he energized them all, then I'm not going to waste time discussing it.

As I said prior, he was very Rose like in the fourth at least to the extent of playing with heart and complete fnish to the rim. Something they've been missing ever since Rose, or at least when Wiggins isn't aloud to run point. This is a first from our other PGs. Teague would occasionally try. But he doesn't seem to have that under the basket ability. He's got his floater and that's really it. That only works those days when it is going in. Which we've seen maybe all of twice where he's led a charge that way and amassed points doing so. But that floater finish also doesn't carry all the way to the basket, the point at which all eyes come to the basket and everyone gets freed up. Getting under the basket and having some moves for that is sometihng else and takes heart to repeatedly offer. Hopefully Napier can show more of that in games to come.