Game 36: Minnesota Timberwolves (14-21) @ Memphis Grizzlies (15-22) - 8:00 PM ET

[CP1981]

I mean it's been pretty clear to everyone watching that you can't play Napier and Teage together. Well everyone but Ryan

His rotations and feel for the game has been iffy all year. I hope he gets it together. I'm a Hawks fan so I know about losing and wasting time on a bad coach and GM.

Hopefully you guys have the right coach and GM

[karch34]

A lot of heart in that Grizz team. Lots of gritty players that just kept pushing all game. vs our partial gamers and confused coach.

Rebuilding or not they have had the culture of grit and grind for a long time. Players have changed but the mentality is still there.

[VCfor3]

Good game. You guys just caught us at the wrong time. We are on a hot streak and fully healthy.

Also did someone steal Dillon Brook's girl or insult his mom or something? That man sees a Minnesota jersey and goes super saiyan!

?

its 3-0 Grizz for season, none were particularly close

I meant just for this game, not the others. One of the other wins it felt like MIN overlooked Memphis and we caught you guys with your pants down. Don't recall off the top of my head much about the other game.

JJJ has really found his defense of late and Crowder is actually making stuff. Tyus has found his offensive game again. We also have everyone healthy which I feel like is a rare thing for us. We have been gelling really well the last few games.

[Klomp]

Is Wiggins still sick? He was just kind of out there

When he plays with teague and napier, his job is to stand in the corner. Dane has mentioned it a few times.

Wiggs dropped 11 in the 3rd, the no shots the rest of the game (other than that last one) because teague and napier both dominate the ball.

We ran 1 pnr for wiggs in the 4th which resulted in the cov 3.

While I don't think it's as easy as "his job is to stand in the corner," I do think there's something to do with his stagnation off the ball.

Fact is, he's practically never had to play off the ball in his life so he never had to learn how to play off the ball. There's no movement, no cutting, no creation of driving or passing lanes.

That being said, it's important to understand that everything that happens on the basketball court isn't necessarily drawn up. Just because a player stands in the corner doesn't mean that's what he was told to do. People like to put the blame on coaches for things like this, but we need to remember that players aren't robots. Telling a player to do something a certain way doesn't guarantee that it's going to happen exactly that way, so watching a play go poorly doesn't necessarily mean it was a poor play. It was just executed poorly. You could draw up the identical play on consecutive possessions and see it executed completely differently. There are many variables over the course of a 48-minute basketball game.

Now, coaches can do more to engage players who have tendencies to stay in the corner without the ball. That is something that Saunders probably could do better with Wiggins at times. But it's not as simple as saying he told Wiggins to stand in the corner on those plays.

[Jedzz]

Is Wiggins still sick? He was just kind of out there

When he plays with teague and napier, his job is to stand in the corner. Dane has mentioned it a few times.

Wiggs dropped 11 in the 3rd, the no shots the rest of the game (other than that last one) because teague and napier both dominate the ball.

We ran 1 pnr for wiggs in the 4th which resulted in the cov 3.

While I don't think it's as easy as "his job is to stand in the corner," I do think there's something to do with his stagnation off the ball.

Fact is, he's practically never had to play off the ball in his life so he never had to learn how to play off the ball. There's no movement, no cutting, no creation of driving or passing lanes.

That being said, it's important to understand that everything that happens on the basketball court isn't necessarily drawn up. Just because a player stands in the corner doesn't mean that's what he was told to do. People like to put the blame on coaches for things like this, but we need to remember that players aren't robots. Telling a player to do something a certain way doesn't guarantee that it's going to happen exactly that way, so watching a play go poorly doesn't necessarily mean it was a poor play. It was just executed poorly. You could draw up the identical play on consecutive possessions and see it executed completely differently. There are many variables over the course of a 48-minute basketball game.

Now, coaches can do more to engage players who have tendencies to stay in the corner without the ball. That is something that Saunders probably could do better with Wiggins at times. But it's not as simple as saying he told Wiggins to stand in the corner on those plays.

If the PG and Center(of PF) are engaged in a two man action of some sort, that leaves both Wings out to pasture. The wing close by on the strong side is more likely to get involved, the weakside Wing will position himself in the corner or at least on the opposit far arc. Right? I mean if they are playing a 5 out of sorts, there are places they need to be, that their team mates expect them to be.

If the original action takes too long to develop or gets stumped by the defense, this is when you would hope the Wings start creating options for who is now on ball. Wish he would cut more, but I suppose it has a lot to do with feeling comfortable with who he's playing with and having just been out for a little while and with all the new faces playing maybe he's just not yet confident in what they will do in order to go more off script. That's always sort of been his issue and the reason some of us want him playing PG on ball. That's the only time he's truly looked like a star player if you ask me. Even while playing on ball in possessions that get extended, these are the ones where he will stay engaged and get back into it by cutting to the net or finishing put backs. He's in the flow already. Apparently the team won't committ to that for whatever reason.

[life_saver]

Napier and Teague should never be on court at the same time. Hope Ryan learns from this

[Jedzz]

You are right. I don't know why he went back to that. THat was the losing equation so far this season. someone got hurt right? Then he decides to just send two Pgs out together? Nah. Don't do it.

The Cleveland game he tried to use Teague more, just like in this one he comes in after 8 minutes into the first and stays for 12 to 15 minutes straight, then the plan is for Teague to come back in the fourth. That wasn't the case the 3 previous games. Hewould have left Teague in to the end in the Cleveland game but there was that comeback attenpt made where our scoring dropped out and one guard lit us up. So Napier had to come back in and save that game. In the Memphis game, he let Teague stay out there and get the high minutes off bench even when Napier came back. It's just no good.

I wish they could trade him for a peanut. The fit for this offense just isn't there. I guess expirings aren't that coveted anymore or the team isn't really trying to trade him.

[Klomp]

I wish they could trade him for a peanut. The fit for this offense just isn't there. I guess expirings aren't that coveted anymore or the team isn't really trying to trade him.

Trades usually don't start happening until the final week before the trade deadline.

[YaleS]

I mean it's been pretty clear to everyone watching that you can't play Napier and Teage together. Well everyone but Ryan

His rotations and feel for the game has been iffy all year. I hope he gets it together. I'm a Hawks fan so I know about losing and wasting time on a bad coach and GM.

Hopefully you guys have the right coach and GM

Agreed, add to this a guy named Treveon Graham`s 20 mpg, Vonleh taking mins over Gorgui/Naz and most importantly forcing a system of shooting tons of 3s while you have a team full of no shooters. I`m quite disappointed in Ryan

[Jedzz]

I wish they could trade him for a peanut. The fit for this offense just isn't there. I guess expirings aren't that coveted anymore or the team isn't really trying to trade him.

Trades usually don't start happening until the final week before the trade deadline.

It's a deadline, doesn't mean you have to nut up to it. Unlesss you are a selling team and have no desire to save your season. Got to try and get every ounce of value I suppose. Wait till you see the red of their eyes!

Tuesday, December 24, 2019
Traded G Jordan Clarkson to Utah for G Dante Exum and second-round draft picks in 2022 and 2023.

[Klomp]

It's a deadline, doesn't mean you have to nut up to it. Unlesss you are a selling team and have no desire to save your season. Got to try and get every ounce of value I suppose. Wait till you see the red of their eyes!

Doesn't mean you have to, but that's what happens. It takes two or more teams to make a trade. We can be as desperate as possible to make a deal, but it still can't happen until another team says yes too.