Post Game Thoughts. At Thunder.

[_AIJ_]

Nowell has been a flamethrower on the bench

[PharmD]

Reid, Nowell, McDaniels, and Vanderbilt have all earned rotation spots. Assuming DLO, Beasley, Edwards, Towns, and Rubio are also in the rotation, that leaves one spot for Okogie/Culver/Layman/Hernangomez.

Layman is the best of those options right now.

[Neeva]

Nah keep Culver trade the other three.

[Jedzz]

Hope Nowell is ok..he reminds me of Beasley a lot

How so?

Instant scorer, Has a quick trigger, sub par handle so he uses his ability to move without the ball very well. They both have the same type of mid range floater as well and both play with an edge.

Nowell might be in the same situation Beasley was in in Denver. Has scored in double figs 6 straight games, 14pts in 16 mins tonight

Maybe some of that. I've never really seem them as similar outside ability to play with others and be effective offball. Nowell has a real floater but I don't know that he's ever shown the same edge yet or just amped up juice Beasley is constantly slinging every game. Nowell has always seemed more controlled, high game IQ and just knows where he's supposed to be. When he drives in to a basket I think he just has really good vision or timing because he doesn't have to force it and because of that floater touch he lets is fly rather than get into contact with any kind of abandon like it seems Beasely is willing to do. But if I think back to his last year with Washington I do remember many times he put it on th court in towards the net that seemed rough or impossible due to defense and whether he was falling on his back or diving to the side he would get that ball up and it would go in. Which is something Beasley has been showing this year. Those kinds of moments for these two remind me a little of how Fred VV gets his inside points. They just make it happen.

Just saw a highlight from the game and it might be his most confident looking moment in his two years of minimal usage. Good to see happening for him. But I suspect the better he does the more likely Rosas uses him with others soon in trades. Too bad Kat couldn't have had a full start to the season already so we could have seen these guys developing during more wins that could keep them together longer.

[moonpie]

Read on Twitter

[packforfreedom]

A win is a win I guess, even if it's came down to one possession against the most tanking team in the league after getting outscored in the 4th quarter yet again.

Edwards ice cold from outside but he had some nice passes after collapsing the defense. Nowell is continues to work well from the bench although he never passes the ball. McDaniels is just a good basketball player, can't say this often about our draft picks.

Okogie is just bad, he can't see the floor the way he plays. He seems like a good guy but he regressed and is unplayable right now.

It's good to see Layman come around. To have a capable cutter on floor, really open things up on offense.

Russell was also good. He can be a good player, he showed it in Brooklyn, he just needs to chill with his bad shots.
Rubio was meh even with his 8 assists. I've never seen him playing so many bad passes as this season with us. We broke him.

[Dual]

McDaniels defense is a joy to watch.

[winforlose]

That inbounds pass pissed me off so much that I couldn't even be happy about that game winner. SOOO dumb and this team always finds ways to try to lose.

Let's see what happens tomorrow. I predict KAT comes back against the Mavs on Monday...we just gotta take care of OKC one more time.

Hope Nowell is ok..he reminds me of Beasley a lot

I have been saying this since last season. Nowell is like Beasley light. If you give him minutes, coaching, and a scheme designed to get him open 3s he could turn into Beasley.
.

No, you haven't.

I should have specified the last line of the quote. I have been saying Nowell reminds me of Beasley since last year. We even talked about it in the Nowell thread.

[Sugarless]

McDaniels defense is a joy to watch.

Best news of the season thus far.

[_AIJ_]

The problem with Nowell is, he wont/cant pass. Dude will attempt to score whenever the ball is in his hands

[FinnTheHuman]

Is it weird that I'm excited about Edwards' showings even in games like this one where he shoots 3/14? Man, the kid is so talented offensively, and I'm happy he'll shoot 3s even through slump. Racks up 5 assists, most of those being real assists where he collapses the defense and finds the open man. He can be that secondary playmaker that every winning team needs.

I think we got a legit starting 5 of the future with Russel/Beasley/Edwards/McDaniels/Towns, and then a few solid rotation pieces in Vanderbilt, Reid, and we'll see about the others.

We really need KAT back and we need him to finally be available 'till the end of season when he comes back, I'll lose my mind if he gets injured again I think.

[Baseline81]

Read on Twitter

Would like to see him start games as well.

[NebWolvesFan]

This has to be the rotation when KAT comes back or Ryan is just trying to get fired.

Russell/Rubio
Beasley/Nowell (please be okay)
Towns/Davis
Edwards/Layman
Vanderbilt/McDaniels

Okogie as a stopper/hybrid playing where needed at the 2-3 (maybe 4 in short stints)

These 10 have played the best and give the Wolves the best chance to win.

[NebWolvesFan]

The problem with Nowell is, he wont/cant pass. Dude will attempt to score whenever the ball is in his hands

Every good team has an off-the-bench guard with that mindset. Scoring points is how you win games in the NBA. Minnesota needs a bench scorer with no conscious. Lots of players, like Culver and Okogie, would have stopped shooting when they missed a couple of shots. Nowell kept going and buried two big 3s.

[Baseline81]

This has to be the rotation when KAT comes back or Ryan is just trying to get fired.

Russell/Rubio
Beasley/Nowell (please be okay)
Towns/Davis
Edwards/Layman
Vanderbilt/McDaniels

Okogie as a stopper/hybrid playing where needed at the 2-3 (maybe 4 in short stints)

These 10 have played the best and give the Wolves the best chance to win.

No Naz Reid?

[Heimdal]

Juancho is going to play. Not that I like it or want it, but he's going to get minutes. If he consistently sucks again, he'll be benched, but Saunders is going to give him minutes when ready. Layman is in the process of being recovered for the cause. Juancho will get the same treatment.

Bench is doing much better lately (if we forget 4th quarters) because Nowell and Layman are perfect for Rubio. Ricky's shot is completely gone. He doesn't need a SG who hesitates and gives him the ball back. He needs an aggressive shooter and Nowell is doing fine. He'll be even better when he makes more 3s.
Layman is a good target: cuts to the basket where he's scoring consistently and makes his open 3s.
If they get to play together more they'll build a rapport.

Rubio should never share the floor with non-shooters like Okogie, Culver, and Vanderbilt. That's why I think our rotation will be:
Russell Beasley Edwards McDaniels* Towns
Rubio Nowell Layman Juancho* Reid

*Don't be surprised if Juancho and McDaniels are swapped.
9th and 10th spot for Okogie and Vanderbilt.

[UnFadeable21]

“Jaden McDaniels was big for us. Stat sheet may not show it, but that kid’s gonna be a problem”

- DLo on JMac

D’Angelo Russell on Jaden McDaniels:

“I’m so high on him. I think he’s way better than people are realizing. He knows the game better than people expect. He makes plays out of nowhere. And he’s only 19.”

[Wolveswin]

This has to be the rotation when KAT comes back or Ryan is just trying to get fired.

Russell/Rubio
Beasley/Nowell (please be okay)
Towns/Davis
Edwards/Layman
Vanderbilt/McDaniels

Okogie as a stopper/hybrid playing where needed at the 2-3 (maybe 4 in short stints)

These 10 have played the best and give the Wolves the best chance to win.

Towns | Reid | Davis
McDaniels | Vanderbilt | Hernangomez
Edwards | Culver | Layman
Beasley | Nowell | Okogie
Russell | Rubio | McJordan

Davis should not see the court. He has no future in MN.

McDaniels or Vanderbilt or *cough* Hernangomez has to step up and overly prove PFOF next to Towns.

Trade deadline, Rubio +\- Davis (as expiring) + any combo of youth for a forward upgrade.

[Norseman79]

Just once...please..

Rubio or Beasley with Edwards at point
Edwards
McDaniels
Vanderbilt
Reid

Just once...for like 5 minutes...just to see.

[LesGrossman]

Russell was also good. He can be a good player, he showed it in Brooklyn, he just needs to chill with his bad shots.
Rubio was meh even with his 8 assists. I've never seen him playing so many bad passes as this season with us. We broke him.

I agree that Russell kept a good balance here in his decision making. Ricky does not really have the freedom to do what he wants to, he plays under pressure and constantly has to get permission to set up the offense, being aware that one mistake will just work against him. Its just a poor setup and it makes no sense to have him constantly under pressure while giving completely green light to tthe young guys.

At the same time i believe you are underestimating his impact on D, i believe that is why eh is on the floor. He helped out on so many posessions just stopping penetration by quickly showing in the lane, it makes a substancial difference.