Postseason Rotation

[winforlose]

For those who don’t know we clinched the play in with a win this week (I think Lakers,) and while the next 11 are very important, I do think we need to turn some attention to the real prize, the post season. With our starters playing more minutes and postseason competition being much tougher, the questions are how many minutes do our starters play, and who gets the rest? Also, do we start making changes to our rotation now to help get the backups prepared? (Nowell especially)

[moss_is_1]

It'll depend more on matchups. Starters will be getting more minutes I'm sure. Vanderbilt might get squeezed for more 2 way players, provided we can still rebound.

We have 11 rotational level players. Post season teams usually run 8-9.

[Neeva]

We really need Jaden back asap.

[Mamba4Goat]

Bev/McLaughlin
D’Lo/Ant/Beas
Ant/Prince/McDaniels
Vando/McDaniels/Prince
KAT/Vando

Would be my ideal rotation.

[winforlose]

Bev/McLaughlin
D’Lo/Ant/Beas
Ant/Prince/McDaniels
Vando/McDaniels/Prince
KAT/Vando

Would be my ideal rotation.

Interesting. I am not sure MCD will be available, if not how do you change it? Also, are you removing Nowell and Beasley because of defense, inconsistent offense, or both?

[TaylorTag]

In general think Finch will plan on playing the starters 35+ minutes a game, with Beasely and Prince (or McDaniels depending on his health) taking a lot of the bench minutes, so that it will effectively look like a 7-man rotation -- 8-man when we include Naz Reid getting somewhere around 10-minutes a game..

If Finch wants to throw a curve ball at teams, I can see McLaughlin getting some minutes. If things hit the fan in a game I can see Nowell getting a few minutes.

But really I expect it to look like

Russel, Beverley, Edwards, Vanderbilt, Towns

Beasely the first off the bench for Russel. Then Prince comes in for Vanderbilt. Then Russel for Beverley. Then Beverley for Ant for a bit before Ant comes back on for Beasely (I think there is a world where Ant plays 40+ minutes every night)...

Finch finds like 5 minutes in the second quarter to sub out Towns for Naz Reid.

[Calvin]

Spoiler:

Just in case Minnesota fans don’t what the playoffs mean:


The NBA playoffs are an annual best-of-seven elimination tournament held after the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s regular season to determine the league's champion.

Thank you to the person that reported this, we have dealt with it. Don't respond. -Dome

[shrink]

In my head, I know playoff rotations are 7-8 men, but I just don’t see how we don’t go with ten.

Our five starters are in, and McDaniels and Beasley fill in as starters when they miss games. That’s 7.

Our team is starved for size, so Naz will certainly play some back up minutes for KAT. That’s 8.

Prince is the veteran, long, three-and-D guy everyone wants in the playoffs. That’s 9.

And Nowell would be a sixth man on most teams - no way he gets benched. That’s 10.

(Cue my Magnificent 7 nostalgia)

Anyway, with the bench playing so well, it’s hard to imagine any of them not playing. I can only remove McLaughlin because of his size on defense, but he has found ways to overcome that. I understand a lot of our bench’s success has come against worse teams’ bench players, but I think the roster size may be another place where Finch goes against consensus thinking, and succeeds playing more of the bench. It seems fair - their great play lately has gotten us to the 6th seed. Am I crazy?

[winforlose]

In my head, I know playoff rotations are 7-8 men, but I just don’t see how we don’t go with ten.

Our five starters are in, and McDaniels and Beasley fill in as starters when they miss games. That’s 7.

Our team is starved for size, so Naz will certainly play some back up minutes for KAT. That’s 8.

Prince is the veteran, long, three-and-D guy everyone wants in the playoffs. That’s 9.

And Nowell would be a sixth man on most teams - no way he gets benched. That’s 10.

(Cue my Magnificent 7 nostalgia)

Anyway, with the bench playing so well, it’s hard to imagine any of them not playing. I can only remove McLaughlin because of his size on defense, but he has found ways to overcome that. I understand a lot of our bench’s success has come against worse teams’ bench players, but I think the roster size may be another place where Finch goes against consensus thinking, and succeeds playing more of the bench. It seems fair - their great play lately has gotten us to the 6th seed. Am I crazy?

I see things in a similar way. I expect KAT and Dlo to get more run. Ant probably would but for his knee issues. V8 takes tough defensive matchups and will probably get in foul trouble. I don’t know how much we will want to extend Bev’s run either. He is very aggressive and somewhat fragile. Him playing 36-38 minutes might not be ideal. So assume KAT and Dlo each play 38, that means 10 minutes of Naz and maybe 10 of Beasley or Nowell behind Dlo. Assuming we keep Ant around 32-34 I can see either Prince or MCD (assuming he is healthy,) getting the rest. Prince will also likely backup V8. So based on size I expect Prince to be the most used backup (assuming MCD is limited or out.) Nowell and Beasley will probably split the backup SG minutes and maybe share a few SF minutes, and Naz gets KAT’s minutes. JMAC should probably be taken out just because of his lack of scoring.

Edit to add: When Bev sits Dlo will shift to PG so you could run either or both Nowell and Beasley with him. Sometimes we abandon defense in favor of just out scoring our opponents (see the Spurs game,) and a lineup of Dlo, Nowell, Beasley, Prince, and KAT would definitely be dangerous in the postseason.

[Domejandro]

I think it will be a nine man rotation that will cycle in either Jordan McLaughlin or Jaylen Nowell occasionally, depending on team needs.

[shrink]

Dane said Vando was “played off the floor,” when facing DAL, a true playoff team.

We have so few two-way players. I worry that in the playoffs, coaches will take advantage of us in a seven game series.

[Klomp]

There are so many factors at play. The benefit Finch has is we have guys who can be relied upon in a pinch if necessary, but also have experienced and come back out of being removed from the rotation. They have to trust that Finch will find a way to go to them if needed, so they will stay ready for whenever their number is called.

[shangrila]

Dane said Vando was “played off the floor,” when facing DAL, a true playoff team.

We have so few two-way players. I worry that in the playoffs, coaches will take advantage of us in a seven game series.

Well if Dane said it...

[shrink]

There are so many factors at play. The benefit Finch has is we have guys who can be relied upon in a pinch if necessary, but also have experienced and come back out of being removed from the rotation. They have to trust that Finch will find a way to go to them if needed, so they will stay ready for whenever their number is called.

Yes, and I have to admit that the Wolves and Finch have succeeded far, far beyond my expectations during the regular season.

I recognize that I might be worrying unnecessarily. Even in a loss last night, these Wolves didn’t quit when they were down 16, and they had a very legitimate chance to win that game. I think I might suffer from all the years that my optimism was quickly destroyed by previous Wolves teams. We don’t really know how any of these players will do in the playoffs, but they, and Finch, have certainly earned my confidence… I just have to give it.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Dane said Vando was “played off the floor,” when facing DAL, a true playoff team.

We have so few two-way players. I worry that in the playoffs, coaches will take advantage of us in a seven game series.

Well if Dane said it...

He's not the only one.

Wolves fans haven't experienced much playoff basketball in recent years, but we can see how other limited players from other teams have been "played off the floor" over the years.

I don't think Vanderbilt would be the only one. Beasley is a terrible defender who can only do one thing above average... shoot. With multiple days to prepare for only the Timberwolves, smart coaches will find a way to force Vanderbilt to shoot... load up on Beasley so he has to put the ball on the floor... and target Beasley and other weaker defenders on defense.

I just hope the Wolves actually make it to a series, in part so they can figure out what areas they definitely need to upgrade this summer for a better run in the future.

[theGreatRC]

Mcdaniels will get most of Vando's minutes in the playoffs. When he got hurt, it felt like we lost our true x factor.

[winforlose]

Dane said Vando was “played off the floor,” when facing DAL, a true playoff team.

We have so few two-way players. I worry that in the playoffs, coaches will take advantage of us in a seven game series.

Well if Dane said it...

He's not the only one.

Wolves fans haven't experienced much playoff basketball in recent years, but we can see how other limited players from other teams have been "played off the floor" over the years.

I don't think Vanderbilt would be the only one. Beasley is a terrible defender who can only do one thing above average... shoot. With multiple days to prepare for only the Timberwolves, smart coaches will find a way to force Vanderbilt to shoot... load up on Beasley so he has to put the ball on the floor... and target Beasley and other weaker defenders on defense.

I just hope the Wolves actually make it to a series, in part so they can figure out what areas they definitely need to upgrade this summer for a better run in the future.

This is where Finch will be tested. I said before the season that Finch’s true task is to unlock Ant the way other coaches failed to unlock Wiggins. Ant’s knee issue cloud the situation, but if we get the real Ant and not the shell we have seen the last month I think we can make a 7 game series a lot of fun. Maybe even get a taste of a second series depending on our opponent. Another X factor is Dlo. Since the ASB he was solid, but the last two he has been a straight up liability. If he doesn’t get his head out of his *** he will drag us down.

MCD, Nowell, JMAC, Prince, Naz are all X factors. They have all come up huge and all sucked. Some will get run for sure like Naz and MCD if healthy. The others will need to show something in the run up to the playoffs and those who get used will need to perform for us to advance.

[Dewey]

Mcdaniels will get most of Vando's minutes in the playoffs. When he got hurt, it felt like we lost our true x factor.

Agree … he had a decent run there and hope wasn’t fools gold.

[winforlose]

From what we saw in the Play in game, JMAC is out, Nowell is minor minutes in very specific situations. Prince was unavailable and presumably will be used. This means we are going to play 9 with Beasley, MCD, Prince, and Naz as the backups.

It appears Ant will initiate more offense, especially when either Dlo or Beverly are on the bench. This is intriguing because it allows for both Dlo and Beverly to sit and a big ball rotation of Ant, Beasley, MCD, Prince, and KAT if we decide to run with size. I would also be curious to see if Naz and KAT share the floor together in late game situations if both can manage to avoid foul trouble.

Worth noting that V8 might find his minutes cut a bit. The Clippers really hurt us by ignoring him and guarding the paint. V8’s defense and rebounding will be essential, but his offense must improve and Finch must have him moving more and more screens both on and off ball.