GAME THREAD: Wolves vs Mavs 12-19

[wolves_89]

I’m proud of Naz. He has been getting paid the minimum his whole career, and none of his coaches would play him alongside KAT, so he always got leftover minutes. Then they bring in Gobert, so he starts getting DNP-CD’s.

It would be so easy for him to quit on this team, but he kept working on his game, and stayed ready. I watch him now, with better defense, shooting, and even a handle, and I am just so happy for him. JimPete says he is a great guy, and one of his favorite Wolves ever, and I can see why!

Naz is really saving the Wolves season, I'm not sure where this team would be if they had traded him. Unfortunately, he is probably playing himself out of the Wolves future since I can't see them giving him a market contract (due to what they are paying Towns/Gobert).

[Neeva]

I’m proud of Naz. He has been getting paid the minimum his whole career, and none of his coaches would play him alongside KAT, so he always got leftover minutes. Then they bring in Gobert, so he starts getting DNP-CD’s.

It would be so easy for him to quit on this team, but he kept working on his game, and stayed ready. I watch him now, with better defense, shooting, and even a handle, and I am just so happy for him. JimPete says he is a great guy, and one of his favorite Wolves ever, and I can see why!

Naz is really saving the Wolves season, I'm not sure where this team would be if they had traded him. Unfortunately, he is probably playing himself out of the Wolves future since I can't see them giving him a market contract (due to what they are paying Towns/Gobert).

We really shouldn’t lose him for nothing then.

[life_saver]

The style of play without Towns/Gobert is just so much more fun and aesthetically pleasing. I really hope Finch can find a way to keep the ball movement and pace going forward.

It was good with Gobert in there too, it’s just without Towns.

I am starting to think wolves should move on from Towns and use him to strengthen the team around Ant, and get some picks back also.

hmm not sure I agree...offense was actually struggling a lot when KAT was missing and Gobert was playing.

Dane tweeted this 3 games back -

Read on Twitter

Since then, Gobert has been out with injury and offense has started playing lot better. Some of it is down to the team trying to incorporate Gobert into offense even though it hasn't exactly been working efficiently so far

[wolves_89]

I’m proud of Naz. He has been getting paid the minimum his whole career, and none of his coaches would play him alongside KAT, so he always got leftover minutes. Then they bring in Gobert, so he starts getting DNP-CD’s.

It would be so easy for him to quit on this team, but he kept working on his game, and stayed ready. I watch him now, with better defense, shooting, and even a handle, and I am just so happy for him. JimPete says he is a great guy, and one of his favorite Wolves ever, and I can see why!

Naz is really saving the Wolves season, I'm not sure where this team would be if they had traded him. Unfortunately, he is probably playing himself out of the Wolves future since I can't see them giving him a market contract (due to what they are paying Towns/Gobert).

We really shouldn’t lose him for nothing then.

There is no way the Wolves can trade Naz before Towns is clearly healthy, and I'm not sure that will happen by the trade deadline.

[Neeva]

Kat has been missing too many games the past three seasons after missing almost none smh.

[theGreatRC]

Ant needs to run the show from now on, he seems like he plays with 100x more life when he has the ball in his hands. He also rebounds a lot harder when he's involved, I don't know if those two are related but regardless, we need point Ant.

DLO looks so much better as a part time ball handler/ catch and shoot guy

[Klomp]

Shout out to Austin, with his 11 3-pointers in the past 3 games

[Neeva]

Those losses to bottom dwellers hornets and spurs ugh, wolves would be fourth now.

[Neeva]

Shout out to Austin, with his 11 3-pointers in the past 3 games

Where has his hater been?

[Klomp]

DLO looks so much better as a part time ball handler/ catch and shoot guy

I really don't know why people have been so slow picking up on this. This is exactly why PatBev was inserted into the starting lineup last year and Russell also has good success next to McLaughlin.

[Calinks]

KAT actually thrives in this type of tempo. I just don't know if KAT AND Gobert can play with this pace. KAT would kill it at the 5 though spread out like this.

[Klomp]

KAT actually thrives in this type of tempo. I just don't know if KAT AND Gobert can play with this pace. KAT would kill it at the 5 though spread out like this.

Utah has played with pretty good pace in the past, I believe.

[life_saver]

KAT actually thrives in this type of tempo. I just don't know if KAT AND Gobert can play with this pace. KAT would kill it at the 5 though spread out like this.

from the number of games I have seen, I feel like part of the problem so far this season is that the team (especially KAT) has been forcefully trying to involve Gobert in offense even when it wasn't exactly efficient. Considering the price they paid to acquire Gobert, I don't see them abandoning the Gobert-KAT experiment easily

[Grubie024]

Naz Reid wow... I just posted in yesterday's game thread that Knight could be just as good, but man, Naz is playing the best of his career by far! Love to see it.

[Grubie024]

Shout out to Austin, with his 11 3-pointers in the past 3 games

He's been SO GOOD.
When I heard we signed him I was very happy, then started hearing he's washed, no one wants him, etc.
Well he is who I was hoping he'd be. Steady hand, competent vet with respectable scoring ability to round things out.

[TwolvesFanRome]

ARRRROOOOOOOOOOOOIII

Really enjoy it with SkyItalia this morning....

GOOOOOD MORNING MY TWOLVEEEES FRIENDSSSSS

[Dalvin]

AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! They just leapfrogged Dallas on the standings, they can get some separation by taking care of them on the next game too! Ant with an almost triple double was fun to watch! They better build on this like they did last year. Are they staring to click once again?

[minimus]

DAL is an interesting matchup:

* - they play five-out smallball offense, but unlike HOU with RoCo at C and Harden/PJ Tucker/Westbrook, DAL plays slow
* - Luka has been by far the best low post scorer in NBA. They went completely in opposite direction, making a wing/big ballhandler playing like a big

What I found interesting in this game that:

1) against DAL we MUST attack the rim relentlessly, all players tried to took the ball to the rim
2) I want to see more low post touches for Edwards. He is so strong, that playing in the post might be beneficial for him, to expand his offensive game. I want to see more low post touches for MCD, but in another way, I want him to master his mid-range game similar to Kawhi: when he uses long steps, jabs, spin moves to get into his sweet spots and just calmly shoot those mid range and short shot over defenders.

[Biff Cooper]

Love seeing our guys attack the hoop! Ant, Nowell, Knight, and Naz have been having a ton of success dribbling past their opponent. The whole team are taking early shots when they are there, but not chucking up crap shots if the early shot isn't there. It is pretty tough to defend. I want to see more of it. Not sure when Gobert is coming back, but Finch needs to see if this offense will work against more teams. Can't have him bringing a help defender near the hoop, or keeping Naz / Knight from seeing the floor.

[Klomp]

Apparently Wolves DJ was playing "Luka" by Susan Vega whenever Luka missed, I remember once Stephen Jackson got ejected and they played "Hit the road Jack".