Game 46: Atlanta at Minnesota (24-21)

[TimberKat]

Why not Minott? Now we know. He looks so loss and lack confidence.

[Nick K]

Not utilizing our players well (Jaden not being inside more in the first 32 games,) is a sign of poor coaching.

It's on the coaching staff, but also at some point it is on the player to perform. The coaches never told him "hey stand in the corner until we pass you the ball and then shoot it and we'll live with the results". That's not how it works, especially not in a flow offense. Players always have an option to shoot, dribble or pass out of it. Jaden is choosing to drive and cut more when the opportunity presents himself and is reaping the benefits of it now.

Every year Finch promises to run action for Jaden, every year he doesn’t. Also I know what Finch says about Jaden, but I also know Finch is an analytics driven coach. Finch doesn’t want Jaden driving unless Jaden is shooting as poorly as he is. Finch also doesn’t push enough off ball movement into the offense.

But, for the sake of argument I am going to concede your premise. If Finch is hands off letting them play, and they are losing because they are doing the wrong things consistently, that is also bad coaching. A coaches job is to design an offense where people are in a position to succeed, and when they disobey or fail you make changes.

You can say players don’t listen to Finch (he has lost the locker room,) or that players do listen to Finch and it doesn’t work (flawed offense by the coach,) but you cannot say the coach is great the offense is just way below where it should be. We are too talented to be this inconsistent/bad. Finch is the problem because in all these years he hasn’t found and implemented the solution. Time for someone new.

That's really good stuff. I like Finch and his staff. I have to say it but sooner or later you have to look at the coach. Finch is super stubborn which can be a curse or blessing.

[Domejandro]

I am sorry to say that Josh Minott is absolutely unplayable defensively.

[Guest84]

Why not Minott? Now we know. He looks so loss and lack confidence.

Not doing himself any favors at all…

[life_saver]

Dillingham has kinda brought some life into this team over the last couple of weeks...atleast as a fan, I have been looking forward to Wolves games more in last 2 weeks when compared to first 2 months of the season

[Nick K]

NAW and Minott are killing me tonight. How in hell can they miss so many shots close to the basket?

Finch should get them out of there and go with any one else just to send a message.
We should be up by 25.

[shrink]

We are and we are not. On the one hand we have a ton of talent and several players I hope to unlock in the playoffs. On the other hand, not playing to our standard against bad teams is a sign of cultural regression. Not utilizing our players well (Jaden not being inside more in the first 32 games,) is a sign of poor coaching. Not giving the young guys proper minutes is a sign of poor coaching (and yes teams are winning while also playing their young players.) I could go on.

To me, this sounds like you have chosen to make all the problems 100% about Finch.

Playing badly against bad teams - Ant has a wonderful ability to get up for big games. Unfortunately, he can’t maintain it for games against mediocre opponents, and we need Ant engaged to win. Also, Ant can be bad enough some nights to lose you games.

Not using our players well? Finch has overperformed Vegas predictions since he’s arrived. And it feels weird to criticize the coach now over Jaden, since he made a coaching change you liked. If it was working before, and he changed and it got worse, that would be more grounds for criticism, so it feels like he’s in a no-win situation.

Not giving young guys proper minutes? I disagree with this on the whole. His plan was to play Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr, then Conley traded for Randle and DiVincenzo. You’s like to develop the youth, I’d like to develop team chemistry between major players. Fan expectation is high, owner expectation after paying $100 mil in lux tax is probably high too. We aren’t a lottery team any more, and we don’t want to act like that with Ant.

Is there blame for Finch? Sure. But you should also be putting blame on individual players, and also blame the circumstances created by the major trade. Whether Terrence Shannon Jr gets developmental minutes in our stacked SG position cannot be a priority right now - we have bigger issues to work on.

Gonna break this down a bit.

1. When the HC gets multiple years with mostly the same roster he should have ideas on how to fix recurring problems. One example is the Wolves high turnover rate. Another is rebounding issues, especially related to long rebounds and poor box outs. If these problems persist, then yes some of it is on the players, but a real share of blame belongs to the coach. The coaches primary function is to get the best performance out of the players.

2. In any sport if the team comes out flat and plays poorly you blame the coach. In football a lot of penalties or poor offense (a lot of 3 and outs,) will get fans saying the coach didn’t have the guys ready to play. When the Wolves have this many bad 1st or 3rd quarters that absolutely falls on the coach and the culture (coaches are supposed to build culture.)

3. Ant not being motivated against bad teams is both Ant and Finch’s problem. Finch could have made it clear to Ant that any game he takes off the first half he won’t play the 2nd. This is the kind of coaching Ant responds to if you believe the broadcasters. Instead another recurring issue goes unaddressed.

4. Jaden was playing poorly in an assigned role by Finch. Jaden changes his role and plays well. Credit to Jaden and Finch for making the adjustment. Huge amount of shade and shame on Finch for letting it take 32 games to make the adjustment. If you are not getting the best out of your players for a 1/3 plus of the season you have failed that player/s.

1. This roster had a major change. Roster changes we’ve made (JMac out, Dilly in) cause turnovers, but you blame Finch, and also blame him for not playing more Dilly?!? Does that sound fair?

2. No responsibility to Ant, for coming out flat? And btw, Finch used to dominate third quarters last year, no credit for that?

3. Telling Ant he won’t play is ridiculous. Be realistic on your expectations for an NBA head coach, when holding it against him.

4. Um, if you’re going to blame Finch for the earlier section Jaden didn’t play well because it was Finch’s role, then a fair person gives Finch credit for putting other players in roles where they have thrived, right? Let’s give Finch all the blame for Jaden’s failures, and all the credit for Ant’s success the last three years because of the role he put him in. Wouldn’t that be fair?

[Guest84]

NAW and Minott are killing me tonight. How in hell can they miss so many shots close to the basket?

Finch should get them out of there and go with Shannon just to send a message.

We should be up by 25.

Would be nice but TSJ is out with injury

[FrenchMinnyFan]

Not our best effort so far. Miss too many easy shoot.

[TimberKat]

I like Wolves are sticking on to Garrison Mathews this game. He maybe the only guy that can hurt us today

[Nick K]

NAW and Minott are killing me tonight. How in hell can they miss so many shots close to the basket?

Finch should get them out of there and go with Shannon just to send a message.

We should be up by 25.

Would be nice but TSJ is out with injury

Yep, I just noticed that and changed my post.

[shrink]

Oh yeah, there’s a game on.

[Guest84]

Ant has turned into Luka…complains after EVERY SINGLE SHOT. Idk what Finch says to him but man he has more stray voltage than Karl.

[TimberKat]

See how high Conley bounce pass that one to Gobert? It maybe over my head.

[shrink]

Ant has turned into Luka…complains after EVERY SINGLE SHOT. Idk what Finch says to him but man he has more stray voltage than Karl.

I went to look up how many technical fouls Gobert has this season, and saw Ant leads the league with 10.

16 gets you a one game suspension.

[shrink]

Granted this is the Hawks B-team, but holding any NBA team to 43 points in a half is good news.

[Guest84]

Ant has turned into Luka…complains after EVERY SINGLE SHOT. Idk what Finch says to him but man he has more stray voltage than Karl.

I went to look up how many technical fouls Gobert has this season, and saw Ant leads the league with 10.

16 gets you a one game suspension.

He was high up there last year too I believe.

[TimberKat]

We should be up by 25 but still a good game so far. I am still on the fence of playing Minott or Ingles? It would be nice if we have another TC draft that could play a few meaningful minutes.

[wolves_89]

Minott is making me sad. I think the way Finch has used him has broken the high confidence level he had coming into the season.

[FrenchMinnyFan]

We play seriously, not great. Defense is good, offense so-so. Should be enough to beat this team. I agree with people here annoyed with ANT constant complained to the Refs...