Game 57: Minnesota at Houston, 8:30 pm (The stretch run begins)

[winforlose]

What is your deal with focusing on pure numbers? Was another game of ANT being ANT, and losing us the game.

In this case I agree Ant hurt us. But Ant was not healthy enough to play in the first place, nor was Mike. As for the game itself Jaden should never take 7 3s unless he has the hot hand. If 3 of those attempts turn into 2s that 6 points is a huge difference. Also TSJ had a 5 point swing with the over and back. Naz couldn’t stay out of foul trouble in the 3rd or 4th. A lot went into the loss, not just Ant running north of gas and acting like an idiot.

There's a huge difference in missing shots and taking horrible shots and turning the ball over. One is something everyone does because sht happens. But the others shows that the "star" would rather take horrible shots than pass the ball and allow the other team to pull away. And not only does that hurt the rest of the guys it shows how horrible Finch is for letting that continue. Why would Naz want to stay here for a mate like that? yes he has a fun personality but he's full of himself during the game.

I get what you're saying about other players but the things they do aren't out of being a selfish idiot.

Ant is the #1 option for the team. Naz got 16 shot attempts, Jaden got 15 shot attempts, NAW got 11, and TSJ got 5. Naz might want more than 16 in a game like this, but 16 is still a really good number. KAT is averaging 16.9 in NYK and had less than that with us. So no, Naz is not gonna say how dare you not give me my shots. He may be frustrated not getting more shots in the clutch, but he spent the majority of the 2nd half in foul trouble and was not on the floor to assert himself.

I agree Finch is bad at getting things going for guys not named Ant. That is mostly because Finch doesn’t run much actual offense in his offensive scheme. Things break down and Ant finds himself shooting a lot of questionable shots. That is why we need a PG. That is why Finch put a badly injured Mike in at the end of the game. But Finch’s lack of system has no answer for when sends Mike to the corner and runs the offense himself. We need better PG play, more offensive structure, better decision making by Ant, and more accountability. But at the end of the day as Shrink says Ant is the franchise and we cannot afford to piss him off. The truth lies in the middle and the rest of the guys need to play smarter and adjust better as well.

[FrenchMinnyFan]

Just watch the replay. We play quite well, getting outrebounded without Rudy which is normal. But playing with 3 starters missing and Mike clearly at 30% of his capacity, it was hard to win. Ant and Jaden shooting poorly at 3 did not help. We need DDV and Randle back and make sure ANT, Mike and all players 100% at PO , Play-in time.

[TimberKat]

The poor PG play and 3s miss are killing us more than missing Gobert/Randle. JMcD is 1-7, Conley 0-2, Dilly 0-2, and Ant 4-14 (13-32 overall) for 37pts. We need these guys to be efficient and less shots from Ant. Compare that with Mitchell in Cavs win 5-7 (10-15 overall) for 27 pts.

[TimberKat]

Finch's post game comment sounds more like he is a fan than a coach. “Our issue is we got to win close games,” Finch said. “I don’t know who we are in clutch games. We got to be better. Our shot selection, decision-making in clutch games has got to improve on the offensive end. Defensively we’ve got to rebound and we’ve got to not foul.” - That has been the problem in the Finch era more so in recent years. He is there to babysit Ant and it doesn't feel like he is in control or influence the situation.

[guest81]

So let me get this straight:
Rob Dillingham is exiled to the bench in the 3rd quarter for the remainder of the game for taking ONE early shot clock transition 3.
Anthony Edwards puts on the most shameless display of "I'm on national TV" chucking I have ever seen from a TImberwolves player for the entire game with zero repercussions.

The crunch time offense was horrendous. Ant forgot Naz Reid existed for the last 5 minutes.
You know your most potent teammate being guarded by their lone weak defender (Sengun).

When it gets to crunch time Ant has all the BBIQ of a Corey Brewer/Mark Madsen pick and pop offense.
I'm being double teamed so I'm gonna shoot a step back sideline 3 pointer.
Pulled that several times tonight.

Just because your incredible talent allows you to pull off some crazy shots doesn't mean that they are EVER a good idea.
Crunch time Ant offense is like trying to pull a straight on the river every time in gambling.

It's a shame Jaden can't knock down those wide open 3's because the rest of his game is blossoming, but when you are that wide open you have to take them if you want to be an NBA player in today's game.

Shannon played a really good floor game outside of going after that bad pass that was going to be an over and back and costing us a possession.

Luka even had a good game and set several devastating picks in the midcourt area in transition that led to layups or wide open threes.
I hope Rudy was watching that from home tonight.

If Conley shows up at all and Ant doesn't have a mental meltdown we win this one tonight, even with our starting frontcourt in streetclothes.

Rookies get treated different then star players. Welcome to the league

[guest81]

I think a lot of it as simple as Conley the past two seasons, was an awesome clutch player, to this year being one of the worst clutch players in the league.

Ant has been bad in the clutch, but when you have Conley, Jaden, and Rudy with you down the stretch, all of whom can't really make open shots, I can see why a contested shot seems like a better option. With everyone healthy, I'd like to see a Ant, DDV, Naz, Jaden, and Rudy lineup. It's not ideal, you don't have enough ball handling, and you'd like to see someone who can make a shot instead of Rudy, but you have to have his defense and rebounding.

Going into the off-season, my ideal would be to trade Randle for preferably another shooter, otherwise a veteran guard, and use the draft pick to get a backup big who is athletic and can catch lobs.

[Loaf_of_bread]

I think a lot of it as simple as Conley the past two seasons, was an awesome clutch player, to this year being one of the worst clutch players in the league.

Ant has been bad in the clutch, but when you have Conley, Jaden, and Rudy with you down the stretch, all of whom can't really make open shots, I can see why a contested shot seems like a better option. With everyone healthy, I'd like to see a Ant, DDV, Naz, Jaden, and Rudy lineup. It's not ideal, you don't have enough ball handling, and you'd like to see someone who can make a shot instead of Rudy, but you have to have his defense and rebounding.

Going into the off-season, my ideal would be to trade Randle for preferably another shooter, otherwise a veteran guard, and use the draft pick to get a backup big who is athletic and can catch lobs.

Agree with the ddv, ant, jaden, naz, rudy lineup

[FrenchMinnyFan]

Finch's post game comment sounds more like he is a fan than a coach. “Our issue is we got to win close games,” Finch said. “I don’t know who we are in clutch games. We got to be better. Our shot selection, decision-making in clutch games has got to improve on the offensive end. Defensively we’ve got to rebound and we’ve got to not foul.” - That has been the problem in the Finch era more so in recent years. He is there to babysit Ant and it doesn't feel like he is in control or influence the situation.

This is something funny with Finch. The same guy complain today the way we close game but also stated in another ITW that ANT was mostly having the right decision at clutch...

[FrenchMinnyFan]

I think a lot of it as simple as Conley the past two seasons, was an awesome clutch player, to this year being one of the worst clutch players in the league.

Ant has been bad in the clutch, but when you have Conley, Jaden, and Rudy with you down the stretch, all of whom can't really make open shots, I can see why a contested shot seems like a better option. With everyone healthy, I'd like to see a Ant, DDV, Naz, Jaden, and Rudy lineup. It's not ideal, you don't have enough ball handling, and you'd like to see someone who can make a shot instead of Rudy, but you have to have his defense and rebounding.

Going into the off-season, my ideal would be to trade Randle for preferably another shooter, otherwise a veteran guard, and use the draft pick to get a backup big who is athletic and can catch lobs.

To make open shoot, you got the see the ball. When ANT decide to play hero ball and others players staying in the corner and not seeing it, not the best way to be efficient...

[winforlose]

Gonna throw this out there. We have a top 8 rotation that for the last month is missing 2-3 guys per game, and has 2 or 3 playing hurt. Last night Mike’s finger was clearly an issue, Ant has hip, Groin, and back issues, and we are down 3 of our top 8. So when you are backed up like that it is incumbent on guys to step up. Clark did not score. Garza played well by his standards, but honestly shouldn’t be playing minutes in the NBA. Dilly cannot follow the coaches instructions to stay in the game. TSJ played the best of the bench but still cost us an 8-0 run to end the 3rd. This was a 6 point loss and TSJ single handedly gave up more than that in 2 minutes.

When you don’t get the bench production and you are missing guys at the top, things become very tight. There is less margin for error. Then Naz gets in foul trouble and Jaden chucks 3s. Too many small things going wrong at once doomed us. We need a coach who can get guys to play the right way. Who tells Naz to back off the physical defense on Senguin. Who tells Jaden to attack. Who gets Ant to move the ball. We need to do the little things right or else too much goes wrong and we tip over.

[Folklore]

Gonna throw this out there. We have a top 8 rotation that for the last month is missing 2-3 guys per game, and has 2 or 3 playing hurt. Last night Mike’s finger was clearly an issue, Ant has hip, Groin, and back issues, and we are down 3 of our top 8. So when you are backed up like that it is incumbent on guys to step up. Clark did not score. Garza played well by his standards, but honestly shouldn’t be playing minutes in the NBA. Dilly cannot follow the coaches instructions to stay in the game. TSJ played the best of the bench but still cost us an 8-0 run to end the 3rd. This was a 6 point loss and TSJ single handedly gave up more than that in 2 minutes.

When you don’t get the bench production and you are missing guys at the top, things become very tight. There is less margin for error. Then Naz gets in foul trouble and Jaden chucks 3s. Too many small things going wrong at once doomed us. We need a coach who can get guys to play the right way. Who tells Naz to back off the physical defense on Senguin. Who tells Jaden to attack. Who gets Ant to move the ball. We need to do the little things right or else too much goes wrong and we tip over.

Why do you continue to throw out numbers but leave Ant out of it? Was it Finch's plan to have Ant toss up more bricks than Jaden?

[winforlose]

Gonna throw this out there. We have a top 8 rotation that for the last month is missing 2-3 guys per game, and has 2 or 3 playing hurt. Last night Mike’s finger was clearly an issue, Ant has hip, Groin, and back issues, and we are down 3 of our top 8. So when you are backed up like that it is incumbent on guys to step up. Clark did not score. Garza played well by his standards, but honestly shouldn’t be playing minutes in the NBA. Dilly cannot follow the coaches instructions to stay in the game. TSJ played the best of the bench but still cost us an 8-0 run to end the 3rd. This was a 6 point loss and TSJ single handedly gave up more than that in 2 minutes.

When you don’t get the bench production and you are missing guys at the top, things become very tight. There is less margin for error. Then Naz gets in foul trouble and Jaden chucks 3s. Too many small things going wrong at once doomed us. We need a coach who can get guys to play the right way. Who tells Naz to back off the physical defense on Senguin. Who tells Jaden to attack. Who gets Ant to move the ball. We need to do the little things right or else too much goes wrong and we tip over.

Why do you continue to throw out numbers but leave Ant out of it? Was it Finch's plan to have Ant toss up more bricks than Jaden?

I didn’t leave Ant out of it. “ Who gets Ant to move the ball.” Ant taking no pass shots and selfish hero shots is a big part of it. We had 3 key players and they all messed up. Naz on defense to get himself benched for most of the half. Jaden on shot selection by chucking 3s and not attacking the rim. Ant by poor shot selection and refusing to play the right way. Dilly got benched for a no pass shot, Ant took like 4 or 5 more after that benching.

[Loaf_of_bread]

This thread will now end, but if you watch the entirety of the game, jaden may have been the best player on the floor.. yes, missed some 3's at the end, but dude is a VERY good bb player.

[winforlose]

This thread will now end, but if you watch the entirety of the game, jaden may have been the best player on the floor.. yes, missed some 3's at the end, but dude is a VERY good bb player.

That is my point. When a very good basketball player does things that are playing to his weaknesses instead of his strengths that is bad decision making. Jaden said himself 4 3PAs per game is a good number for him. This time he took 7. Three more drives to the basket could have changed a lot for us. Playing good basketball means making the right decisions and I want Jaden doing that more.

[guest81]

This thread will now end, but if you watch the entirety of the game, jaden may have been the best player on the floor.. yes, missed some 3's at the end, but dude is a VERY good bb player.

I think it goes into the bigger picture of what you want Jaden's role going into the future. If you want him to be the 2nd option or Robin to Ant's Batman, or however you wanna say it, he's going to have to make more 3's going forward. Especially those wide open ones at the end of games. If he never does, it puts a ceiling on the team

[Klomp]

This thread will now end, but if you watch the entirety of the game, jaden may have been the best player on the floor.. yes, missed some 3's at the end, but dude is a VERY good bb player.

I think it goes into the bigger picture of what you want Jaden's role going into the future. If you want him to be the 2nd option or Robin to Ant's Batman, or however you wanna say it, he's going to have to make more 3's going forward. Especially those wide open ones at the end of games. If he never does, it puts a ceiling on the team

...and if you don't want him in that role, you need to bring in another guy or two who can (like maybe a Kevin Durant?).

[winforlose]

This thread will now end, but if you watch the entirety of the game, jaden may have been the best player on the floor.. yes, missed some 3's at the end, but dude is a VERY good bb player.

I think it goes into the bigger picture of what you want Jaden's role going into the future. If you want him to be the 2nd option or Robin to Ant's Batman, or however you wanna say it, he's going to have to make more 3's going forward. Especially those wide open ones at the end of games. If he never does, it puts a ceiling on the team

...and if you don't want him in that role, you need to bring in another guy or two who can (like maybe a Kevin Durant?).

Naz Reid. Also DDV. Also potentially Dilly. Also Jaden from inside the arc. The idea you need a 54 million dollar Robin when you have 3 or 4 players (Randle, DDV, Naz, and maybe Jaden,) who can consistently score 20 PPG, is… flawed.

[winforlose]

This thread will now end, but if you watch the entirety of the game, jaden may have been the best player on the floor.. yes, missed some 3's at the end, but dude is a VERY good bb player.

I think it goes into the bigger picture of what you want Jaden's role going into the future. If you want him to be the 2nd option or Robin to Ant's Batman, or however you wanna say it, he's going to have to make more 3's going forward. Especially those wide open ones at the end of games. If he never does, it puts a ceiling on the team

DeMar DeRozan doesn’t need to shoot more 3s. That is what I see when I look at Jaden’s game this season. Someone who can occasionally shoot the long ball, but focuses much more in the mid and short range. Jaden needs to refine his handle and develop his moveset a bit more. But trying to force someone excellent from the mid range to shoot more from long range is less likely to work than you would hope.

[guest81]

I think it goes into the bigger picture of what you want Jaden's role going into the future. If you want him to be the 2nd option or Robin to Ant's Batman, or however you wanna say it, he's going to have to make more 3's going forward. Especially those wide open ones at the end of games. If he never does, it puts a ceiling on the team

...and if you don't want him in that role, you need to bring in another guy or two who can (like maybe a Kevin Durant?).

Naz Reid. Also DDV. Also potentially Dilly. Also Jaden from inside the arc. The idea you need a 54 million dollar Robin when you have 3 or 4 players (Randle, DDV, Naz, and maybe Jaden,) who can consistently score 20 PPG, is… flawed.

If you want a championship contender level team you do

[younggunsmn]

Ant has been bad in the clutch, but when you have Conley, Jaden, and Rudy with you down the stretch, all of whom can't really make open shots, I can see why a contested shot seems like a better option. With everyone healthy, I'd like to see a Ant, DDV, Naz, Jaden, and Rudy lineup. It's not ideal, you don't have enough ball handling, and you'd like to see someone who can make a shot instead of Rudy, but you have to have his defense and rebounding.

This is a terrible take and nothing but excuses for the pathetic and selfish performances by Ant at the end of games this year.

These arent just "contested shots". He's getting doubled teamed way out on the perimeter with a 3rd defender waiting in the slot.
And instead of getting off of it and swinging the ball against an incredibly titled defense, where you are a couple passes at most away from a wide open 3 or dunk, he's choosing to do headscratchingly dumb things like dribble right into the trap and then take a heavily contested sideline stepback 3 pointer with a super low shot value.

ANT has worse shooting efficiency and a worse Assist/Turnover ratio than NAW of all people.

He is tied for the worst Assist/Turnover ratio on the team among all regular players with Rudy Gobert (1.3).

We don't have a superstar guard this year we have a high volume version of Kemba Walker.

Mike Conley, while a vet, is no longer a talented enough player to command the respect to force Ant to dial it back.
And everything Finch says just goes in one ear and out the other.
He's got a bad case of main character syndrome and is more concerned about showcasing whats in his bag than he is winning games.