The Positivity Thread

Post #641 » by **Klomp** » Tue Feb 25, 2025 6:38 pm

Post #642 » by **Klomp** » Wed Feb 26, 2025 12:12 am

minimus · Post #643 » by **minimus** » Wed Feb 26, 2025 9:00 am

Klomp wrote:
minimus wrote:
winforlose wrote:
Why do you think I have been saying don’t trade for KD. Let’s develop these guys and see what we can do. Cheap contracts are huge for a team in our situation, and TSJ and Clark are looking like players.

I see it the other way around. It is because MIN has cheap contracts that TC MUST try to get KD. Let me explain.

Agreed. People are so worried about stifling Jaden and Naz. But what are they really? Are they Giannis and LeBron? Unlikely. It's more likely that they top out around the level of a Brandon Ingram or dare I say Julius Randle or Karl-Anthony Towns. Which is still a very good player, but is it the caliber of player that will help Ant lead this franchise to an NBA title? What is their championship resume? You knock on Kevin Durant jumping from team to team in search of more trophies as a bad thing, but shouldn't that tell you something about his belief in this organization if he truly does want to come to Minnesota?

And let me be clear: I don't think the team would include Naz Reid in any offers for Kevin Durant. They might not include Jaden McDaniels either (that's the point in the negotiations like where in the Gobert trade Utah took an extra 1st because Minnesota was unwilling). I'm starting offers with Randle, DiVincenzo and Conley, along with maybe the DET pick and possibly a young guy or two. And another point of clarification, since I know the second apron will be brought up: I would trade Gobert in a trade to duck the apron before trading McDaniels in such a move. Is that enough to get Durant? It might not be. But I'm fine using that as a jumping off point in trade negotiations.

I also feel like a KD trade would have a similar effect as a Gobert trade. I mean, KD would maximize the offensive potential as much as Gobert maximized the defensive potential of this team. Let me explain.

I think that bringing Gobert as defensive juggernaut was injection of highest level defensive competence, years of experience as result his presence allowed other players like Towns, Edwards, McDaniels, Edwards, Reid to be effective in defense because of defined role and less pressure. But even more benefited from Gobert trade "low profile" players such as NAW and McDaniels, they have been playing in PoA defender role in playoffs, under pressure. I mean, it was unfair to ask Towns to anchor elite defense, but it is also unfair to ask McDaniels to hit threes at high rate, or NAW, Clark to create for himself. And here comes KD trade, where I agree TC should not trade Reid nor McDaniels. KD would bring here same level of experience playing in different offensive schemes, under different coaches, he is still a walking bucket 27 PPG, 6RPG, 4.2APG on 53-40-82 shooting. His 27PPG would help replace Randle's 19PPG while his 4.2APG would help as well. Also, KD is miles better than Randle as a rim protector, the role he already played full-time in BRO. So use Reid in pick-n-roll defense high on the perimeter and allow McDaniels and KD to patrol the paint. Bringing KD here would allow role players like TJ, Clark, NAW to be even more effective by playing within their role. Also, playing Reid-McDaniels-KD frontcourt is probably the most modern thing that can be in NBA, it is pure pace-and-space unit, which might benefit guys such as Rob and TJ a lot.

Post #644 » by **Klomp** » Mon Mar 3, 2025 8:54 pm

20 games left....only 7 of those against teams with winning records

TimberKat · Post #645 » by **TimberKat** » Mon Mar 3, 2025 10:38 pm

Klomp wrote:20 games left....only 7 of those against teams with winning records

The 7 over .500 aren't too scary either - DEN, IND, IND, DEN, MIL, DET, and MEM. We should win half of them.

FrenchMinnyFan · Post #646 » by **FrenchMinnyFan** » Tue Mar 4, 2025 12:45 am

The problem is our tendency to s.... against bad teams. We need 16-4 to ended the season and see where we are. Hopefully avoid a play-in.

Post #647 » by **Klomp** » Tue Mar 4, 2025 1:06 am

FrenchMinnyFan wrote:The problem is our tendency to s.... against bad teams. We need 16-4 to ended the season and see where we are. Hopefully avoid a play-in.

I'm semi-optimistic because normally that tendency is because those teams are trying to win. Right now, most of those other teams should be trying to lose.

ILC · Post #648 » by **ILC** » Tue Mar 4, 2025 9:45 am

ILC wrote:Huge win last night to keep my 50 wins dream alive. 18-5 needed rest of the way.

Not looking great.

Have to go 5-1 in the next 6 and then two more 6-1 runs to close the season.

ILC · Post #649 » by **ILC** » Sat Mar 8, 2025 3:49 am

14-3 needed to end the year. Let's go

shrink · Post #650 » by **shrink** » Sat Mar 8, 2025 4:59 am

Golden State has the 12th hardest schedule remaining. We have the fourth easiest.

winforlose · Post #651 » by **winforlose** » Sat Mar 8, 2025 9:36 am

I figure 47 or 48 is the magic number. 47 means we can afford 6 losses, 48 means 5.

shrink · Post #652 » by **shrink** » Mon Mar 10, 2025 3:23 pm

I need to stop looking at Tankathon’s Remaining Strength or Schedule so frequently

SOS and Games Remaining

1. PHX .595 18
2. SAC .559 19
3. UTA .556 18
4. LAL .536 20
5. DEN .532 18
6. MIL .526 19
7. MEM .525 18
8. LAC .520 18

27. MIN .443 16

The West Contenders play each other, and the top teams in the East, a lot. We play a lot of tankers.

TimberKat · Post #653 » by **TimberKat** » Mon Mar 10, 2025 4:17 pm

shrink wrote:I need to stop looking at Tankathon’s Remaining Strength or Schedule so frequently

SOS and Games Remaining

1. PHX .595 18
2. SAC .559 19
3. UTA .556 18
4. LAL .536 20
5. DEN .532 18
6. MIL .526 19
7. MEM .525 18
8. LAC .520 18

27. MIN .443 16

The West Contenders play each other, and the top teams in the East, a lot. We play a lot of tankers.

Unfortunately, GSW and HOU aren't on the top 5 of that list. So it's going to be difficult to climb over those two.

Ethomasp31 · Post #654 » by **Ethomasp31** » Mon Mar 10, 2025 4:37 pm

TimberKat wrote:
shrink wrote:I need to stop looking at Tankathon’s Remaining Strength or Schedule so frequently

SOS and Games Remaining

1. PHX .595 18
2. SAC .559 19
3. UTA .556 18
4. LAL .536 20
5. DEN .532 18
6. MIL .526 19
7. MEM .525 18
8. LAC .520 18

27. MIN .443 16

The West Contenders play each other, and the top teams in the East, a lot. We play a lot of tankers.

Unfortunately, GSW and HOU aren't on the top 5 of that list. So it's going to be difficult to climb over those two.

The projected wins based on remaining schedule according to CBS Sports is very close for the 3rd through 7th seeds. We are healthy and playing our best basketball. The combined records of the Warriors and Houston for remaining teams are both over .500.

https://www.tankathon.com/remaining_schedule_strength

FrenchMinnyFan · Post #655 » by **FrenchMinnyFan** » Tue Mar 11, 2025 7:23 am

I'm pretty confident we ended 4 or 5 and able to make a run. We are deep right now. I know some do think that we need a second star player to win ( see KD trade topics) but which other team got a bench with Donte, NAZ or NAW who could be starter in 80% of NBA teams? For the point is to stay healthy. And we will be tough to beat.

winforlose · Post #656 » by **winforlose** » Tue Mar 11, 2025 7:45 am

FrenchMinnyFan wrote:I'm pretty confident we ended 4 or 5 and able to make a run. We are deep right now. I know some do think that we need a second star player to win ( see KD trade topics) but which other team got a bench with Donte, NAZ or NAW who could be starter in 80% of NBA teams? For the point is to stay healthy. And we will be tough to beat.

Jaden has become something more than we could have reasonably expected. On this trajectory our floor is much higher. I have doubts Mike can play in the playoffs, and not having a true PG will hurt. Having a Point Forward in Randle and a release valve in MCD’s mid range shot will really help.

Ethomasp31 · Post #657 » by **Ethomasp31** » Tue Mar 11, 2025 4:15 pm

winforlose wrote:
FrenchMinnyFan wrote:I'm pretty confident we ended 4 or 5 and able to make a run. We are deep right now. I know some do think that we need a second star player to win ( see KD trade topics) but which other team got a bench with Donte, NAZ or NAW who could be starter in 80% of NBA teams? For the point is to stay healthy. And we will be tough to beat.

Jaden has become something more than we could have reasonably expected. On this trajectory our floor is much higher. I have doubts Mike can play in the playoffs, and not having a true PG will hurt. Having a Point Forward in Randle and a release valve in MCD’s mid range shot will really help.

I'm pretty sure the last 20 games Conley has the highest 3-point shooting percentage in the NBA at close to 48%. He has an assist to turnover ratio of 5 to 0.9. I'm not saying he should play as much as DDV, but he is certainly playable in the playoffs.

winforlose · Post #658 » by **winforlose** » Tue Mar 11, 2025 8:42 pm

Ethomasp31 wrote:
winforlose wrote:
FrenchMinnyFan wrote:I'm pretty confident we ended 4 or 5 and able to make a run. We are deep right now. I know some do think that we need a second star player to win ( see KD trade topics) but which other team got a bench with Donte, NAZ or NAW who could be starter in 80% of NBA teams? For the point is to stay healthy. And we will be tough to beat.

Jaden has become something more than we could have reasonably expected. On this trajectory our floor is much higher. I have doubts Mike can play in the playoffs, and not having a true PG will hurt. Having a Point Forward in Randle and a release valve in MCD’s mid range shot will really help.

I'm pretty sure the last 20 games Conley has the highest 3-point shooting percentage in the NBA at close to 48%. He has an assist to turnover ratio of 5 to 0.9. I'm not saying he should play as much as DDV, but he is certainly playable in the playoffs.

Not if they hunt him off the floor.

frankenwolf · Post #659 » by **frankenwolf** » Tue Mar 11, 2025 9:19 pm

winforlose wrote:
Ethomasp31 wrote:
winforlose wrote:
Jaden has become something more than we could have reasonably expected. On this trajectory our floor is much higher. I have doubts Mike can play in the playoffs, and not having a true PG will hurt. Having a Point Forward in Randle and a release valve in MCD’s mid range shot will really help.

I'm pretty sure the last 20 games Conley has the highest 3-point shooting percentage in the NBA at close to 48%. He has an assist to turnover ratio of 5 to 0.9. I'm not saying he should play as much as DDV, but he is certainly playable in the playoffs.

Not if they hunt him off the floor.

Exactly. If they have done their appropriate scouting, they understand that the Wolves work better when MC is on the floor and I would absolutely set him up to fail on the defensive side.

winforlose · Post #660 » by **winforlose** » Tue Mar 11, 2025 9:30 pm

frankenwolf wrote:
winforlose wrote:
Ethomasp31 wrote:

I'm pretty sure the last 20 games Conley has the highest 3-point shooting percentage in the NBA at close to 48%. He has an assist to turnover ratio of 5 to 0.9. I'm not saying he should play as much as DDV, but he is certainly playable in the playoffs.

Not if they hunt him off the floor.

Exactly. If they have done their appropriate scouting, they understand that the Wolves work better when MC is on the floor and I would absolutely set him up to fail on the defensive side.

This is why having a Point Randle and having Jaden being able to hit tough shots or dish to open players is so valuable. Donte is also improving his playmaking, but that needs to be tested against high end defenses. Thankfully we still have a few games with tough opponents left for him to strut his stuff.