How can we prevent losing by a small margin?

Mcfale313 · Post #1 » by **Mcfale313** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 5:57 am

It shows improvement when you kept losing to strong teams by only a few points, but it is nonetheless frustrating for wolves fans.........

time for some roster changes to add big time scorers or lock down defenders who can also consistantly knock down shots?

moss_is_1 · Post #2 » by **moss_is_1** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 6:07 am

Granger and Iggy are good options. Iggy is a better defender and playmaker, while Granger is a really good shooter and also an above average defender.

Ice32 · Post #3 » by **Ice32** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 6:17 am

The Wolves have lost 14 games this year by 6 points or less! Imagine if we won half those games, we would be 16 and 22, 4 games out of the Playoff hunt. 7 of those losses have been decided by 3 points or less - one shot!

It just comes down to inexperience, bad clock management, unlucky calls, missed shots, turnovers, plays not being followed through, sometimes bad coaching decisions.

The main problem is, the Wolves are putting themselves in that position to start with. Bad starts, bad quarters, bad decision making. Today was a better effort to begin with, but it seems when key people go to the bench, the other team makes a run. Today it was Manu, Neal and Bonner killing us when our better defenders were on the bench.

The roster we have now is capable, and today showed it. We are good enough to play with the elite teams in this league. Its the last 4 mins of the game when we just turn the switch off. We need specific players to step up and be more vocal. Love is the leader of this pack, but Ridnour, Darko and Brewer are the most experienced players, they need to do the right things and hopefully it rubs off on others. Its a team effort, you cant point the losses out to one or two players. Everyone needs to be held accountable, even the coaching staff. But this squad will improve over the next 44 games.

shangrila · Post #4 » by **shangrila** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 6:32 am

Well, for starters, they need to keep Brewer in at the starting 2. He is for us as Ronald Nored is for Butler.

Other then that they need someone who can beat people off the dribble. Beasley is halfway there but until he improves his ball handling he'll still be forced to settle for jumpers more often then you'd like. It would be nice to get a point guard that was capable of doing this, someone that can do what Parker was doing all night and just attacking. The team doesn't have that right now.

They also need to work on their execution. They improved it tonight which is a good sign, but that's been their biggest weakness down the stretch this season. And I really, really hope that this improved execution was a team thing and not just because Beasley was out and couldn't hog the ball.

Fire Mchale · Post #5 » by **Fire Mchale** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 9:55 pm

Mcfale313 wrote:It shows improvement when you kept losing to strong teams by only a few points, but it is nonetheless frustrating for wolves fans.........

time for some roster changes to add big time scorers or lock down defenders who can also consistantly knock down shots?

Where to start? There are a hundred reasons we aren't winning games, but like was mentioned earlier the key here is that we continue to compete. We've seen fairly minimal production from the 1 and 2 and lately from the 5. I think improvements there are within reach. I think the thing starts by having more competant players especially at the point and you'll find yourself in fewer tight games.

Piecake · Post #6 » by **Piecake** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 10:29 pm

Hopefully the allstar break helps. Everyone can just take a break from basketball for a few days and come back rested and refreshed.

Post #7 » by **revprodeji** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 10:33 pm

I think experience is the key thing. I have had teams I coach that are great but cannot close things out. Sooner or later kids learn their roles and how to close those games out. Proper coaching helps. Understanding how to maximize possessions and work the clock. Maximize breaks to keep players fresh and momentum in your favor.

Old phrase...if a team loses games by a lot then it is a bad team, if they lose by a little it is a bad coach.

We need a ball-handling shot creator besides Beasley. That would allow us to use Middle pick/roll with Beasley as the pick guy. Iggy fits this perfect. Rubio could also. Ridnour does not.P/R was Flynn's strength in college supposedly.

btw, can we run Beasley off some screens?

shangrila · Post #8 » by **shangrila** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 10:37 pm

revprodeji wrote:btw, can we run Beasley off some screens?

I don't think so. He doesn't have the footwork for it at the moment.

Piecake · Post #9 » by **Piecake** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 10:41 pm

revprodeji wrote:
We need a ball-handling shot creator besides Beasley. That would allow us to use Middle pick/roll with Beasley as the pick guy. Iggy fits this perfect. Rubio could also. Ridnour does not.P/R was Flynn's strength in college supposedly.

btw, can we run Beasley off some screens?

Yea, we really lack a consistent 3rd option. I think its hard when teams are really only worried about two players beating them. I dont think its all that surprising that we play well when Darko or Ridnour plays a good game.

If we dont trade for iggy or anyone like that, hopefully Wes fills that role for next season.

Greco21 · Post #10 » by **Greco21** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 10:48 pm

Free throws. Old recipie. Go to 80% and then its already too late for your opponent to make it a close game. Although Minnesota is not that bad at free throws.

Clock management is very important. When your opponent is closing down on you and is on a rythm take a time out. Do not take a time out too late or take an "educational" time out to develop your players.

P.S. Beasly got some good picks in the Bobcats game and executed really well. 3 in a row from 18 feet.

slinky · Post #11 » by **slinky** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 10:51 pm

revprodeji wrote:Old phrase...if a team loses games by a lot then it is a bad team, if they lose by a little it is a bad coach.

Disagree...and I think you talked about it later in your post as well. I think its personnel on the team. There is no one at the end of games to get the ball to Beasley in the area of his strengths. Sure, part of it is Rambis and drawing up the play, but as you pointed out we don't have the PG to run it. FWIW, Rambis drew up a great inbounds play in BOS when Ridnour traveled...

I would even try a middle pick and role with Beasley and Love. With Love as the pick guy and shooters on the floor(Webster, Johnson, Ellington, etc). You give Beasley the option to drive and kick or step back if the defender goes under the screen.

And again, Rambis has faults, and end game management might be one of them...but he is not making the turnovers at the end of games or in the last 3 minutes that allow teams to get back into games. And I believe the turnovers to be from a lack of experience. You can't make the flashy pass up 2 with a minute left to go...or jack up a 3-pointer, 5 seconds into the shot clock with 40 seconds left to play. Slowly I think players will start to realize that.

Krapinsky · Post #12 » by **Krapinsky** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 11:47 pm

revprodeji wrote:I think experience is the key thing. I have had teams I coach that are great but cannot close things out. Sooner or later kids learn their roles and how to close those games out. Proper coaching helps. Understanding how to maximize possessions and work the clock. Maximize breaks to keep players fresh and momentum in your favor.

Old phrase...if a team loses games by a lot then it is a bad team, if they lose by a little it is a bad coach.

We need a ball-handling shot creator besides Beasley. That would allow us to use Middle pick/roll with Beasley as the pick guy. Iggy fits this perfect. Rubio could also. Ridnour does not.P/R was Flynn's strength in college supposedly.

btw, can we run Beasley off some screens?

I'd take that a step further and say what we need is a player that can more effectively advance the ball of the dribble. Flynn and Ridnour are too small and not nearly quick enough to make up for it. During end of game situations when we only have nine seconds to get a shot off, as opposed to 24 seconds, the lack of an efficient ball handler -- by that I mean how easily he is able to get to a certain spot on the floor or advance the ball -- seems to be killing us time and time again. Beasley, while developing into a nice ISO player does not have the ball handling skills to be an adapt facilitator. Perhaps for us that player will be Rubio.

Post #13 » by **revprodeji** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 12:12 am

shangrila wrote:
revprodeji wrote:btw, can we run Beasley off some screens?

I don't think so. He doesn't have the footwork for it at the moment.

It does not take good footwork to run off screens.

shangrila · Post #14 » by **shangrila** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 1:03 am

revprodeji wrote:
shangrila wrote:
revprodeji wrote:btw, can we run Beasley off some screens?

I don't think so. He doesn't have the footwork for it at the moment.

It does not take good footwork to run off screens.

Depends on what you're looking for him to do when he's come off those screens. If he's just going to turn and shoot then yes, he needs the proper footwork to limit the time it takes him to get his shot off. If it's just to ISO him or something like that, then you're completely right.

Post #15 » by **revprodeji** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 2:38 am

yea, it is to give him a chance to ISO from the screens. That way he is getting the ball in triple threat closer to the paint and not just being given the ball at the 3.

If Beasley was to come off a screen, receive the ball, and then make a power move it would improve his penetration.

[RCG] · Post #16 » by **[RCG]** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 2:58 am

Blowing leads earlier and losing by a larger margin?

zerogravity15 · Post #17 » by **zerogravity15** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 3:37 am

Better interior defense.

Find a third scorer via trade or maybe someone else on the team steps up?

Better point guard play. I'm still hoping that flynn can improve. Let's give him time. It's only his second season and he's coming off an injury. We could also give telfair some more burn since flynn and luke aren't playing that well.