3/18: Wolves at Kings, 5:00 pm

[teamwillow]

So disappointing man. We had this new energy, winning big games, in playoff spot, rubio/love, team was coming together bigtime, finally a good coach...and then this...MN sports man..hurt

[Worm Guts]

And people were getting upset with me when I said we aren't a playoff team. My brother and some fans were getting pissed because I said I don't think we have enough mental toughness. Sorry, but we dont and I don't think we are going to get it this season

Did you say this before or after Rubio got hurt? I think most thought Rubio's injury severly affected our playoff chances. If you said this before he got hurt, I don't think your opinion has vindicated.

[_AIJ_]

I believe in this team though Maybe not this year but definitely the Wolves are going to make the post-season next season. Lets Go Wolves!!!

[collin_k41]

Although we likely will miss the playoffs this is a great time to see what this team is made of. Will they pack it in or will they lay it on the line every night? We shall see.

[Dewey]

Once again - "It's About Players" ... no disrespect to Adelman, but it don't take long for any coach to look pretty mediocre without good players (-Pek, -Rube, -and even Beas?,etc...). And really?, enough of Wes already ... this is rediculous. He needs to be in a position where he earns his minutes back starting at ground zero.

We simply need better players - no secret. I'm glad we did not blow assets to make a mediocre move at the deadline. This off-season is critical if we expect to make a legit improvement.

[C.lupus]

I pulled this link off the general board. Good analysis of what led up to incident between Love and Barea.

http://feelingsarentnumbers.com/2012/03 ... e-treason/


The odds of Barea being on the roster next year just went down significantly.

[moss_is_1]

Yes, I remember seeing Love get very frustrated and then throw up his arms. I think it's pretty obvious that Barea needs to check himself and his shot-selection, when he's on he can really take over a game, but when he's off he can shoot you right out of it, plus all the dumb turnovers and his lack of defense.

[Hambone93]

Love is really good at moving off the ball and getting open for three, but this requires that his teammates find him when he gets open. I know that maybe he should pass more himself, but he has shown that he can score if you find him.

[Foye]

Good bye playoff hopes. Rubio really was the heart of this team. Add in that Pekovic didn't play and we lose by 15+ vs the Kings of all teams. SMH:nonono:

[kmgarnett21]

The Barea love all over facebook, on the wolves page and on Kevin Love's page, is disgusting.

Barea was the only player on Dallas who I liked and I was pumped when we signed him. But he's been a big bust.

[Dewey]

JJB has to feed the beast ... that's what PG's do. Not that I don't like him, but right now he has to execute the offense if we want any chance to right the ship. Your PG cannot be trying to do **** he cant do.

This is all on Adelman right now to stop this before the team totally implodes.

[Viljanen]

Ok we won´t make the playofs, but there´s no reason for this type of poor game. I though Barea would be a big part of this team (I still keep some faith) but that contested 3 pointer... with 16 seconds remaining on the clock... that´s the oposite of being a good PG for your team. It´s not only the missed posesion, it´s you not making your teamates get involved in the game.

[Calinks]

And people were getting upset with me when I said we aren't a playoff team. My brother and some fans were getting pissed because I said I don't think we have enough mental toughness. Sorry, but we dont and I don't think we are going to get it this season

Did you say this before or after Rubio got hurt? I think most thought Rubio's injury severly affected our playoff chances. If you said this before he got hurt, I don't think your opinion has vindicated.

I said it before Rubio got hurt. I thought we would be close but when compared to the other teams fighting for a playoff spot I never felt like we had what it took to battle for that 8th spot. I didn't think we could handle the constant adversity, as a team we still had thin skin (although it was growing thicker this season for sure). Seems to me that since Rubio went down the team folded. We aren't abysmal but I'm not seeing the fire we need to have to take these games.

No one is stepping up to fill the gap, very few players are battling out there, the team is not reponding how a team with playoff expepectations should respond. Spurs lost Ginobli, they still battled. Memphis lost Randolph, they continued to do work; if Denver were to lose maybe anybody, I bet they would still be a dogfight.

We are young, inexperienced, and we haven't developed the toughness we need. This was my assesment some weeks ago when I and everybody else was realistically thinking about the playoffs and after seeing these last five games or so I'm even more inclined to agree with my initial assesment that we just don't have it.

[Beas]

I pulled this link off the general board. Good analysis of what led up to incident between Love and Barea.

http://feelingsarentnumbers.com/2012/03 ... e-treason/


The odds of Barea being on the roster next year just went down significantly.

thanks for posting this, good link. that last video is very telling

[Viljanen]

When Rubio was healthy I thought we were something like 40% of getting into the playoffs. But even then, the rational was unclear... the team was not close to what other rivals for that spot like Memphis is, or even Denver.

Nonetheless maybe Memphis is not the best team to compare with... In my opinion they´re contenders. Their starting lineup with Randolph healthy is the best in the league for me. We were better than the Rockets. The odds were there.

Just to get something positive from this season, Rubio gave lthis team a Love extension present. That´s a great player to build around. This year is for training but the next one has to be a good team. Top 10 or so, with or without Rubio.

[zerogravity15]

I pulled this link off the general board. Good analysis of what led up to incident between Love and Barea.

http://feelingsarentnumbers.com/2012/03 ... e-treason/


The odds of Barea being on the roster next year just went down significantly.

Good article.

[horaceworthy]

And people were getting upset with me when I said we aren't a playoff team. My brother and some fans were getting pissed because I said I don't think we have enough mental toughness. Sorry, but we dont and I don't think we are going to get it this season

Did you say this before or after Rubio got hurt? I think most thought Rubio's injury severly affected our playoff chances. If you said this before he got hurt, I don't think your opinion has vindicated.

I said it before Rubio got hurt. I thought we would be close but when compared to the other teams fighting for a playoff spot I never felt like we had what it took to battle for that 8th spot. I didn't think we could handle the constant adversity, as a team we still had thin skin (although it was growing thicker this season for sure). Seems to me that since Rubio went down the team folded. We aren't abysmal but I'm not seeing the fire we need to have to take these games.

No one is stepping up to fill the gap, very few players are battling out there, the team is not reponding how a team with playoff expepectations should respond. Spurs lost Ginobli, they still battled. Memphis lost Randolph, they continued to do work; if Denver were to lose maybe anybody, I bet they would still be a dogfight.

We are young, inexperienced, and we haven't developed the toughness we need. This was my assesment some weeks ago when I and everybody else was realistically thinking about the playoffs and after seeing these last five games or so I'm even more inclined to agree with my initial assesment that we just don't have it.

I think it's a bit ridiculous to use the past few games as reason to pat yourself on the back for a prediction made when Rubio was still playing.

The Wolves were playing .619 ball with Rubio in the starting lineup. If they do that for a full season, they're not fighting for the playoffs, they're fighting for homecourt advantage. I think the 8 seed would have happened pretty comfortably had Rubio stayed healthy.

The Wolves have 3 above average players (Rubio, Pek, Love), 4 roughly average or slightly below players (Williams, Beasley, Ridnour, Barea), and not much else. The teams you're comparing them to have actual depth, particularly on the perimeter.

Rubio was the team's defensive anchor and the only ballhandler who can stand up to defensive pressure. Without him and with Pekovic in and out of the lineup, the Wolves are basically trotting last year's team out there. Adelman's a huge upgrade over Rambis, but it's tough to ask him to turn chicken **** into chicken soup.

It isn't some mental toughness/Rubio being the heart and soul thing. There's a much simpler explanation. The roster without Rubio just isn't good enough to make the playoffs.