Game 3: New Orleans at Minnesota , 7 pm, BSN

[Krapinsky]

How about Meyers Leonard? I feel like he deserves a second chance...

[King Malta]

How about Meyers Leonard? I feel like he deserves a second chance...

Looking through the current crop, I'd give Leonard, Patton or even Boogie (unlikely to accept the min in MIN) a chance tbh.

We just need some size in the frontcourt outside of KAT.

I was lukewarm on Rosas and thought some of what he did in the FO was good (talent scouting etc), but leaving us so small in the frontcourt for basically his entire tenure is unforgiveable really. It's not that hard to find one serviceable PF above 6'8.

[Neeva]

Kat also killed us in the 4th. Sorry, but it's true. Finch needs the offense to run through Edwards. DLo and Kat need to understand that. Kat had some horribly bonehead plays

If things don’t look good again in a few months they need to trade these two..

[winforlose]

Kat also killed us in the 4th. Sorry, but it's true. Finch needs the offense to run through Edwards. DLo and Kat need to understand that. Kat had some horribly bonehead plays

If things don’t look good again in a few months they need to trade these two..

I just checked the box score and it tracks with what I saw. Beasley going 1-8 (1-7 from deep) and Dlo ending with 9 points on 3-14 shooting (1-8 from deep) is unsustainable. Dlo has had one good quarter in 3 games. Any conservation about our offense starts with KAT, Ant, Dlo, and Beasley. You cannot afford for Ant to be inconsequential in a half when Dlo and Beasley are playing like this. Ant scored 21 in the 3rd and ended with 28. 2 in the first half and 5 in the 4th is not enough. This team is built around outside shooting creating driving lanes and tonight the lane was packed because our shooters didn’t show up. 15-50 is a killer. We need more size to grab more rebounds. We need more out of role players like MCD, Reid, Prince, JO, and JMAC. Trading players is best done when they are playing well, right now we need to get our guys back on track.

[Krapinsky]

McD averaging 4 and 4 playing 30 minutes per game. I can’t recall a player ever being less productive than him.

[karch34]

What was up with start of 4th as we had JMac, Bev, Prince, Vando, and Reid IIRC? That’s just embracing the lack of offensive flow and spacing IMO.

[winforlose]

McD averaging 4 and 4 playing 30 minutes per game. I can’t recall a player ever being less productive than him.

It’s actually worse when you consider the lack of box out and the weak one handed rebound attempts. MCD is cringe worthy when rebounding. Going into the fourth he had a single rebound. I don’t care how good your defense is (tonight his was mediocre at best,) a PF must rebound, box out, and if he is starting at least do something to space the floor (whether by his shooting or his screening.) Tonight MCD might as well have been DNP-CD

[packforfreedom]

im gonna have nightmares of Valanciunas

[Foye]

Should probably rename the franchise in all bark no bite. How can you put up such a stinker against the Zion-less Pelicans? LOL.

[minimus]

Should probably rename the franchise in all bark no bite. How can you put up such a stinker against the Zion-less Pelicans? LOL.

Of course you come here to **** on this team, after first loss. Since you ignore wins, I hope to see your posts less this year.

[Foye]

Should probably rename the franchise in all bark no bite. How can you put up such a stinker against the Zion-less Pelicans? LOL.

Of course you come here to **** on this team, after first loss. Since you ignore wins, I hope to see your posts less this year.

I heard the reason for sucking was health, though. Now they suck healthy, too. Not gonna win many games playing like they played against the Pelicans in the past two games.

Seems half of the Bucks team isn't healthy. Giannis will probably still steamroll through this team...

[shangrila]

Should probably rename the franchise in all bark no bite. How can you put up such a stinker against the Zion-less Pelicans? LOL.

Of course you come here to **** on this team, after first loss. Since you ignore wins, I hope to see your posts less this year.

Just ignore him. He'll go back to whatever hole he crawled out of soon enough.

[FinnTheHuman]

Well, one thing's for certain, offensively DLo is still a gimmicky player, like I've been saying, you guys kept lying to yourselves that he's coming back to his supposed all-star form this season. That all-star selection came on a gimmicky run n gun team that had an extremely low ceiling in the weak East, playing for a gimmicky coach. He's never been a real all-star caliber player. He knows how to shoot 3's off the dribble if he finds an ounce of space, but they ain't always falling and that is pretty much all he can offer. He doesn't control the pace, can't attack the rim, doesn't consistently create opportunities for others, so yeah, he's not a guy you wanna have as your starting PG on a winning team.

Starting Beverley/Beasley would've been so much better for us instead of DLo/Okogie, but Finch, like Ryan before him, doesn't have the balls to bench a max player/KAT's bff. It's pretty sad. But I guess he doesn't have to start Bev/Beas, he can just play them both 30 min per game off the bench and maintain the illusion that DLo is the main guard.

Anyways, not the end of the world, Bucks bigs are injured so Giannis is playing C, he's not a bruiser like Lopez/Portis to bully our front-court. I could imagine KAT doing a passable job guarding Giannis, his lighter body might make a difference. I think it's a very winnable game for us.

[King Malta]

Should probably rename the franchise in all bark no bite. How can you put up such a stinker against the Zion-less Pelicans? LOL.

Of course you come here to **** on this team, after first loss. Since you ignore wins, I hope to see your posts less this year.

Just ignore him. He'll go back to whatever hole he crawled out of soon enough.

I look forward to him announcing his departure for the 50th time

[shangrila]

I know I'm fairly neutral on Russell, which by virtue of most of the opinions around here seems to make me a fan of his, but even the people that actively dislike him have to admit that this current 3 game stretch isn't who he is as a player, right?

He'll get better. That won't necessarily make him worth his contract or anything, but he won't be this bad forever.

[King Malta]

Well, one thing's for certain, offensively DLo is still a gimmicky player, like I've been saying, you guys kept lying to yourself that he's coming back to his supposed all-star form this season. That all-star selection came on a gimmicky run n gun team that had an extremely low ceiling in the weak East, playing for a gimmicky coach. He's never been a real all-star caliber player. He knows how to shoot 3's of the dribble if he finds an ounce of space, but they ain't always falling and that is pretty much all he can offer. He doesn't control the pace, can't attack the rim, doesn't consistently create opportunities for others, so yeah, he's not a guy you wanna have as your starting PG on a winning team.

Starting Beverley/Beasley would've been so much better for us instead of DLo/Okogie, but Finch, like Ryan before him, doesn't have the balls to bench a max player/KAT's bff. It's pretty sad. But I guess he doesn't have to start Bev/Beas, he can just play them both 30 min per game off the bench and maintain the illusion that DLo is the main guard.

Anyways, not the end of the world, Bucks bigs are injured so Giannis is playing C, he's not a bruiser like Lopez/Portis to bully our front-court. We could try to put McDaniels on Giannis and try to bother him with that length. I think it's a very winnable game for us.

I agree with your general feelings around DLo, but I think you're being slightly harsh on Finch here, to be honest. DLo isn't going anywhere anytime soon, even if we wanted to move him, and as such Finch has got to make things work. DLo seems like a pretty stroppy kind of guy who gives effort conditionally, benching him is going to lead to issues from that perspective IMO.

It's in Finch's (and the team's) best interest to get as much out of every player on the roster as possible, and I don't feel like benching DLo will help us in that regard.

[minimus]

This wont be able to fix rebounding issues anytime soon. However, our half court offense is completely out of sync. Role players underperform massively. Russell, Beasley, Reid, MCD MUST play better. I'd say even if Beasley returns to his last season form it will be massive step forward for our offense, he is rusty, but we need his scoring. I hope with more games and Finch coaching a new identity will be made.

Meanwhile I understand Gupta situation, we need to wait when teams across NBA are more open to trade players, so we should not panic, trade wisely. I also dont think that bringing here role players such as Cousins, RHJ, Aminu etc would solve our defensive rebounding issue, it should be team effort. I also think that we need to risk and trade for quality PF such as Larry Nance Jr.

[FinnTheHuman]

Well, one thing's for certain, offensively DLo is still a gimmicky player, like I've been saying, you guys kept lying to yourself that he's coming back to his supposed all-star form this season. That all-star selection came on a gimmicky run n gun team that had an extremely low ceiling in the weak East, playing for a gimmicky coach. He's never been a real all-star caliber player. He knows how to shoot 3's of the dribble if he finds an ounce of space, but they ain't always falling and that is pretty much all he can offer. He doesn't control the pace, can't attack the rim, doesn't consistently create opportunities for others, so yeah, he's not a guy you wanna have as your starting PG on a winning team.

Starting Beverley/Beasley would've been so much better for us instead of DLo/Okogie, but Finch, like Ryan before him, doesn't have the balls to bench a max player/KAT's bff. It's pretty sad. But I guess he doesn't have to start Bev/Beas, he can just play them both 30 min per game off the bench and maintain the illusion that DLo is the main guard.

Anyways, not the end of the world, Bucks bigs are injured so Giannis is playing C, he's not a bruiser like Lopez/Portis to bully our front-court. We could try to put McDaniels on Giannis and try to bother him with that length. I think it's a very winnable game for us.

I agree with your general feelings around DLo, but I think you're being slightly harsh on Finch here, to be honest. DLo isn't going anywhere anytime soon, even if we wanted to move him, and as such Finch has got to make things work. DLo seems like a pretty stroppy kind of guy who gives effort conditionally, benching him is going to lead to issues from that perspective IMO.

It's in Finch's (and the team's) best interest to get as much out of every player on the roster as possible, and I don't feel like benching DLo will help us in that regard.

I don't agree. Look at the Kevin Love situation - he's on a vet max and he's coming off the bench. Cavs have won against 2 great teams in Atlanta and Denver already. If your max guy is simply not performing for long enough, you have to bench him, there's got to be meritocracy implemented because guys stop working their butts off once they recognize that an inferior player is still getting more minutes than them just because of his contract. Give DLo 6-7 more games and if he keeps shooting 30-40% while turning it over a gazillion times, you just show him his averages and tell him 'I hope you realize why you're not a starter anymore.' If he doesn't get it, you're better off completely without him anyway. If I'm Beasley/Bev/McLaughlin, I'm looking at DLo from the bench, shaking my head and thinking 'Why doesn't the coach just play me instead of him so that we have a better chance to win?'

[King Malta]

Well, one thing's for certain, offensively DLo is still a gimmicky player, like I've been saying, you guys kept lying to yourself that he's coming back to his supposed all-star form this season. That all-star selection came on a gimmicky run n gun team that had an extremely low ceiling in the weak East, playing for a gimmicky coach. He's never been a real all-star caliber player. He knows how to shoot 3's of the dribble if he finds an ounce of space, but they ain't always falling and that is pretty much all he can offer. He doesn't control the pace, can't attack the rim, doesn't consistently create opportunities for others, so yeah, he's not a guy you wanna have as your starting PG on a winning team.

Starting Beverley/Beasley would've been so much better for us instead of DLo/Okogie, but Finch, like Ryan before him, doesn't have the balls to bench a max player/KAT's bff. It's pretty sad. But I guess he doesn't have to start Bev/Beas, he can just play them both 30 min per game off the bench and maintain the illusion that DLo is the main guard.

Anyways, not the end of the world, Bucks bigs are injured so Giannis is playing C, he's not a bruiser like Lopez/Portis to bully our front-court. We could try to put McDaniels on Giannis and try to bother him with that length. I think it's a very winnable game for us.

I agree with your general feelings around DLo, but I think you're being slightly harsh on Finch here, to be honest. DLo isn't going anywhere anytime soon, even if we wanted to move him, and as such Finch has got to make things work. DLo seems like a pretty stroppy kind of guy who gives effort conditionally, benching him is going to lead to issues from that perspective IMO.

It's in Finch's (and the team's) best interest to get as much out of every player on the roster as possible, and I don't feel like benching DLo will help us in that regard.

I don't agree. Look at the Kevin Love situation - he's on a vet max and he's coming off the bench. Cavs have won against 2 great teams in Atlanta and Denver already. If your max guy is simply not performing for long enough, you have to bench him, there's got to be meritocracy implemented because guys stop working their butts off once they recognize that an inferior player is still getting more minutes than them just because of his contract. Give DLo 6-7 more games and if he keeps shooting 30-40% while turning it over a gazillion times, you just show him his averages and tell him 'I hope you realize why you're not a starter anymore.' If he doesn't get it, you're better off completely without him anyway.

I don't think the DLo and K-Love situations are really equivalents tbh. One guy is in the tail end of the his career and will likely be gone sooner rather than later, on a poor team where he's not necessarily expected to be a difference maker. The other is supposedly part of the short and long term core on a team that is trying to compete ASAP and is expected to be a major part of that effort.

I don't disagree with the logic of bringing DLo off the bench, but balancing the atmosphere of the dressing room is a critical part of any coaches job, and I feel like that approach would lead to some pretty substantial issues in that department. Also, whether we like it or not, we need DLo to contribute. Sitting him on the bench and stripping him down to 10 minutes a game or whatever isn't going to get that out of him and will probably make those minutes even more of a net negative than what we're getting from him at the moment.

Perhaps we would be better off without him in that scenario, but we wouldn't be able to get off of his deal, so you'd have that contract sitting around doing nothing. Finch needs to make the best out of what he's got for now with DLo.

EDIT: To clarify, I feel like overall you're 100% correct in your reasoning, I just don't feel it's a realistic outcome due to the response that would draw from DLo. And that doesn't nessecarily make Finch weak, it makes him a realist IMO.

Mind you, he was comfortable pulling him for a chunk of the 4th in the last game, and maybe that's how you deal with it; start him on a short leash.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Really getting tired of Karl's whining.

Agreed. I agree he gets nowhere near the calls other guys do and it’s frustrating, but refs aren’t going to change when you whine.

To be fair, other star players are rewarded for whining. Heck, Luka Doncic came into the league with a sense of entitlement with the officials from day one... and it's paid off.

The rub is that Towns is not at that level of player/status and neither are the Wolves.

While he might think he deserves Luka or Embiid treatment... he's not even at Valunciunas' level with the officials right now.


[Note: Yes. The whining and flopping and him losing control over and over again gets old. But whining to officials is part of the game for most star players today.]