2021-2022 Sweater Vest Thread #2: Magic 115 - Wolves 97

[drsd]

Or...replace him (Dare I say it).

We could end up with Fultz and Isaac both as bench players. Hmm.


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[Skybox]

Or...replace him (Dare I say it).

We could end up with Fultz and Isaac both as bench players. Hmm.


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I'm a big believer in Isaac's defensive mayhem, but, if he doesn't provide some offense, a very good defender with a 2-way game may be the survivor (over an elite one way guy) in today's NBA...also, a healthy Isaac could bring back something significant in a trade. Not necessarily the way I see it (or want it to be) going, but as Mosley's vision takes shape, things will start to change to fit it.

I favor Bamba over WCJ at Center.
but...I have concerns that WCJ at PF have really benefitted Bamba.
and...I favor Isaac over both, but I'm not sure which Isaac + pairing is better than Bamba/WCJ
and...either way, Franz is my starting 3, in the same way that Isaac could defend all over the place at 3 with his length and mobility.
so...it's like a big chemistry set. No way am I implying that Franz replicates Isaac's defense but does he need to? what wins games?

[Xatticus]

I voted Anthony. He had a really good game. He got caught up in traffic in transition on one play and gave up an easy 3 to Russell and he had a couple boneheaded turnovers on back-to-back possessions, but other than that he was pretty flawless. Minnesota has been playing really good defense to start the year and you could see that their guards were trying to jump the screens. Anthony was simply rejecting the screens to get shots for himself and teammates. There were a few occasions where he rejected the screen, drove right, and then kicked it to the man in the corner when the defender flashed towards him. That's good point guard play. He has to get better at actually using screens though or his bigs aren't going to continue to set good ones for him. Nobody likes to repeatedly run out to the 3-point line to set screens only to have the guard reject them and settle for 15-foot jump shots. Anthony also had a nice play where he caught the ball above the left elbow after a drive and dish from Suggs. I was certain that he was going to hoist up a shot, but he instead swung the ball to an open Wagner in the corner.

Wagner was terrific as well, but he wasn't really tested a lot defensively as that's not where Minnesota's offense comes from. I was really impressed with how he went straight at McDaniels for a score and finish early in the game. McDaniels is a good and long defender and Wagner just kept his dribble alive until he got deep enough for an easy finish. He went straight at KAT a couple times, which isn't difficult, but it was good recognition to attack the poor defender and head straight for the rim. He also busted out a really nice counter move on the baseline for another easy basket and had a catch-and-shoot from the corner after he missed a little floater. I didn't see who snared the rebound, but Wagner just curled around along the baseline. WCJ wasn't really screening, but Edwards had to go around him. What was impressive about the play though was that Wagner fired straight out of motion and with a defender in pretty close proximity. That's much higher-level execution than the catch-and-shoot stuff that he has feasted on up until now. That's the sort of stuff you see from Duncan Robinson.

I don't know if we changed our shooting coach or what? What we have been doing has been really impressive though. Cole Anthony couldn't shoot at UNC. He couldn't shoot last year. He shot us straight out of the first two games this year. Over the last six games though, he has shot like he is Steph Curry and that's with a really sketchy shot selection. There is also obvious improvement from both Wagner and WCJ. It's certainly possible that this is all just outlier stuff, but it would be marvelous if we actually started developing shooters.

[RookieStar]

Cole, but I am really surprised with Franz, now he is scoring like we always asked AG.

F-Wagner really looks like he will nicely complement Isaac.
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Or...replace him (Dare I say it).

Hmmm there might be a case 4 years down the line. Right now I don't think he has the body to bang with how JI can do it downlow. Besides, I don't want Franz to play PF yet.

[Skybox]

F-Wagner really looks like he will nicely complement Isaac.
..

Or...replace him (Dare I say it).

Hmmm there might be a case 4 years down the line. Right now I don't think he has the body to bang with how JI can do it downlow. Besides, I don't want Franz to play PF yet.

he wouldn't play 4 exclusively. Isaac has been a combo 3/4, Franz could be a combo, but he's really a 3...but lately the WCJ/Bamba at 4&5 has worked well, so it'd be more a matter of Isaac being odd man out of a frontline combo - rather than Franz directly taking his job. Okeke too...

I don't really care to go down the forward definitions debate again. AG was a 4, Isaac was a 4...I guess we just played two 4's...so be it. If we had a legit 3, we would have had to adapt...now it looks like we do.