The Official Wolves vs Grizzlies Game 5 Thread

[Mattya]

They have to make Ja look good. What else can you expect. I think the WWE comparison is excellent.

[minimus]

I will paraphrase:
"Doesn't it worry you that this is the playoffs?"
"I guess we can tell you our secret... Because we're very, very dumb."

source:

Watch on YouTube

[shrink]

And the way these games are officiated makes the product about as legitimate as pro wrestling. Ja slips for obvious travel and gets free throws. Shoves Beverly out of bounds no call. They were missing calls left and right tonight, but things didn't get one sided until the 4th quarter. Sometimes I question how much Superstars are created by the referees in this league bailing out their bad plays.

I agree, and I just wanted to add a little context.

ESPN took more fire than ever this season for continually neglecting 25-26 teams for their “NBA” coverage. This has long been their business model, but with the regular season struggles of the Lakers, Clippers and Nets, they were drawing more complaints than usual. Brian Windhorst has gotten so tired of it, that he lets us behind the veil now and says the producers tell him to keep pimping LA.

This is even a bigger deal right now for both the NBA and ESPN, because of the impending TV deal. To try to curb this perception, last month ESPN packed up their NBA team and spent a week in Memphis, and there was a lot of talk about Ja Morant and JJJ.

I am not surprised in the slightest that we are seeing biased officiating now for the Grizzlies. Younggunsmn is right - Ja slips, MIN must have fouled. Ja pushed Beverley out of bounds, and even throws his hands up after, no call. Their big wings get to grab on defense and get no call. Even with all of MIN’s mistakes, MEM played even worse. You rarely hear me say anything about officiating, but in the first half, I commented about what a big advantage the refs gave to MEM, the only thing those refs can’t do is literally put the ball in the basket for the Grizzlies. Ja was 0-for-2, 1-for-4 FT’s with 2 TO’s, but was allowed to do whatever he wanted - he was not going to be in foul trouble this game.

I felt like this was All Star wrestling too. When the game is fixed, I question why I was watching.

[shangrila]

I think the real problem with the officiating has been consistency.

I mean, JJJ has had 4 or more fouls in every game IIRC so we aren't the only ones having issues (even if it is skewed in Memphis' favour). But if you're going to call touch fouls, call it both ways. If you're going to let Brooks push DLo in the back, let Bev do the same. Whether they want to call it tight or let it be physical I don't care, just pick ONE and stick with it.

[KGdaBom]

My last thought regarding game 5. Amazing play to get Edwards the 3 and he nails it. Then with 3.7 seconds to go we let Ja walk right to the rim for a layup. Yes Edwards made a mistake going for the steal, but we had no backup defense. Don't let them take it right to the rim with only 3.7 seconds to do it. At least make them have to take a real shot.

[younggunsmn]

TO NO:
Russell, Naz

To MN:
Valanciunas, Devonte Graham.

Graham has fallen completely out of the rotation for the Pelicans, and they get off some long term money.
Naz can be a stretch big for them, and with so many picks they likely draft another center to replace Jonas, with Hayes as a more defensive minded alternative to Naz.

I don't like taking what could be a bad contract in Graham, but he was pretty decent with the Hornets before they drafted Lamelo, and if he can play to that level he will replace D-Lo's production without being so bad defensively, at 1/3 the cost. He can also learn from Pat Bev how to be an irritant defensively.

Wolves needs a tough big like Jonas, Clarke exposed us badly. He can play along side KAT for 15 mins/game and take some of the defensive pressure off him and give the team another interior scoring threat.

Edit: Wrong thread.

[minimus]

My last thought regarding game 5. Amazing play to get Edwards the 3 and he nails it. Then with 3.7 seconds to go we let Ja walk right to the rim for a layup. Yes Edwards made a mistake going for the steal, but we had no backup defense. Don't let them take it right to the rim with only 3.7 seconds to do it. At least make them have to take a real shot.

That pass from JMac...

[KGdaBom]

TO NO:
Russell, Naz

To MN:
Valanciunas, Devonte Graham.

Graham has fallen completely out of the rotation for the Pelicans, and they get off some long term money.
Naz can be a stretch big for them, and with so many picks they likely draft another center to replace Jonas, with Hayes as a more defensive minded alternative to Naz.

I don't like taking what could be a bad contract in Graham, but he was pretty decent with the Hornets before they drafted Lamelo, and if he can play to that level he will replace D-Lo's production without being so bad defensively, at 1/3 the cost. He can also learn from Pat Bev how to be an irritant defensively.

Wolves needs a tough big like Jonas, Clarke exposed us badly. He can play along side KAT for 15 mins/game and take some of the defensive pressure off him and give the team another interior scoring threat.

Edit: Wrong thread.

I'd make that deal in a heartbeat, but no way in hell would the Pels make it.

[shrink]

TO NO:
Russell, Naz

To MN:
Valanciunas, Devonte Graham.

Graham has fallen completely out of the rotation for the Pelicans, and they get off some long term money.
Naz can be a stretch big for them, and with so many picks they likely draft another center to replace Jonas, with Hayes as a more defensive minded alternative to Naz.

I don't like taking what could be a bad contract in Graham, but he was pretty decent with the Hornets before they drafted Lamelo, and if he can play to that level he will replace D-Lo's production without being so bad defensively, at 1/3 the cost. He can also learn from Pat Bev how to be an irritant defensively.

Wolves needs a tough big like Jonas, Clarke exposed us badly. He can play along side KAT for 15 mins/game and take some of the defensive pressure off him and give the team another interior scoring threat.

Edit: Wrong thread.

I'd make that deal in a heartbeat, but no way in hell would the Pels make it.

Me too, but can you really see a backcourt of DLo and CJ McCollum?

[KGdaBom]

TO NO:
Russell, Naz

To MN:
Valanciunas, Devonte Graham.

Graham has fallen completely out of the rotation for the Pelicans, and they get off some long term money.
Naz can be a stretch big for them, and with so many picks they likely draft another center to replace Jonas, with Hayes as a more defensive minded alternative to Naz.

I don't like taking what could be a bad contract in Graham, but he was pretty decent with the Hornets before they drafted Lamelo, and if he can play to that level he will replace D-Lo's production without being so bad defensively, at 1/3 the cost. He can also learn from Pat Bev how to be an irritant defensively.

Wolves needs a tough big like Jonas, Clarke exposed us badly. He can play along side KAT for 15 mins/game and take some of the defensive pressure off him and give the team another interior scoring threat.

Edit: Wrong thread.

I'd make that deal in a heartbeat, but no way in hell would the Pels make it.

Me too, but can you really see a backcourt of DLo and CJ McCollum?

I could see it.