Re: Game Day: Timberwolves (13-15) @ Suns (5-24), Sat 12/15/18
Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2018 12:21 am
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A few weeks earlier I told you they needed time to get acclimated to the system. Improved defense is the best proof Igor has not lost the team. I have really hope they will turn the corner.Xylus wrote: ↑Sat Dec 15, 2018 11:28 pmIt's really exciting and rewarding to watch the team steadily improve in all areas as the season progresses. Our defense looks waaaay better than it did when the season started. We're getting tons of deflections, guys are really active and communicative, Ayton's timing on shot-blocking is improving and he's altering shots in the paint as a result. Our starting lineup finally has that right mix of O (Booker, Warren, sometimes Ayton), and D (Bridges, Melton, sometimes Ayton). It appears that we're attacking the glass a lot more; I loved seeing Ayton hitting the offensive glass time after time in the 4th quarter. He's learning!
In the post-game huddle with the media, Ayton talked a lot about the team's effort. One thing I love about Ayton: He is very receptive to criticism and seems super coachable. Most players with motor issues don't improve as they get older. Maybe Ayton just doesn't know what he's doing yet. He is showing flashes of being a different kind of player these past few games. Maybe Richaun is wearing off on him. Whatever it is, he played really hard tonight, didn't make any dumb decisions, stayed aggressive and outplayed KAT in the 2nd half.
Just play a competitive game is all I ask for.
Nice observation. The improvement seems more rapid than I’m accustomed to seeing.rhylek wrote: ↑Sun Dec 16, 2018 4:52 amA few weeks earlier I told you they needed time to get acclimated to the system. Improved defense is the best proof Igor has not lost the team. I have really hope they will turn the corner.Xylus wrote: ↑Sat Dec 15, 2018 11:28 pmIt's really exciting and rewarding to watch the team steadily improve in all areas as the season progresses. Our defense looks waaaay better than it did when the season started. We're getting tons of deflections, guys are really active and communicative, Ayton's timing on shot-blocking is improving and he's altering shots in the paint as a result. Our starting lineup finally has that right mix of O (Booker, Warren, sometimes Ayton), and D (Bridges, Melton, sometimes Ayton). It appears that we're attacking the glass a lot more; I loved seeing Ayton hitting the offensive glass time after time in the 4th quarter. He's learning!
In the post-game huddle with the media, Ayton talked a lot about the team's effort. One thing I love about Ayton: He is very receptive to criticism and seems super coachable. Most players with motor issues don't improve as they get older. Maybe Ayton just doesn't know what he's doing yet. He is showing flashes of being a different kind of player these past few games. Maybe Richaun is wearing off on him. Whatever it is, he played really hard tonight, didn't make any dumb decisions, stayed aggressive and outplayed KAT in the 2nd half.
As for Ayton, that's just a gifted kid who never had to give effort to succeed. There's plenty of them in school and those who can't learn effort can't reach the highest level. Hopefully that's not the case with DA and he'll be our generational big.
Is he coming back early though? How do we determine that as fans? It isn't like there was a timetable. He looked basically like his old self last night. Much more explosive than when he came back last time.Marty [Mori Chu] wrote: ↑Sun Dec 16, 2018 11:37 amHere's a link to the box score:
http://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=401071116
I missed this game, but it looks like everyone other than Josh Jackson had a pretty good game. I don't like having Booker come back early, but he had a nice game (28 points on 10-16 shooting, 7 boards, 7 assists). A lot of guys had strong rebounding numbers: Ayton had 12, Booker 7, Jackson 6, Evans 6, Warren 5, Bridges 5, etc. That impressed me a lot. Jamal Crawford had 7 assists, which is great for our bench unit. Bridges had 3 blocks (!).
Nice to get a couple wins. I do think we should "tank" in a general sense, but I don't think it is good for our team if we just lose every game. I want to see them play the right way and play hard.
Yep and didn't make many major mistakes. Played within the game. He was part of the run of the game which culminated in his lob to Jackson for the two handed monster flush.Xylus wrote: ↑Sun Dec 16, 2018 10:03 amEven though he didn’t score, I liked what I saw from Evans last night. He only played 13 minutes and didn’t score but tallied 4 assists and 6 rebounds. There was one play where there were 4 or 5 guys around the rim going for the board and Evans somehow pulled it down over all of them. He’s active.
The Evans 6 rebounds is impressive as he was the smallest guy on the court last night. I disagree that we should tank in any form or fashion.Marty [Mori Chu] wrote: ↑Sun Dec 16, 2018 11:37 amHere's a link to the box score:
http://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=401071116
I missed this game, but it looks like everyone other than Josh Jackson had a pretty good game. I don't like having Booker come back early, but he had a nice game (28 points on 10-16 shooting, 7 boards, 7 assists). A lot of guys had strong rebounding numbers: Ayton had 12, Booker 7, Jackson 6, Evans 6, Warren 5, Bridges 5, etc. That impressed me a lot. Jamal Crawford had 7 assists, which is great for our bench unit. Bridges had 3 blocks (!).
Nice to get a couple wins. I do think we should "tank" in a general sense, but I don't think it is good for our team if we just lose every game. I want to see them play the right way and play hard.
I’d rather be the 9th seed than the 15thSuperbone wrote: ↑Sun Dec 16, 2018 12:56 pmThe Evans 6 rebounds is impressive as he was the smallest guy on the court last night. I disagree that we should tank in any form or fashion.Marty [Mori Chu] wrote: ↑Sun Dec 16, 2018 11:37 amHere's a link to the box score:
http://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=401071116
I missed this game, but it looks like everyone other than Josh Jackson had a pretty good game. I don't like having Booker come back early, but he had a nice game (28 points on 10-16 shooting, 7 boards, 7 assists). A lot of guys had strong rebounding numbers: Ayton had 12, Booker 7, Jackson 6, Evans 6, Warren 5, Bridges 5, etc. That impressed me a lot. Jamal Crawford had 7 assists, which is great for our bench unit. Bridges had 3 blocks (!).
Nice to get a couple wins. I do think we should "tank" in a general sense, but I don't think it is good for our team if we just lose every game. I want to see them play the right way and play hard.