Twolves are one year into the new era. New coach and New GM. They have perhaps too many young guns? They do have Thibs, and what, young players who don't listen to their coach? Is he over coaching them? Making them play "The right way"?
Twolves did do what many of you Phil haters like, hired the Spurs assistant GM last summer. One year in he has to make some choices of who he keeps and maybe blend in some Veteran Leadership. I suppose one year in he or Thibs can't catch the blame for years of mismanagement?
Spurs are smart, they get bright guys but the league poaches them!
Isn't what many of you want? That young Spurs guy? Like hiring the best no. 2 guy from the best company? In one year they lost Sean Marks to the Nets as well!! Too bad we didn't hire this guy before the Wolves did!!!
The Knicks are still better than them so fuck the nets and the twolves....
Philly is the team to watch... They have talent yup the wazzo
Bryan Collangelo walked to a nice situation already laden with assets.
Wolves don't have as much as people think. Towns is going to be great, but despite crazy numbers, he doesn't have a star impact on the game yet. Will he ever be a good defensive player? That is the main question. Wiggins is a volume scorer, so is LaVine, and after that there's nothing (i don't see Rubio as a part of their future.) They really need a true impact player in the draft as much as we do. Each year people will keep waiting for them to take that next step. The names are greater than the impact they have on the game, as of right now.
T-Wolves should have been a better team this year.
Not sure they will ever be as good as their hype.
One of LaVine or Wiggins must go, IMO. I don't watch many TWolves games at all, but I cannot believe that if the young players they have are as good as many think they are, they have the kind of season they had this year.
They bring in one of the top defensive head coaches in the league and their defensive efficiency did not budge at all- in fact it seems that their absolute number when up, though they improved a single slot in terms of league ranking.
Something is wrong with this group. Not sure where to place the blame, but given the state of affairs in the West, I don't see why Minny was not on the playoff doorstep this year, as the final team is only a single game above .500 at this moment.
They lost a game that really would have helped us...could not even beat OKC without Westbrook, and they were not trying to tank...Thibbs played his big 4 the number of minutes you would expect to see them play if they were fighting for a playoff slot.
They need to figure out the right combination of guys to play around Towns- to accentuate his strengths and minimize his weaknesses. Not sure Wiggins and LaVine are those players.
Will be interesting to see who they take in this draft.
It's their defense...They can't defend...I was listening to studio commentary during the Wolves/Thunder game last night on NBA TV...McHale said he didn't understand why they weren't winning util he saw they can't defend...Greg Anthony said he spoke to all the top coaches in the league and asked about defending in today's NBA..Pop said you have to know how to switch as a team...How to play team ball switching in today's NBA..All the top coaches said you have to learn to switch...McHale said that young guys don't get it...
Most players get drafted based on their scoring prowess. That is the problem they don't play defense or think about defense. Playing defense is a state of mind. There is a lack of control on the defensive end and today's 19-22 year old players just don't get it. This thinking doesn't change unless a player commits to it and the team has to commit to it. We can blame coaches until we are blue in the face but reality is that players play defense and communication is very important between players.
There are draft prospects that play D but they get overlooked by the great offensive draft prospects!!! The Knicks need to get 2 Way players from now on. Would be good to add a versatile Forward who has the athletic ability and fire to go hard on D and rebounds. Whoever we draft needs to have legit DEFENSIVE Talent and not just scoring.
Thibodeau has been there for one season, hasn't turned the roster over repeatedly, or alienated players on his team, and around the league. He wants his system in place and is taking a hands on approach to implementing it.
They were making strides with the defense last month, but might have hit a bump in the road. Im confident Thibs will turn the team around in time. Year one.
Good luck with Layden as GM though. Guessing Thibs is the last word on trades.
Karl Anthony Towns is averaging 28.4ppg 14reb .593fg% .418 3pt% since the all-star break.
And of course, the T'Wolves actually have a better record than the Knicks, yet people here are crowing that the Knicks are better.
Anyone willing to bet money the Knicks will have more wins than the T'Wolves next year? Anyone? Bueller?
GustavBahler wrote:Thibodeau has been there for one season, hasn't turned the roster over repeatedly, or alienated players on his team, and around the league. He wants his system in place and is taking a hands on approach to implementing it. They were making strides with the defense last month, but might have hit a bump in the road. Im confident Thibs will turn the team around in time. Year one.
Good luck with Layden as GM though. Guessing Thibs is the last word on trades.
The irony here is that Thibs has been known to grind on this players - alienate by any other term - and needs/wants to turn his roster over to add vets.
GustavBahler wrote:Thibodeau has been there for one season, hasn't turned the roster over repeatedly, or alienated players on his team, and around the league. He wants his system in place and is taking a hands on approach to implementing it. They were making strides with the defense last month, but might have hit a bump in the road. Im confident Thibs will turn the team around in time. Year one.
Good luck with Layden as GM though. Guessing Thibs is the last word on trades.
Why, cuz 20 years ago when he was with the knicks?
Dude has nice resume of being an assistant coach and assistant GM. You do understand that people do learn over time. This man has basically been a scout, a director of player personael, Assistant coach, assistant GM by the Freaking Spurs, and you just going to fall back Thibs as having final word?
Thibs can't turn over the roster "Repeatedly", cuz its just been one year. He also has many of his pieces in place with a large blue chip young roster.
I suppose everything is in contrast to the knicks?
martin wrote:GustavBahler wrote:Thibodeau has been there for one season, hasn't turned the roster over repeatedly, or alienated players on his team, and around the league. He wants his system in place and is taking a hands on approach to implementing it. They were making strides with the defense last month, but might have hit a bump in the road. Im confident Thibs will turn the team around in time. Year one.
Good luck with Layden as GM though. Guessing Thibs is the last word on trades.
The irony here is that Thibs has been known to grind on this players - alienate by any other term - and needs/wants to turn his roster over to add vets.
Thats a reach. Ive read nothing but praise from former players, even as they were being run into the ground, lol. You're right that Thibodeau wearing out his players is a problem he had better avoid in Minny. Still, players where willing to run through walls for him, Thibs is doing something right. He should add some vets, its a very young team without much veteran leadership. Noah would be a great fit with the Wolves! 
Gustav, You do get points as the only one who knew Layden was GM there!!!!
Nalod wrote:GustavBahler wrote:Thibodeau has been there for one season, hasn't turned the roster over repeatedly, or alienated players on his team, and around the league. He wants his system in place and is taking a hands on approach to implementing it. They were making strides with the defense last month, but might have hit a bump in the road. Im confident Thibs will turn the team around in time. Year one.
Good luck with Layden as GM though. Guessing Thibs is the last word on trades.
Why, cuz 20 years ago when he was with the knicks?
Dude has nice resume of being an assistant coach and assistant GM. You do understand that people do learn over time. This man has basically been a scout, a director of player personael, Assistant coach, assistant GM by the Freaking Spurs, and you just going to fall back Thibs as having final word?
Thibs can't turn over the roster "Repeatedly", cuz its just been one year. He also has many of his pieces in place with a large blue chip young roster.
I suppose everything is in contrast to the knicks?
Right, one year, and you're comparing him to someone who has been here for three, thats how you started your post. Yes because he used to be on the Knicks, and was one of the worst execs in sports.
Sure, Layden might have learned something, doesn't mean I would want him back with the Knicks.
He might have the same role in Minny he had with Checketts, more of a facilitator than an idea man. Kind of like Mills, with a better resume. If most of the players traded come from Utah, we'll know who is in charge, lol.
GustavBahler wrote:Thibodeau has been there for one season, hasn't turned the roster over repeatedly, or alienated players on his team, and around the league. He wants his system in place and is taking a hands on approach to implementing it. They were making strides with the defense last month, but might have hit a bump in the road. Im confident Thibs will turn the team around in time. Year one.
Good luck with Layden as GM though. Guessing Thibs is the last word on trades.
As opposed to what Phil took over right. What was Phil working with? What top of the line players was already in Phils pocket. He had basically team full of castaways. The man so far has one draft under his belt. Yet he finds player in the second round.
Vmart wrote:GustavBahler wrote:Thibodeau has been there for one season, hasn't turned the roster over repeatedly, or alienated players on his team, and around the league. He wants his system in place and is taking a hands on approach to implementing it. They were making strides with the defense last month, but might have hit a bump in the road. Im confident Thibs will turn the team around in time. Year one.
Good luck with Layden as GM though. Guessing Thibs is the last word on trades.
As opposed to what Phil took over right. What was Phil working with? What top of the line players was already in Phils pocket. He had basically team full of castaways. The man so far has one draft under his belt. Yet he finds player in the second round.
Just making a point that Thibs hasn't been in Minny long enough to be compared to anyone. If someone does make a comparison to Phil, its only fair to point out that the lack of success so far. Dont have to tell me the good, the bad, and the ugly of the Phil Jackson years in NY, I know too well.
crzymdups wrote:Karl Anthony Towns is averaging 28.4ppg 14reb .593fg% .418 3pt% since the all-star break.And of course, the T'Wolves actually have a better record than the Knicks, yet people here are crowing that the Knicks are better.
Anyone willing to bet money the Knicks will have more wins than the T'Wolves next year? Anyone? Bueller?
Yup.. and as great as he's been KAT may have the worst opposing EFG% I have ever seen. Ever. Opponents AVERAGE .620 EFG. I mean thats really amazing. Literally everyone who plays center vs. Minn is as efficient as Shaq. Nightly. Its Phil's fault the Knicks defense sucks, he undermines coaches, forces Rambis, etc... but the guy who's jock you were riding the hardest had a roster full of elite NBA prospects and produced one of the worst defensive teams ever. Hard to fathom without Phil there to undermine him
I see you have switches flavors from "everything Phil does sucks" to "everyone is better than us"
sigh
