Game 25 | MIN @ MIA (12/18/23)

[Shem]

Blazer fan here.

I must say it's VERY refreshing to see this franchise doing well. The league needs new blood at the top of the standings. After years of heartache, especially the diehard fans who have never abandoned the Wolves through the many rough years; just enjoy this season no matter how it turns out. With that said, the future is bright if this team can stay healthy.

Oh, and it especially fun watching the highlights of the Wolves in their comeback win against the Heat. Watching the Heat lose is one of my favorite things now. Especially the sense of entitlement with the Dame situation and all the trolling those fans did all over different social media platforms.

[winforlose]

Blazer fan here.

I must say it's VERY refreshing to see this franchise doing well. The league needs new blood at the top of the standings. After years of heartache, especially the diehard fans who have never abandoned the Wolves through the many rough years; just enjoy this season no matter how it turns out. With that said, the future is bright if this team can stay healthy.

Oh, and it especially fun watching the highlights of the Wolves in their comeback win against the Heat. Watching the Heat lose is one of my favorite things now. Especially the sense of entitlement with the Dame situation and all the trolling those fans did all over different social media platforms.

Appreciate the love. Gotta say the one thing that non Wolves fans don’t fully appreciate is how much we love beating Jimmy Butler. We call him General Soreness because that was the excuse he used to hold out for a trade. That bastard set us back 3 or 4 years. I am sure there are fan bases who hate other players more, but not many and you really have to look for them.

You are right that this is that special season to just savor. Just gotta hope it is the year Minnesota wins a men’s championship. Hasn’t happed since the Twins in 1991. We could really use some glory.

[Shem]

Gotta say the one thing that non Wolves fans don’t fully appreciate is how much we love beating Jimmy Butler.

After going all conspiracy theorist about how his team didn't get Dame and I'm glad he lost too.

You are right that this is that special season to just savor. Just gotta hope it is the year Minnesota wins a men’s championship. Hasn’t happed since the Twins in 1991. We could really use some glory.

I have a cousin who was born, raised and lived his entire life in the San Francisco bay area. So he's a die-hard Warriors fan. Back in the 2015 season, I told him pretty much the same thing I'm telling you guys here about how to just enjoy this season no matter how it turns out pretty much around the same time in December of that season too. Because like the Wolves, the Warriors were bottom feeders for so many seasons with an occasional good season. There was a time the Warriors missed the playoffs around 11 or 12 years in a row. My cousin stuck through that team through the bad seasons and it ended up all worth it.

And just like with the Warriors, forget the past. Right now just enjoy the moment. Even if your team comes up short like in the conference finals and somehow wins it the following year, this year will be remembered as a turning point that got you all really excited.

[TwolvesFanRome]

ARRRRRRROOOOOO!!!

I have seen the entire match recorded and..wwooooow!!! Despite one of the worst 1st Q I can remember we won the game!!! In the key moment we didn't sink!!

AAARRRROOOOOOOOOO!!

Ps: According to me we really need a back Pg to be able to rest the great Mike Conley during the match.

Pps: According to you why only 5 mins for TBJ?

[winforlose]

ARRRRRRROOOOOO!!!

I have seen the entire match recorded and..wwooooow!!! Despite one of the worst 1st Q I can remember we won the game!!! In the key moment we didn't sink!!

AAARRRROOOOOOOOOO!!

The score at the end of the first half is important. But the score at the end of the second half is a bit more important

[TwolvesFanRome]

ARRRRRRROOOOOO!!!

I have seen the entire match recorded and..wwooooow!!! Despite one of the worst 1st Q I can remember we won the game!!! In the key moment we didn't sink!!

AAARRRROOOOOOOOOO!!

The score at the end of the first half is important. But the score at the end of the second half is a bit more important

Yes of course! I just wanted to emphasize the fact that despite a terrible first quarter (turnovers, quite questionable choices and not excellent defense) we remained attached to the game without unplugging... ah, and great timing by Finch in calling time out this time!

[winforlose]

ARRRRRRROOOOOO!!!

I have seen the entire match recorded and..wwooooow!!! Despite one of the worst 1st Q I can remember we won the game!!! In the key moment we didn't sink!!

AAARRRROOOOOOOOOO!!

The score at the end of the first half is important. But the score at the end of the second half is a bit more important

Yes of course! I just wanted to emphasize the fact that despite a terrible first quarter (turnovers, quite questionable choices and not excellent defense) we remained attached to the game without unplugging... ah, and great timing by Finch in calling time out this time!

I wasn’t criticizing or judging, I was agreeing with you. I was emphasizing your point about us not sinking. It is just so nice to watch this team be down big in the first half and KNOW, we got this.

[winforlose]

ARRRRRRROOOOOO!!!

I have seen the entire match recorded and..wwooooow!!! Despite one of the worst 1st Q I can remember we won the game!!! In the key moment we didn't sink!!

AAARRRROOOOOOOOOO!!

Ps: According to me we really need a back Pg to be able to rest the great Mike Conley during the match.

Pps: According to you why only 5 mins for TBJ?

TBJ wasn’t bad, but Kyle and NAW were better. Finch just ran with the guys who were giving them trouble.

[minimus]

I like how our team tried to play through McDaniels at the start of the game to use Jadem length as advantage against Herro. Results were mixed, but we should absolutely keep doing this and develop McDaniels as 3rd option behind Edwards and Towns. Jaden combination of length, shooting and skills are making him perfect player for matchup based offense. But he needs repetition and experience to learn that role.

[winforlose]

I like how our team tried to play through McDaniels at the start of the game to use Jadem length as advantage against Herro. Results were mixed, but we should absolutely keep doing this and develop McDaniels as 3rd option behind Edwards and Towns. Jaden combination of length, shooting and skills are making him perfect player for matchup based offense. But he needs repetition and experience to learn that role.

Yes and no. Jaden is too good a corner 3 point shooter to not attempt any in a game. He is also good enough off the dribble that he can attack when they close out. I think there are times to play through him, just not when KAT, Ant, and Conley are on the floor.

[FrenchMinnyFan]

Impressive win really. We play so strong. IT's hard for the opponent to beat us right now. You can limit Ant or KAT for a while but then you have othets players step up.
And defense is suffocating the opponent, Not surprising Butler totally disapear at money time.

[FrenchMinnyFan]

I also totally agree about Mike importance.
He is the general here. Just saw when he talk to ANT againt Indiana when Ant was struggling telling him he will give him more the ball to let him find his rythm at shooting and it happen. This is what great PG do, make teammates better.. Hope he remain healthy and at this level. I'm thrilled to watch this team right now. Rudu defense is DPOY level, KAT ANT All star level and so much more.

[Domejandro]

Thought I would post this. Worth a watch. Spoelstra just raving about Gobert and Ant.

Watch on YouTube

A really important point during this is around four minutes where Coach Spoelstra talks about changing his rotations to match Minnesota's size. Forcing teammates out of their comfort zone is extremely valuable; Minnesota has been the reactive team throughout the entirity of the franchise's history, so it's nice to see other teams have to adjust to them.

[winforlose]

Thought I would post this. Worth a watch. Spoelstra just raving about Gobert and Ant.

Watch on YouTube

A really important point during this is around four minutes where Coach Spoelstra talks about changing his rotations to match Minnesota's size. Forcing teammates out of their comfort zone is extremely valuable; Minnesota has been the reactive team throughout the entirity of the franchise's history, so it's nice to see other teams have to adjust to them.

Ant isn’t small. He might not be Luka size, but he is big and strong enough to be a SF. Then you have Jaden who is a legit 6’11 or 7’0 in shoes. That height even without the big man muscle/girth is hard to deal with on both ends of the floor. Then you add Karl and Rudy who are both all NBA centers and whose games command such gravity. This is a nightmare lineup to guard. Mike is the only truly normal sized player for his position. Mike also happens to be very high BBIQ, very vet savvy, and a solid 3 level scorer. There is a very real argument to be made that this is the best starting 5 in basketball. Guarding that group is going to be very tough for most teams and impossible for the ones who truly cannot match the size. I agree that mixing lineups and making guys play together who don’t have that chemistry is an advantage. But I would take it a step further and say when we are allowed to defend with physicality we wear guys out to the point where they miss shots late they otherwise would have hit. That and forcing them to shoot from outside are critical advantages that our size allows us, and the reason we have the best defense through 25-33% of the season (depending on the team.)

[TwolvesFanRome]

I forgot one important thing: during the clutch time 2 monster blocks by Rudy. Chapeau.

[Klomp]

I like how our team tried to play through McDaniels at the start of the game to use Jadem length as advantage against Herro. Results were mixed, but we should absolutely keep doing this and develop McDaniels as 3rd option behind Edwards and Towns. Jaden combination of length, shooting and skills are making him perfect player for matchup based offense. But he needs repetition and experience to learn that role.

Yes and no. Jaden is too good a corner 3 point shooter to not attempt any in a game. He is also good enough off the dribble that he can attack when they close out. I think there are times to play through him, just not when KAT, Ant, and Conley are on the floor.

While I get where you are coming from, if they just park Jaden in the corner while the other starters are out there, the defense will never respect him. That’s why when he’s given a favorable matchup such as Herro (or Trae Young last year), it’s important to go at it!

[Klomp]

Pps: According to you why only 5 mins for TBJ?

I think it had to do with NAW and Mike both shooting well. He’s a distant ninth behind the Top 8, and I don’t think they felt he was helping tonight as much as others could.

[TimberKat]

Gotta say the one thing that non Wolves fans don’t fully appreciate is how much we love beating Jimmy Butler.

After going all conspiracy theorist about how his team didn't get Dame and I'm glad he lost too.

You are right that this is that special season to just savor. Just gotta hope it is the year Minnesota wins a men’s championship. Hasn’t happed since the Twins in 1991. We could really use some glory.

I have a cousin who was born, raised and lived his entire life in the San Francisco bay area. So he's a die-hard Warriors fan. Back in the 2015 season, I told him pretty much the same thing I'm telling you guys here about how to just enjoy this season no matter how it turns out pretty much around the same time in December of that season too. Because like the Wolves, the Warriors were bottom feeders for so many seasons with an occasional good season. There was a time the Warriors missed the playoffs around 11 or 12 years in a row. My cousin stuck through that team through the bad seasons and it ended up all worth it.

And just like with the Warriors, forget the past. Right now just enjoy the moment. Even if your team comes up short like in the conference finals and somehow wins it the following year, this year will be remembered as a turning point that got you all really excited.

Well said and I am just looking for Wolves to pass the first round of playoffs. Anything else is gravy on top. Also, winning basketball is so much more enjoyable than tank games where we debate about playing time for Minott, Garza or Miller.

[TimberKat]

I like how our team tried to play through McDaniels at the start of the game to use Jadem length as advantage against Herro. Results were mixed, but we should absolutely keep doing this and develop McDaniels as 3rd option behind Edwards and Towns. Jaden combination of length, shooting and skills are making him perfect player for matchup based offense. But he needs repetition and experience to learn that role.

Yes, besides our big 3s. We are going to need the small 3s - JMcD, TBJ, NAW to step up the 3 and D against wing teams like LAC.

If we could effectively run plays thru JMcD, that would be that third scorer/wing option that we needed when Towns/Ant have a off night. Naz is great but he is effectively the same play options as Towns.

[shrink]

After going all conspiracy theorist about how his team didn't get Dame and I'm glad he lost too.

So true! When I started hearing about this from MIA posters here, I just thought “irrational fans,” but was shocked to see MIA media was just as irrational, stoking the, “POR just didn’t like us, so they took a worse deal!” tantrums.

I thought Joe Cronin took a bad situation and did a tremendous job. He had to honor Dame for his years of loyal service, but needed to get real value from a Dame trade, not the peanuts MIA offered, claiming they had all the leverage. MIL is a great alternative, giving Dame a chance to win a much deserved ring (like we did with Garnett), but he got significant value from Dame and later Jrue. The Trailblazers future looks much brighter than it did three months ago, so congrats.