WCS Game 3: Denver at Minnesota, Friday

Probably the most tough game we face until now during the PO. Denver will come with sense of emergency and will try to punch us. But i'm sure guys are ready to take the challenge. Go Wolves!

winforlose · Post #7 » by **winforlose** » Fri May 10, 2024 8:02 am

FrenchMinnyFan wrote:Probably the most tough game we face until now during the PO. Denver will come with sense of emergency and will try to punch us. But i'm sure guys are ready to take the challenge. Go Wolves!

I was reminded on one of the pods (I believe flagrant howls,) that the Wolves have not had a home game since April 23rd. That may not be the longest stretch in history, but it is the longest stretch of the season and probably one of the longest stretches in modern history. As tough as Denver is, and as hard as they will likely attack in the first quarter, I think that Target Center will juice the Wolves. It is gonna be loud, half the rotation will be accepting awards in front of them pre game (talk about ovations and adrenaline.) I cannot help but think our team will be as well prepared for the first 12-18 minutes as we have been all year. We might be a hint rusty not having played since Monday. But, Denver also hasn’t played since Monday, and they must expect a defensive prison that is every bit as hellacious as the one last Monday. A fired up Wolves is beyond scary, it could be literally historic.

deepestblue · Post #8 » by **deepestblue** » Fri May 10, 2024 9:04 am

Agreed with the previous post.

The pretty bizarre idea being bandied about on some Wolf podcasts that Denver will come in blazing and take game 3 is confounding, and makes one think they may be only saying this to inexplicably appease their colleagues in Denver or to save face in the event that the Wolves fall flat which is incredibly unlikely, especially considering the rabid TC crowd that will absolutely be reminiscent of the decibel-shattering Metrodome crowds in '87 and '91.

IMO to not fully and openly acknowledge the historical momentum the Wolves have displayed in the last 6 games can only be chalked up to utter cowardice.

The Wolves are poised to and most likely will end this series definitively in the first 24 minutes tonight.

winforlose · Post #9 » by **winforlose** » Fri May 10, 2024 9:33 am

deepestblue wrote:Agreed with the previous post.

The pretty bizarre idea being bandied about on some Wolf podcasts that Denver will come in blazing and take game 3 is confounding, and makes one think they may be only saying this to inexplicably appease their colleagues in Denver or to save face in the event that the Wolves fall flat which is incredibly unlikely, especially considering the rabid TC crowd that will absolutely be reminiscent of the decibel-shattering Metrodome crowds in '87 and '91.

IMO to not fully and openly acknowledge the historical momentum the Wolves have displayed in the last 6 games can only be chalked up to utter cowardice.

The Wolves are poised to and most likely will end this series definitively in the first 24 minutes tonight.

This plus, Finch will have them later focused. Dallas and OKC split games 1 and 2. That means it is going at least 5. I think it is reasonable to assume at least 6. That means if you finish on Sunday you can gain 3-5 extra days of rest and prep time. That is massive for a high energy defense like ours. Plus if I am right and Dallas wins this series, they are already banged up, and will get more banged up (as will OKC in the next 3-4-5 games. This means we could have not only a significant rest advantage (fully earned by our play,) but hopefully (and god willing,) a health advantage. Game 3 is an absolute must win, and I think the Wolves know this very well.

Movics · Post #10 » by **Movics** » Fri May 10, 2024 1:48 pm

Tony Brothers is one of the refs tonight

winforlose · Post #11 » by **winforlose** » Fri May 10, 2024 1:54 pm

Movics wrote:Tony Brothers is one of the refs tonight

Isn’t he always the crew chief. Kinda like Scott Foster is always a crew chief? Honestly asking as I don’t know. BTW, I expect Scott Foster to officiate on Sunday. I think they are going in a loop.

Movics · Post #12 » by **Movics** » Fri May 10, 2024 2:40 pm

winforlose wrote:
Movics wrote:Tony Brothers is one of the refs tonight

Isn’t he always the crew chief. Kinda like Scott Foster is always a crew chief? Honestly asking as I don’t know. BTW, I expect Scott Foster to officiate on Sunday. I think they are going in a loop.

Yes, he is. Not sure how they do it in the finals or conference finals when there’s a way smaller pool of refs, but in the regular season and up to his point Brothers is always a crew chief

cmoss84 · Post #13 » by **cmoss84** » Fri May 10, 2024 3:47 pm

The only thing I am worried about game 3 is things getting chippy and how our guys respond. Malone and co. know they are outmatched are seem to be growing increasingly frustrated. Will they start to play dirty? Bait us into foul trouble or cheap Ts?

KGdaBom · Post #14 » by **KGdaBom** » Fri May 10, 2024 4:02 pm

I have to admit I have been still worried about us potentially losing this series despite being the most bullish person on the board about our chances of winning it all for just about the whole season. We are getting close to achieving the incredible and I'm freaking out a bit.
However, after collecting my thoughts I see no reason we don't win this series against Denver, we should be favorites over OKC or the Mavs and assuming Boston makes the finals, but may be without Zinger we could be hoisting the Larry O'Brien trophy sometime in June.

winforlose · Post #15 » by **winforlose** » Fri May 10, 2024 5:19 pm

KGdaBom wrote:I have to admit I have been still worried about us potentially losing this series despite being the most bullish person on the board about our chances of winning it all for just about the whole season. We are getting close to achieving the incredible and I'm freaking out a bit.
However, after collecting my thoughts I see no reason we don't win this series against Denver, we should be favorites over OKC or the Mavs and assuming Boston makes the finals, but may be without Zinger we could be hoisting the Larry O'Brien trophy sometime in June.

I have had a lot of pods on in the background since winning game 2. I have heard a lot of interesting takes about the team, interesting stats about the players, interesting predictions about the season. It all tends to blend together so I sometimes struggle to remember who said what specifically. This take however I know came from a flagrant howls and I think also from a national pod as well. The general theme is that the only Denver gets the series back to the Mile high city is if the refs give them one or both of the next two. With Jamal Murray compromised, MPJ having such a limited skill set (he doesn’t really create his own offense,) AG and KCP so limited without the Joker play making off the doubles, and such a shallow bench, the Wolves are perfectly set up to dominate them. Denver has also shown quit, and that is a sign that they lack hunger. I don’t think in a 48 minute game the Nuggets can outplay us. If we are allowed to defend with physicality I don’t think they can score 100 on us. Finally I am sorry to tell you, you are not the most bullish on us, I am. I have said all season we have the best starting 5, and the deepest bench. I said going back to the Gobert trade that any year this team stays healthy we are gonna win a chip. The only question was how many chips did we need to justify the draft capital and I remember asking the board was one enough.

OKC and Boston are too small and too ref and 3 point dependent to beat us. SGA is amazing but only when the refs give him Embiid level protection. Otherwise Ant is head and shoulders above him in every aspect of the game. JW is great, Karl is bigger, better, and much tougher to guard. Chet can be turned off at the faucet by Jaden. As for Boston, Cleveland just showed you how to beat them. Run them off the 3 point line and have big bodies down low. If you out rebound them, and the refs don’t bail them out, then they crumble. Remember that Boston faced the west only 30 times this year, and only 15 times on the road. Meanwhile they played a significantly weaker East 52 times. An East that was also injured 2-15 for the majority of the season. Boston is weaker than OKC and OKC is a full level below us. They lost 2, should have lost a 3rd but for a meltdown in the fourth, and won one against us in a power outage game where they hit like 22 3s (approximately.) We aren’t just a hungry wolf pack, we are the soon to be crowned 2024 NBA champions.

Edit to add: Found another good one.

Watch on YouTube

Guest84 · Post #16 » by **Guest84** » Fri May 10, 2024 7:44 pm

Watch on YouTube

KGdaBom · Post #17 » by **KGdaBom** » Fri May 10, 2024 8:35 pm

Here's the full injury report. Nothing for Wolves other than Clark. Nuggets with 3 GTDs.

Injury Report

Denver Nuggets
NAME, POS STATUS EST. RETURN DATE
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope SG GTD May 10
Reggie Jackson PG GTD May 10
Jamal Murray PG GTD May 10
Collin Gillespie G OFS Oct 1
Vlatko Cancar SF OFS Aug 1

Minnesota Timberwolves
NAME, POS STATUS EST. RETURN DATE
Jaylen Clark G OFS Oct 1

Guest84 · Post #18 » by **Guest84** » Fri May 10, 2024 10:25 pm

Tony Brothers crew tonight I heard. Will we be favored due to Denver’s outburst last game?

Post #19 » by **Klomp** » Fri May 10, 2024 10:30 pm

Gut feeling: It's going to be a KAT game tonight. He'll either have a 12+ quarter or finish the game with 30+, maybe both...

Post #20 » by **Calinks** » Fri May 10, 2024 11:16 pm

KGdaBom wrote:I have to admit I have been still worried about us potentially losing this series despite being the most bullish person on the board about our chances of winning it all for just about the whole season. We are getting close to achieving the incredible and I'm freaking out a bit.
However, after collecting my thoughts I see no reason we don't win this series against Denver, we should be favorites over OKC or the Mavs and assuming Boston makes the finals, but may be without Zinger we could be hoisting the Larry O'Brien trophy sometime in June.

The way I am looking at it. As disastrous and terrible it would be to lose the series now and not go further, I am incredibly excited and happy with the leap we made this year. Even if it all goes to crap it will be a massive missed opportunity but it doesn't erase everything we have accomplished so far and I think we still are in a really good place for the future.