Game Thread #8: Can the Wolves get a win?
Portland @ Minnesota
It will be Hoopus night at the game so y'all are on your own with this thread.
Until later.
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man rough afternoon huh?
first Gopher game I was able to watch all year, man did they fall apart…
by plinytheelder on
Nov 15, 2008 7:21 PM CST
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rookie mistake by Love
can’t give Blake that much space on the perimeter
by plinytheelder on
Nov 15, 2008 7:23 PM CST
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Wow hear that? McCants hearing some boos.
by plinytheelder on
Nov 15, 2008 7:46 PM CST
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poor shooting I gather
Nice to have Collins on court for a while.
by Auswolf on
Nov 15, 2008 7:49 PM CST
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yeah he missed a couple of long Js
with plenty of time left on the clock ;)
Collins looks solid – tough, smart D.
Hey are you able to watch these games?
by plinytheelder on
Nov 15, 2008 7:51 PM CST
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I can but..
Tony_O gave me nice link to a Russian site but given the parlous state of Australian broadband infrastructure and my monthly download limit, the boxscore will suffice.
I have to use my imagination………. TAKE IT TO THE HOLE RHINO………just like that.
by Auswolf on
Nov 15, 2008 7:55 PM CST
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hehe he just did that off a beautiful pass by Jefferson, man his passing is improved this year.
then another phantom call on the other end brings Roy to the line
by plinytheelder on
Nov 15, 2008 7:59 PM CST
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lol Foye must lead in the league in foot-on-the-line 2s
by plinytheelder on
Nov 15, 2008 8:02 PM CST
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yeah another strange night of substitution patterns by Wittman
can’t really complain because they’re up, but Love needs to be on the court. If he doesn’t play in the 4th I’m going to puke.
by plinytheelder on
Nov 15, 2008 8:07 PM CST
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gotta comment on Wittman’s nice suit too, I don’t know about the tie but the suit is sweet
by plinytheelder on
Nov 15, 2008 8:04 PM CST
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fuck off
what the fuck is with these calls Roy gets, he must pay the refs
goes into the lane completely out of control and the refs bail him out
by plinytheelder on
Nov 15, 2008 8:06 PM CST
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third time
Roy is involved in a play, so the refs call a foul on whoever is near him
by plinytheelder on
Nov 15, 2008 8:35 PM CST
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man these refs are pissing me off
Blake elbows Telfair in the face, then mauls Miller, and nothing, but when Brewer boxes him out he flops and gets the call
then Love ties up Oden and gets called for a foul
I usually think the refs are great but these guys seem lazy to me
by plinytheelder on
Nov 15, 2008 8:42 PM CST
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number 4
Roy flails himself at the basket and gets a phantom call. The Wolves announcers are dumbfounded.
by plinytheelder on
Nov 15, 2008 8:49 PM CST
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more boos for McCants
the fans are right too, he had Foye wide open in the corner
by plinytheelder on
Nov 15, 2008 8:51 PM CST
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5
Odens elbows Collins and Collins gets the call
by plinytheelder on
Nov 15, 2008 8:55 PM CST
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4th quarter
and neither Love nor Jefferson is in the game
by plinytheelder on
Nov 15, 2008 8:57 PM CST
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9 min.s left in the 4th
and the Wolves are running iso plays for Collins
by plinytheelder on
Nov 15, 2008 9:00 PM CST
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8:27 left
still no sign of Love, but Wittman decides it’s a good idea to put Kevin Ollie in the game. Fernandez immediately dribbles around him on 2 straight plays.
by plinytheelder on
Nov 15, 2008 9:03 PM CST
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6
push by Blake on Telfair. That dude is a punk.
by plinytheelder on
Nov 15, 2008 9:07 PM CST
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Aldridge/Pryzbilla countered by...
Jefferson/Smith. Wonder who is going to control the boards?
by RedCandyStripedPants on
Nov 15, 2008 9:07 PM CST
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yeah wittman is continuing his
“don’t play Love in the 4th” policy
by plinytheelder on
Nov 15, 2008 9:08 PM CST
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Dude...
I love seeing Oden explode on the offensive end. Hopefully that is a sign of things to come for him on that end of the court, I want him to see him succeed.
by RedCandyStripedPants on
Nov 15, 2008 9:18 PM CST
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yeah I agree
I think he’ll be really good
by plinytheelder on
Nov 15, 2008 9:20 PM CST
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wow that is one strange out of bounds play – make the passer throw a 40-foot pass?
by plinytheelder on
Nov 15, 2008 9:23 PM CST
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To give credit
I mostly like Witt’s lineup right now. Foye/Miller/Gomes/Love/Jefferson.
by RedCandyStripedPants on
Nov 15, 2008 9:23 PM CST
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I agree.
At least he has the right guys on the court.
by plinytheelder on
Nov 15, 2008 9:25 PM CST
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though with Foye it's arguable
if he won’t shoot the fucking ball
by plinytheelder on
Nov 15, 2008 9:25 PM CST
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Foye
His (in)ability to run the point is why I only said “mostly agree.”
by RedCandyStripedPants on
Nov 15, 2008 9:27 PM CST
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If this goes to OT
I will puke. Projectile style.
by Auswolf on
Nov 15, 2008 9:24 PM CST
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I've been spared puking by a regular time loss
1-7 followed by
@ Denver
Philadelphia
Boston
@Detroit
Phoenix
@ OKC
Denver
realistically we’ll be 2-13.
by Auswolf on
Nov 15, 2008 9:36 PM CST
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Perimter D
Is just awful. As is Foye’s ability to run the point.
That’s why I said mostly like Witt’s lineup. Foye handling the ball in crunch time could be ugly.
by RedCandyStripedPants on
Nov 15, 2008 9:25 PM CST
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I think Foye is fine
if he would have shot earlier in the shot clock when Outlaw was sitting 10 feet off him.
If he won’t shoot it, better to have Telfair in there.
by plinytheelder on
Nov 15, 2008 9:27 PM CST
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More Foye
But if his inefficiencies as a PG are decision making and actual passing ability…
by RedCandyStripedPants on
Nov 15, 2008 9:28 PM CST
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agreed on the decision making -
the decision he should be making is to shoot the ball.
I think the passing ability is fine – he’s made some really nice ones tonight in my opinion. it’s a decision issue.
by plinytheelder on
Nov 15, 2008 9:30 PM CST
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Damn
Not much more you can do against Outlaw there. Tough shot.
by RedCandyStripedPants on
Nov 15, 2008 9:30 PM CST
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yeah great D, he just made a tough shot
by plinytheelder on
Nov 15, 2008 9:31 PM CST
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Last possession
More decision making fun with Randy Foye.
by RedCandyStripedPants on
Nov 15, 2008 9:32 PM CST
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fuck I don't know what's more depressing
the Wolves or these stupid Overbeck commercials. Bring back that dude from last year.
by plinytheelder on
Nov 15, 2008 9:33 PM CST
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7 three-point attempts for the team the entire night? 7? That’s…not acceptable.
Witt’s just over his head. Although part of the bizaare roles players are forced to play are due to a flawed roster design.
Also, Love’s shooting % is beginning to trouble me. A low shooting % is characteristic for rookies, but he’s had some horrible shooting nights (although he has the ability to collect points as he’s their best player at getting to the line, and he’s really good at the charity stripe).
I’d like to see a couple things considering this. 1) I’d like to see him add some more gather-and-jump/pump fakes to his game. I think he’s trying a few too many putbacks/tip-ins, and he too often either gets blocked out too far or his opponent’s too long. I think if he brought some rebounds down first and then either go up hard or draw the foul we’d see some improvement. Which leads me to 2) the guy’s role right now in the offense seems to be to set screens and crash for weakside boards, usually shooting only if he has a wide open J (and his jumper just isn’t falling right now) or at the end of the shot clock. I understand he’s a rookie, and that Al’s the alpha dog, but we’re talking about a supremely efficient offensive player at an elite NCAA program last year who was at his best working mid-range (where Al usually establishes position) and given leeway to operate with the ball. Since he’s basically getting played in a Tyrus-Thomas-like role right now, I wonder if that’s draining his efficiency. And 3) as I said, his jumper just isn’t falling right now; although I’m not that worried about that. It should come around.
So, even though in my opinion he’s not being utilized all that brightly (shocking) and in fact, offensively, his strengths aren’t being used, at the very least it looks like Love’s downside is a very good rotational big, and he could fill that role even on a legitimate contending team. From that standpoint, he’s probably the team’s most successful draft night acquisition in a long time.
But…I suspect if they ever get a coach in here who has a creative bone in his body or even merely modest evaluation skills, his upside is much more exciting. Or, maybe this is Witt’s version of tough love, giving the guy scattershot playing patterns and marginalizing him in the offensive sets because he’s a rookie and rookie’s have to earn their stripes on this 1-7 team. I don’t know.
Or maybe our fears about the alchemy of Love and Jefferson on the same team are founded, or perhaps we even underestimated the sum-less-than-the-parts quality of it on the offense. That is, offensively, Love probably thrives working the mid-to-high post with the ball in his hands and creating; Jefferson thrives working the mid-to-low post and scoring. So, is there just some incompatibility there?
I still would love to see if a different coach with some fresh ideas come in here to see if he could make it work.
by jianfu on
Nov 16, 2008 8:20 AM CST
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small ball
I’m not as large a critic of small ball as Britt, but Wittman’s insistence upon playing Al Jefferson only at the center spot is a bit troubling. It is nice to see a Jason Collins sighting, but its the same thing as last year and Ratliff, when he was available. WIttman used Collins when he wanted to rest Jefferson. He never played Collins alongside Jefferson. Its only one game, but if past history is any indicator, I con’t think we will see Jefferson as the power forward for this team.
Why not run out a front line of Jefferson, Collins and Love for some minutes or even Jefferson, Collins and Smith. WIth Portland and all the long bodies they have, the Wolves can play bigger and stronger against these guys and make a guy like Roy think twice before driving into the lane. Obviously Collins can’t play a lot of minutes, but there’s still booth, Maddog and even Cardinal as possibilities to throw out there when you want to give Collins a rest.
But, the bigger problem is the guards and how to use Brewer. I read a little from Z in the Strib this morning asking where Miller and Love were in the 4rth qtr. And, Miller has to get some minutes going at the 2 in the 4rth. But, WHere was Brewer in the 4rth. Wittman must have been reading Britt and all the other Blogs since the road trip and everyones praising of Gomes playing the 3 and how he should not be playing PF for the WOlves. Well, Goves can’t play the 3 when he has to guard players like Roy, Manu, Kobe, TMAC or other quick shooting forwards either. ROy was toying with him and after blowing by Gomes he had a soft undersized frontcourt waiting for him who had to worry about Pryz Aldrich and Oden too. It was a disaster. But did Wittman even think that he might want to think about how he does not want to let Roy beat the WOlves in the 4rth and that his best on ball defender is sitting on the bench. Just like he doesn’t think about playing Collins alongside Jefferson, he doesn’t give a thought to playing Brewer when he most needs him. disgusting.
The WOlves really need a point Guard, too. Really need one. I don’t have any suggestions, but I tell you its getting harder and harder to root for this team. Foye, McCants and Telfair… last night were, well… yuck
by Andy B on
Nov 16, 2008 10:56 AM CST
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