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Your Last Bit of Camp

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It was a pretty uneventful evening scrimmage last night.  The team looked a little tired and I'm pretty sure everybody in the building would have rather been somewhere else...like at Oktoberfest in New Ulm.   A few items of note:

  • Ramon Sessions is a pretty good perimeter defender.  Perhaps my saying this is simply a matter of perspective, as last year's team featured one of the worst group of perimeter defenders in recent NBA memory, but the guy has really gotten at it out there and if Corey Brewer can find enough of an offensive game to stay on the court, the Wolves can trot out a defensive backcourt that is miles beyond anything they had last year.   Of course, the problem here is that neither Sessions or Brewer can shoot for you-know-what from the outside, but that's a question for another day. 
  • In the comment section of yesterday's post I was asked what my starting lineup would be at this point.  It would be Sessions, Brewer, Sasha Pavlovic, Kevin Love, and Al Jefferson.  That being said, it will be interesting to see if Jonny Flynn gets the start from the beginning of the year.  Sessions is the best guard and point on this team.  My lineup would give the Wolves a team with decent size on the wing, the best defenders on the squad, rebounding, and a fair amount of league experience.  We'll see what happens.  Pavlovic vs. Ryan Gomes is close and is going to be a pretty interesting dynamic going forward.
  • Speaking of Mr. Gomes, he has looked pretty good putting the ball on the floor so far in camp.  One of the big things I have noticed about the team's new Triangle-esque offense is that the weakside forward is going to need to be able to hit the open jumper of the swing pass or be able to take advantage of a rotating defense by putting the ball on the deck and heading towards the hoop.  I think Gomes is going to get a stiff test on this front from Pavlovic.  Sasha has some talent and a much better shot than Gomes. The kicker here is that Pavlovic is on a one-year contract while Gomes is operating on a non-guaranteed deal until 6/30/10.  Both of these guys are, in a sense, playing for their next contract.  Both of them are going to fulfill a similar role in the offense.  Here's hoping that something good comes out of this competition.  
  • Whatever happens with Pavlovic or Gomes, I think the early line on the Wolves cashing in their chips in the 2010 offseason for a wing player is a good one.  My early bet is that Brewer is kept around to play either the 2 or the 3 and that Kahn finds the best player he can to fill in the other starting spot. 
  • Camp favorite Devin Green spent the 2nd scrimmage on the trainer's table with a pack of ice on his left hamstring.  Here's hoping it's nothing serious. 
  • Jack McClinton is probably not a guy who can hold down the 3rd point guard spot.  He just doesn't look that comfortable on the ball while initiating the offense or bringing the ball up the court and he appears to be a shooting specialist stuck in a point guard's body. 
  • David Kahn once again wore shorts.
  • Papa Glen was nowhere to be seen. 
  • Grown men once again wore all sorts of tracksuits.
  • Oleksiy Pecherov has graduated from 1/2-assed "sprints" up and down the sideline to sprints (quotations removed) up the Besnan Arena stairs. 

Well folks, that about does it.  Yours truly is off to Oktoberfest today and due to some prior plans I will be unable to attend tomorrow night's preseason game right here in my backyard of Mankato.  If anyone out there is going to the game, feel free to put up a FanPost about your experience. 

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Comments

Display:

Gomes has to have that pole position, doesn't he?

Leaving alone his incumbent’s status, Ryan Gomes strikes me as among the smartest players on the roster. He’s a becomes-a-coach sort of player.

If anyone’s going to adjust to the triangle quickly, you’d think it’d be him.

by feral on Oct 3, 2009 9:57 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

i should say...

…That I think gomes will start but that it can’t be overstated just how much this team needs outside shooting. Their two best proven scorers are inside and defenses will collapse on them no matter how much they run.

Forever splitting the Cheechakos from the Sourdoughs
www.canishoopus.com

by Stop-n-Pop on Oct 3, 2009 10:18 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions   0 recs

I'm not sure incumbant has any meaning this year

Certainly I would think Gomes would adjust quickly, but with a new coach, new offense, new management, new everything, I think everyone basically starts from zero.

Keep in mind too that Rambis was the biggest proponent of signing Pavlovic, and it was probably because he felt Sasha is an ideal fit for his offense.

In watching the Bulls and Laker teams that have used the triangle, one thing I’ve noticed is the 2 and 3 almost have to be interchangable because the ball can swing to either side of the floor depending on what the defense gives the offense. Gomes is a very solid player, but most certainly not able to play shooting guard the way Pavlovic is.

by Oceanary on Oct 3, 2009 11:03 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Gomes

Can shoot the three a little bit, though. He was at 37% last year, and while not stellar it’s not like he’s Sessions back there jacking it up.

Consider (for last year):
Sasha Pavlovic: 48 threes on 117 attempts (.410)
Ryan Gomes: 106 threes on 285 attempts (.372)
Randy Foye: 111 threes on 308 attempts (.360)
Ramon Sessions: 6 threes on 34 attempts (.176)

Just because we don’t have a Wally World back there (or a Hoiberg) doesn’t mean that Sasha or Gomes won’t be able to hit some open shots. Of course we can upgrade the position, but the best 3 point shooting team last year didn’t even break .400. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I can live with Gomes and Sasha this year as three point shooters a lot more than I could live with Telfair as our starting point.

"Come on Eddie, let's get serious."

by biggity2bit on Oct 3, 2009 3:54 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Another interesting thing about that link

The Wolves’ highest rank shooting wise came from 3s. Color me optimistic but my guess is that their jump shooting inside the arc and inside shooting will be better than last year. Particularly inside scoring.

by pagingstanleyroberts on Oct 3, 2009 6:41 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Prost!

I hope you enjoyed Oktoberfest, S n P! If I were still in Minnie, I would love to buy you a round or three for all your contributions to this blog. The analysis is far superior to other sources of sports news (to remain unmentioned), and the writing is most insightful, intelligent, and witty. That tone is echoed by many of the contributors posting here. So I’m most impressed by Canis Hoopus-both content and community. If C.F Kane were alive today, I’m sure he’d say “I think it would be fun to run a sports blog.” Long live Citizen Stop n Pop. (I’m still working on the song and dance routine based on the movie).

by uncle rico on Oct 3, 2009 12:48 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

danke

Forever splitting the Cheechakos from the Sourdoughs
www.canishoopus.com

by Stop-n-Pop on Oct 3, 2009 5:25 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions   0 recs

Charles Foster Kane, eh?

Is there a “Declaration of Purpose” somewhere on the site that I’ve missed? Is Stop-n-Pop really Jedediah Leland?

by feral on Oct 3, 2009 6:40 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Or a more interesting question...

…does SnP have a girlfriend like Marion Davies stashed at his vacation home?

by timmuggs on Oct 4, 2009 9:07 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Sorry, Charlie

Yes, actually Jedediah Leland might be more apt in many respects.

No “Declaration of Purpose” hidden on some obscure HTML page here, of that I’m quite sure. There may be a “Declaration of Principles,” however. Giving the sports fan the information he or she deserves. No Homers. Trolls tolerated. Civil discourse (a rarity these days). All in good fun in the end.

by uncle rico on Oct 4, 2009 11:05 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

What I dread

is David Kahn standing in front of a big fireplace, over which a picture of Glen Taylor is mounted, telling us it’s no trick to make a lot of money if all you want is to make a lot of money.

by feral on Oct 4, 2009 2:29 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Hmmm, interesting

I think that perhaps McHale is to Taylor as Susan Alexander is to Kane. No matter how bad he/she was, the owner wanted to make them into something else. Meanwhile, Jedediah tears up his program, writes honest and fair reviews…oh, you know the story.

In other non-hoops related cinema news, just saw “A Serious Man.” Very smart, very funny. Accept the mystery.

by uncle rico on Oct 4, 2009 8:25 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

La Crosse>New Ulm for Oktoberfest…

Pav over Gomes? Interesting. I have just been assuming that Pav would be scrap minutes, but Rambis likes him, Kahn seemed excited about the signing and now SnP is a convert. Would that spell the end of Gomes in MN if he is unable to secure the starting spot?

Brewer at 2/3 with a scorer at the other is a nice spot. Ellington gets the scraps. This backcourt has me much more excited then last years. If we could draft an Evan Turner it could be a bright future.

by revprodeji on Oct 3, 2009 6:23 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

I agree that Sessions is the best guard on the team, but the Twolves havent hid how much they like Flynn….which leads me to believe that Flynn and Sessions will start together. Fantasy league reports that Sessions is working on both guard positions, which allows Flynn to start. The question then woud be who starts at SF with Sessions, Flynn, Love, Jefferson…..and it would come down to Gomes, Pavlovic, or Brewer.

Interesting to see if the Twolves go with 2 PG’s offense where Flynn or Sessions intiates the offense based on who gets the outlet or if Flynn is on the floor he always plays the point. Better offensive floor (I feel) if either of them can start the break….

by Bellringer21 on Oct 4, 2009 7:49 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

My love for Flynn . . .

. . . grows every day:

Rookie Timberwolves point guard Jonny Flynn is a rarity among NBA players — he has no tattoos.

“I’ve got nothing against tattoos, but I just don’t want anybody prejudging me unless they meet me in person,” Flynn said.

by PoorDick on Oct 4, 2009 8:57 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Reminds me of a "Life is Hell" a few years back

in which two old men are sitting around looking at the tattoos on their withered bodies and musing “what were we thinking”?

Jonny Flynn does seem quite special. As they say, you can’t teach charisma. He’ll be a good fit for the team and the community.

by uncle rico on Oct 4, 2009 11:10 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Oh, yeah! Jonny's a good egg.

Talk about your fashion trends that people will regret in the worst ways….

For reasons I prefer not to discuss, I have occasion to change clothes in a hurry with a number of women. Women who got a belly button piercing at 20 and kept it into their 30s…. Should think better of it. Leaving alone tattoos.

by feral on Oct 4, 2009 2:31 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

You are SO likely . . .

1. In some kind of theatrical/choral production

2. An aerobics/yoga instructor at an intimate fitness studio

3. The token male in a group of crime-fighting female superheroes.

Or some combination of the three.

by PoorDick on Oct 4, 2009 7:01 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Most likely

A theatrical production about a token male in a group of crime-fighting female superheroes based in an intimate yoga studio.

If it wasn't for disappointments, I wouldn't have any appointments

by Jackdaw on Oct 4, 2009 11:23 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

That's

The one I’d be most likely to want to see, at least.

If it wasn't for disappointments, I wouldn't have any appointments

by Jackdaw on Oct 4, 2009 11:24 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

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