Everything on the table
by Stop-n-Pop on Dec 26, 2011 11:03 PM CST
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PrintLadies and Gentlemen, your 2011/12 Minnesota Timberwolves!
Folks, tonight's game couldn't have been a better example of what makes and breaks Our Beloved Puppies. First and foremost, it has been almost 2 1/2 years since Ricky Rubio's name was called out on draft night. It was pretty cool to finally see him in uniform and it was even cooler to see him perform just like we thought he would: amazing court vision, peerless passing, tremendous ball security, and risk-taking defense. He is everything we'd thought he'd be and that's something to be excited about.
Second, how fantastic is it to see what a real coach can do with young NBA talent? After watching 2 years of the Zen Apprentice's Broken Biangle it was nothing short of breathtaking to see the Wolves run sensible rotations and to stick with guys who were actually producing. Rick Adelman's first three subs as the head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves were JJ Barea, Anthony Tolliver, and Ricky Rubio. In other words, in less than 12 minutes of regular season action, Rick Adelman established himself as the best coach in franchise history simply for the fact that he is willing to play his best players in his best lineups. And yeah, I'm looking at you too, Flip. (Remember Fred > Wally.)
Third, when was the last time you saw a Minny coach argue with the refs on behalf of his players? It certainly wasn't last season when Michael Beasley was mugged by Andrew Bynum. Maybe it happened in practice. Other things observed on the bench: actual coaching in between plays. Imagine that! What a concept! Maybe Kurt Rambis can report on this amazing fact during his next segment on Sports Center.
Fourth, this team lacks a competent 2 guard and this stupid fact will plague the team all season long. For a team like the Wolves, a guy like Aaron Afflalo is worth about $20 million/year. Wes Johnson is a train wreck. A few Wes-related points:
- New site rules: If anyone is going to talk about how Ricky Rubio cannot shoot, they first need to talk about how the #4 pick with the "sweet stroke" can't hit the broad side of a barn.
- How is it possible that a NBA 2 guard cannot shoot a jumper off a simple curl? This should be the most basic of 2-guard tasks: Run your man off a screen, catch the perfectly placed pass from the Spanish Cash Cow, and hoist up a shot. Wes Johnson can't do this. Wes Johnson can barely dribble between his legs.
- If there was a single player that was given an extraordinary amount of rope by coach Adelman during tonight's tilt, it was Johnson. I suspect this is because Adelman knows what he has in Wayne Ellington and he isn't ready to hand over starting minutes to Malcolm Lee. That being said, my bet is that Johnson gets another 2 weeks of rope before Adelman realizes he has to try something different.
- Note to future NBA journeymen: If you can't dribble or shoot, make sure you grab more than 1 rebound and amass more than 0 blocks and steals.
- Does Adelman like Beasley or does he simply have no other realistic options at the 3?
- How much does Syracuse basketball suck?
- Only 12 turnovers. This is good.
- Has everyone seen Super 8? I just saw it over the weekend. Worst. Movie. Ever. Someone needs to explain "momentum" and "physics" to the director.
- My favorite moment of the night was when Kendrick Perkins tried to give Darko the business on a run up the court and was planted flat on his back. Darko played well tonight and he almost dunked a ball. If he could only play mean...and forget that he used to be a perimeter-based 7 footer....then we'd be a-ok. That being said, he floored the hell out of Perk and it was nice to see.
- Russell Westbrook is apparently still mad OKC might have at one point considered drafting Ricky Rubio.
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Hey There
As a Wolves fan that recently moved to Fayetteville, I support your user name and sentiments. WPS!
by SmackCracka on Dec 27, 2011 11:12 AM CST up reply actions
And.
If Darko can play like this every night, I’d be one happy man.
GO HOGS.
by WooPig14 on Dec 26, 2011 11:08 PM CST reply actions 3 recs
Hope everything goes well with Winston
Dogs are great. They love you so much, what else can you do but love them back?
by homerspanky on Dec 26, 2011 11:14 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
I'm praying for Winston!
Get well, buddy!
"Only God is an expert, Ernie."
by MNPhatz on Dec 27, 2011 3:18 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
With Winston.
Hope he’s lapping water from his dish with the usual degree of sloppiness already.
"Opinion ...a confession."
by feral on Dec 27, 2011 7:55 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Great write-up SNP and you nailed the big points, especially Wes.
Though I wish you went harder at Westbrook. I never bought into the Marbury comparisons last year, but now…….
And Marbury could at least hit an open jumper from the elbow.
But in all fairneeessss, Westbrook is an absolute monster going to the rim.
by googoleeoottooooleeoottooooleeeatta on Dec 26, 2011 11:15 PM CST reply actions
I don't think he really plays like Marbury.
Westbrook’s game when it’s working looks more like Kevin Johnson to me. It’s more pure jet speed along the baseline or straight at the basket.
Marbury’s handles were unsurpassed when he was a kid, the guy could shift speeds and cut inside like nobody.
"Opinion ...a confession."
He reminded me of Marbury
In his apparent attitude on the court. It sometimes seemed like he thought this should be his team, even tho everyone else played like its KDs team. Dude was a tool last night. How long before he demands a trade to some team (Orlando post Howard) just to prove he’s the man? Normally I think guys are like Odom – ‘I want to be on teams that can win…unless that team doesn’t want me.’ Not Westbrook. Just my opinion.
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 8:43 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
Westbrook is incredible
I don’t think he’s the right fit next to Durant. He’s worth a ton as a trade piece. The Thunder’s contract extension with Westbrook is going to be interesting.
They have James Harden anyway. If he played as many minutes as Westbrook I think the Thunder arguable would be better.
I can predict the future using Norm Van Lier's crystal balls.
"Sam has a tendency to denigrate reports coming from any reporter who didn’t also cover the day Naismith first put up the peach baskets." - snley
by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2011 9:36 AM CST up reply actions
I've said it before
They should’ve traded Westbrook for CP3. KD/CP3/Harden is a championship trio.
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 9:53 AM CST up reply actions
Would the league approve it?
Westbrook is a better building block than Eric Gordon. That Thunder team would be unbelievable.
I can predict the future using Norm Van Lier's crystal balls.
"Sam has a tendency to denigrate reports coming from any reporter who didn’t also cover the day Naismith first put up the peach baskets." - snley
by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2011 10:27 AM CST up reply actions
PS: And yeah, Darko brick-walling Kendrick into the ground was awesome to see on at least six levels
by googoleeoottooooleeoottooooleeeatta on Dec 26, 2011 11:16 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
Super 8
was balls. When I saw it, I was shocked by the mostly positive reviews. Goonies+close encounters+gratuitous lens flare-physics-momentum-good. It was overblown, wannabe sentimental crap. I love old Spielberg, I enjoyed Abrams’s Star Trek (where lens flare made sense), so I was quite disappointed.
As for the wolves, only thing to add — really good ball movement.
Abrams is an abomination.
I so hated the rebooted “Star Trek.” Well-cast, sure. I don’t mind violating the basics of the old universe, whatever, purity is for puritans. But it made the small mistake of being STUPID BEYOND DESCRIPTION.
(There are some funny Web sites about movie physics people might enjoy.)
"Opinion ...a confession."
I don't know which Star Trek movie you watched
But that was probably my favorite film of the year that year. Kick ass opening scene. Believable concept for why the old-unverse didn’t matter. And as you state, a good cast. Anxiously awaiting the sequel.
Michael Beasley is a Small Forward. Derrick Williams is a Power Forward.
Star Trek iz amazing
and MI 4 wuz pretty thowed to fo what it wuz i fucks wit JJ abarams
MAYN HOL UP!
Agreed. Enjoyed Star Trek and MI3. (and Cloverfield, a lot)
And I’d never seen any Star Trek whatsoever before I saw the film.
Live And Stupid From England
by JonesTheCat on Dec 27, 2011 11:14 AM CST up reply actions
I watched that one.
It was crap. So, so thoughtless, and horribly written. I would put it up with “Pearl Harbor” among the worst movies I’ve seen in a theater.
"Opinion ...a confession."
If only there was a way to easily do a "side thread."
I could list about fifty things that irritated the hell out of me about that movie. The basic problem was that nothing made any sense. I don’t care what the rules are that you want to operate within, it’s only a space opera sort of a thing and I get that, but the sheer stupidity of Mr. Abrams was on painful display. The whole thing played like a bad producer’s pitch meeting about Star Trek that had never been developed past that point.
Minor example: It reprised the “bigger fish keep eating each other” sequence from Jar Jar Binks’s home world, in the form of ice-planet creatures running toward our hero. Compare and contrast: The Millennium Falcon escaping the giant worm from the asteroid field. There’s no suspense in something that just one-ups its effects, movie makers. It has to make some sense and build tension, not just thrash around. Our characters have to do something other than be assailed by twitchy CGI beasts. You have to write movies to have them work.
"Opinion ...a confession."
I would seriously love to read about what didn’t make sense to you, because I feel like I’m missing something here. I certainly understand that the overall premise of the movie may have bothered you in the whole alternate time line theme, but for me, that wasn’t a difficult jump to make.
It almost sounds like you want to turn Star Trek into Battelstar in that you want the characters to do something and build tension around drama that isn’t action when to me, that is why I liked the movie. I like twitchy CGI beasts jumping out at me, so long as it isn’t the central theme of the movie.
For example, I loved how they sky dived off a space ship and entered the Vulcan atmosphere with no ill effects because a high pitched noise. In contrast, the actual physics involved in entering the Vulcan atmosphere interest me on a book level, but I don’t want to watch Captain Pike and Jim Kirk debate physics on the USS Enterprise, I would rather just watch them Skydive and pretend and it could happen.
Michael Beasley is a Small Forward. Derrick Williams is a Power Forward.
No, again, no problem with the "reset" or alternate timeline thing. The problem was terrible writing, on every level, though.
Action movies can be well-written, and then simple things work: Raiders of the Lost Ark. They can also be horribly written, and then even huge-production-value stuff falls flat: choose from many, many examples. “Star Trek” was among the latter types of movie.
Take the big jump Kirk made on the Romulan bridge at the end. Remember? It was in all the preview stuff, and a big moment toward the end of the movie. Looked cool, right? Only it wasn’t built up to. At most we had an obligatory “He’s going to have to jump!” second or two. No tension at all, because actually none of the settings made any particular sense. I’m fine with beyond-stupid movie physics – yeah, Kirk’s ribcage would have shattered falling that distance – but there was nothing dramatic about that moment. Just characters being moved through a series of fast motions on screen.
Contrast with Raiders, as long as I picked that before. Look at something as simple as the sword fighter who flourishes and looks all menacing only to get shot. Harrison Ford had the runs that day, that’s how that scene wound up that way.
What I’m saying is, Harrison Ford’s diarrhea directs better than JJ Abrams. Who has to add computer voiceovers in post-production to remind himself of basic exposition.
A tiny little part of me hated several of the Trekkie things, like the completely obvious and stupid telling of the Kobayashi Maru test. That should have been sort of…. witty. Instead it was dumb. Just have the enemy ships die? Why would he make it obvious that he’d hacked the computer? I also think that for anyone who actually has to deal with the franchise from here on, the violation of the transporter’s limitations is a huge plot problem. But in that movie, I’d have settled for the long-distance transport just to be used for something other than a lame “transported into the pipe” physical joke. (In the otherwise completely-empty engine room of the Enterprise. What’s with that, by the way? They don’t have crew down there?)
Give the franchise to someone who works with writers, would be my advice.
"Opinion ...a confession."
RE: Raiders
The only movie where the hero is not required for things to work out well in the end. (The Nazis would have opened that damn thing and melted their faces with or without Harrison Ford. FWIW, It’s also one of my top 5 favorite flicks of all time.)
That ending choice stunk. Going supernatural was a bad decision.
It’s not like any of these things is going to be the best movie evah for me. I just require some effort, just a little, to tie it all together and give me an exciting movie. Just a little.
"Opinion ...a confession."
Agreed
I’m just hoping for the day Speilberg finally decides to go to town on Lucas (if he hasn’t already).
Nah
there’s something sweet about losing the race and then watching the winner get et by the old gods….
Correr como un lobo.
Deus Ex Machina.
Is that how the old serials would have done it? That would explain the choice.
To me even as a kid, it just felt like Spielberg couldn’t resist a special effects finale.
"Opinion ...a confession."
"Harrison Ford's diarrhea directs better than JJ Abrams"
slow clap
Gary, you didn't kill your brother. Those gorillas did.
Loved Raiders
As I think you are saying here, even if the events and action scenes were way over the top:
- They made sense within the plot
- Most seemed on the very outside of possible
For example, I could believe those temples existed and had traps. The various chases all made sense within the plot. There was not too much ‘stuff blowing up because blowing up stuff is cool’ in it.
Not a fan of any of the sequels. #3 had a few good moments due to the excellence of Ford & Connery. A few good lines “He chose … poorly”. But that is about it. HATED #4.
"It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future." -- Yogi Berra
by Wile E Coyote on Dec 27, 2011 3:14 PM CST up reply actions
Good point
Hmm .. you read about how snakes can eat something and then are set for months. Maybe with good reproduction rates and a lot of cannibalism they could keep that going for a long while.
"It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future." -- Yogi Berra
by Wile E Coyote on Dec 27, 2011 3:24 PM CST up reply actions
And it was cold underground,
so their metabolisms slowed down. That way, the mummy organs were enough to keep them going for, say a thousand years at a time. Then, when Indiana came in, the temperature rose and they got more active again. Or something like that.
Maybe, just maybe
There were way more snakes in there to start with, and they cannibalized each other to stay alive.
Gary, you didn't kill your brother. Those gorillas did.
Damnit
Should have read the rest of the thread. I’m doing the internet version of the Bluth shame-walk right now.
Gary, you didn't kill your brother. Those gorillas did.
Reputation plus one..
..for any Bluth reference.
Ha!
Good one, nja!
Speaking of the Bluths, I thought the only show-you-up, eff-you trick that Westbrook didn’t pull last night was the chicken dance.
"Life has become immeasurably better since I have been forced to stop taking it seriously."
— Hunter S. Thompson
Tough Crowd for Films
What I’m saying is, Harrison Ford’s diarrhea directs better than JJ Abrams.
I’m not saying JJ Abrams is the best director, but between the hate you espouse for Abrams and the hate also espoused for Christopher Nolan, this is a tough crowd. JJ Abrams and Christopher Nolan makes entertaining movies.
Regarding the Kobayashi Maru, I liked the scene, I liked the smug sarcassm by Kirk, the sarcastic dismissiveness by Ahoura, and the concerned questioning by the doctor friend guy. Clearly it’s tough to write a scene that’s witty and playful for every audience member. Your standards seem unreasonably harsh to me.
So unreasonable, that I wonder how many movies meet your Ford Diarrhea standard. That scene in Raiders was one of the best scenes in Movie history IMO. Comparing every movie in its entirety to that single scene directed by Ford’s bowels makes your quote true for too many films for thisinvented standard to be relevant.
Michael Beasley is a Small Forward. Derrick Williams is a Power Forward.
Ford Diarrhea
will be the name of my next punk band.
"Of what use is a philosopher who does not hurt anybody's feelings?" -Diogenes of Sinope
by Cynical Jason on Dec 27, 2011 10:53 PM CST up reply actions
I laughed.
"Of what use is a philosopher who does not hurt anybody's feelings?" -Diogenes of Sinope
by Cynical Jason on Dec 27, 2011 11:10 PM CST up reply actions
Personally I really like Nolan, but possibly because I haven't seen the Batman stuff. (Too violent-looking for me.)
“Memento” and, before that, his shoestring-budget film school movie “Following,” are both really well-written and I enjoyed the heck out of them. I don’t know what people expected from the dream movie, but it was basically a big virtuosic puzzle box that was watchable enough, though it didn’t stick in my memory much. (If there was a big stupid flaw in that, it was the “bad guys are henchmen with guns” obviousness. That’s just lazy.)
I love LOTS AND LOTS of movies, and they’re not all The Third Man or Citizen Kane. I like a fair share of romantic comedies, for God’s sake! This really isn’t a film snob thing, except insofar as I see a fair number of movies and have learned not to get burned three times in a row by people like Michael Bay and JJ Abrams, who think writing is something people do to stitch together big effects sequences after they’re filmed.
(Also I can’t stand movies where a) the people who made the movies, b) the characters in them, and c) the audience are all assumed to be mean idiots. “Jingle All the Way,” I’m lookin’ at you. Also all the Home Alones. “By, for, and about mean stupid people” isn’t somehow funny.)
"Opinion ...a confession."
I have a big soft spot for awesomely terrible movies
Jingle All the Way is a classic in that genre. ;)
Not to grind at this, but how I hated that thing.
How about the moment when Arnold’s chasing the ball that’ll let him buy a (Power Ranger), and a little girl happens to catch it, and then she leads him on a big ol’ chase around the mall. Why? Because it’s fun to make other people suffer. That’s why she does it!
Or how about the moment at the parade late in the movie, when the two best friends suddenly almost turn on each other? First, they’re not recognizing that Arnold is one of their dads. ’Cause his accent is so easy to miss. DUMB. Then the moment when, for no reason at all, they want to beat each other up, just for a second. MEAN.
“By, for, and about mean idiots.” That’s my label.
(Actually it also mostly wasted the locations here, didn’t it? No river walk. No snow palace, no Nicollet Mall. Generic exteriors.)
"Opinion ...a confession."
Other people suffering
Is all the rage these days.
They definitely didn’t use the best places in the movie. They made it over to Lyndon Hills but, I think, missed the lake a block away.
Everything about that damn movie was about market testing. It was formulated. Like McDonald’s food.
Holy crap, the meanness is so unreal. Seriously, it's so MEAN, even here.
"Opinion ...a confession."
I still consider PH the worst. Ever.
I felt weirdly validated for this when Trey Parker came out with this.
by Andy G on Dec 27, 2011 12:21 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Ha ha ha! "I miss you more than Michael Bay missed the mark...."
So beautiful.
"Opinion ...a confession."
Here some more ripping on Michael Bay
this time on South Park.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeSUuj98Rx0
I can predict the future using Norm Van Lier's crystal balls.
"Sam has a tendency to denigrate reports coming from any reporter who didn’t also cover the day Naismith first put up the peach baskets." - snley
by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2011 12:47 PM CST up reply actions
de worst movie ever
by a MILLIon miles iz Juno. If u like dat movie juss dont tell me cuz i wont talk to u anymo
MAYN HOL UP!
Agreed
How did that specific writer become so famous? I’ll never get it. She writes like Christopher Nolan directs action.
It's her backstory.
Everyone loves the backstory; Pretty Woman meets The Hours, or something.
by googoleeoottooooleeoottooooleeeatta on Dec 27, 2011 2:55 PM CST up reply actions
Disclaimer time
I was doing work for City Pages when they hired her to blog and they picked her over my choice (Heather Corinna, another local gal made good). Diablo Cody’s blog was entertaining if nothing else, but her back story is what fascinates people. Middle class girl pole dancing in seedy NE dives? Gossip columnists running pix of her tattoo edits?
She coulda been a Kardashian is all I’m sayin’.
Correr como un lobo.
Good written?
Please tell me your comment is sarcastic.
"Of what use is a philosopher who does not hurt anybody's feelings?" -Diogenes of Sinope
by Cynical Jason on Dec 27, 2011 2:56 PM CST up reply actions
Heh
“good written” to describe the writing . . . I like it!
Tune in this week to "At the Movies With MAYNHOLUP and Jonny Flynn":
Jonny: OMG Salt was so good Angeline Jolie kicked some serious butt in that movie
MAYNHOLUP: mayn fuck u Jonny Flynn
Nothing with him
He just can’t shoot action. It’s confusing as hell. Here’s the best breakdown of why:
http://www.toplessrobot.com/2011/09/a_20-minute_explanation_of_why_the_dark_knight_cha.php
Actually, to be completely honest, I wanted to stab my eyes out during Inception….or at least I did during the last time I watched it. I haven’t seen his Al Pacino snow movie.
by Stop-n-Pop on Dec 27, 2011 3:23 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
IT'S A DREAM....WITHIN A DREAM!
Hated that movie.
by googoleeoottooooleeoottooooleeeatta on Dec 27, 2011 3:26 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Was there supposed to be a point to that movie?
I think he made it just to make it. I’m not sure there’s any sort of real story or moral there. That’s what really bugs me about it.
I think the point was
Leonardo DiCaprio in “Another Disturbing Lead Male Character Volume 22”.
I can predict the future using Norm Van Lier's crystal balls.
"Sam has a tendency to denigrate reports coming from any reporter who didn’t also cover the day Naismith first put up the peach baskets." - snley
by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2011 3:40 PM CST up reply actions
I can't watch him without wanting to smack him upside the head
I dunno why. Same reaction to the dude that plays the vampire in those insufferable Twilight movies.
"It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future." -- Yogi Berra
by Wile E Coyote on Dec 27, 2011 3:46 PM CST up reply actions
Dunno about that, Leo's turned into a pretty good actor.
by googoleeoottooooleeoottooooleeeatta on Dec 27, 2011 3:48 PM CST up reply actions
He does get the best directors
which helps, a lot.
I can predict the future using Norm Van Lier's crystal balls.
"Sam has a tendency to denigrate reports coming from any reporter who didn’t also cover the day Naismith first put up the peach baskets." - snley
by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2011 3:52 PM CST up reply actions
I like DiCaprio
but most of his movies have way too clever plotlines that I’m pretty sure don’t add up, Inception especially. Nothing sucks like fake (Philip K.) Dick.
Correr como un lobo.
It was an interesting idea
that allowed him to shoot some nifty scenes?
Inception wasn't phenomenal.
Had cool novelty value, but yeah. I love the Batman movies, though, and Memento was nifty/interesting. Insomnia (the Pacino one you mention) is a good story, but I thought it was Robin Williams as the creepy bad guy that made the movie.
Memento was genius, and I am also a Batman fanboy.
by googoleeoottooooleeoottooooleeeatta on Dec 27, 2011 3:36 PM CST up reply actions
Try "Following."
Nolan made it on no money – like, they used his parents’ apartment for one setting – before “Memento.” Interesting little movie.
"Opinion ...a confession."
I never get tired of that
The camera knocking Gary off the motorcycle gets me every time.
Gary, you didn't kill your brother. Those gorillas did.
ay TimAllen
let me guess whut happens in Young Adult based on de preview i saw when i wuz blacked out last week:
Charlize Theron iz a foul mouthed, quirky hot adult who iz still trynna live like she in her 20s. iss “funny” because shes not in her 20s but acts like she iz.
She likes some dude she use to want to fuck in high school and makes a fool out uv herself in de process cuz he bout ta git marries.
Some fat guy in a bar iz ugly but endearing and nice to her and sees her fo who she really iz.
she realizes she duzzint need that dude she used to want and gets wit de fat guy even doe hes fat.
The end.
am i right?
MAYN HOL UP!
i dont care what anywun says
Inception wuz far from perfect but very thowed for ablockbuster when all other thangs are predictable az all hell dont get me started on Thor or Cap America dat shit wuz boring.
I fucks wit Nolan, when I wuz in Pittsburg dis summer i saw him doin hiz thang on set of the new batman he wuz a boss.
MAYN HOL UP!
oh and SnP
Insomnia iz maybe hiz best film, and notable fo being de last good Pacino performance befo somewun took over hiz body an made him a characature
MAYN HOL UP!
Ha! Pacino is rediculous now!
Inception kept me entertained the whole time, and even though I love superheroes, I can’t even bring myself to watch Captain America or Thor. Those flicks look cheezy as hell. Can’t wait for the next Dark Knight, though.
"Only God is an expert, Ernie."
I've enjoyed everything Nolan has done..
..except for Following (I think that is right). That movie was just … yeah not so much.
But I don’t goto a movie looking to be inspired or anything, I just want to be entertained.
Ha! That's classic. And I'm guessing dead-on.
Though you forgot the overbearing mom who she learns to love.
by googoleeoottooooleeoottooooleeeatta on Dec 27, 2011 3:47 PM CST up reply actions
You could do that with any movie. There are so many different plots.
The point is how you carry out those plots. I thought it was done well. But then again, I liked Juno, too. Oh well.
Follow me on Twitter @timallenonline
Super 8 is great
if you like REALLY REALLY LOUD TRAIN WRECKS.
Otherwise, it’s just another kids movie.
Correr como un lobo.
How much does Syracuse basketball suck?
Your dissatisfaction with Wes Johnson may have led you to go a bit overboard considering:
- Currently ranked #1 in both AP and Coach’s Poll
- #5 winningest college basketball program in NCAA history
- Has actually won a championship
- Despite our terrible weather/small-market we still draw top players from around the country
Flame on.
by Levance Fields Ate My Lunch on Dec 26, 2011 11:16 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
No
I thought he just didn’t play yet. The Wolves’ bbref page only lists the guys that got minutes. For example, Malcolm Lee isn’t listed.
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 12:05 PM CST up reply actions
Apparently
Kevin McHale is resting Jonny Flynn for the playoffs:
Jonny Flynn, PG DNP COACH’S DECISION
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
Hopefully it will happen
while they’re on the same team.
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
Syracuse bball might suck a little bit...
At least in terms of producing NBA-ready players. And no, Carmelo does not count. That kid is/was an anomaly. Little to do with where he went for his one year of “college”.
PPS!: AND! Durant/Westbrook/Harden OOORRR Durant/Westbrook/Rubio?
Who ya want?
by googoleeoottooooleeoottooooleeeatta on Dec 26, 2011 11:17 PM CST reply actions
I might take Rubio/Harden/Durant over both of those.
Durant might average 35 points a game with that back court.
by JopeX37 on Dec 26, 2011 11:56 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Wes was not good at all tonight
He hit a three and made a couple of nice passes, but that was all offset by the sheer amount of mistakes. He is making it very hard to be a Wes apologist.
On the other hand we have JJ Barea. Man, he is going to be this year’s Tony Allen (a surprising free agent from a contender).
Also, Kevin Durrant. So impressive.
Agreed.
I’m a Wes Johnson apologist and I was bothered by last night for sure.
Your Afflalo comment strikes a nerve.
His contract averages $8.5 million/year. We could have almost fit him under the cap at the number simply by not signing Barea. As well as JJ has looked, Afflalo would have been a real building block.
A more competent GM might have had the foresight to consolidate talent. Rounding down Randolph’s 3 minutes to a DNP, we had four not-useless players with DNPs tonight: AR, Pek, Wayne, and Malcolm Lee. If those guys are worth their contracts, potentially useful to someone, and unable to get onto the floor, we should really have thought about shipping them out.
Oh well. OPTIMISM
P.S. Hi, I’m back posting again now that there’s a season. Cue the collective yawns.
My twitter: www.twitter.com/HogeJ
Welcome back
I agree Afflalo would have been a great signing by the Wolves, however, Barea is also an excellent signing for various reasons (veteran champion, productive player, a player that can dribble, nice complement to Rubio). It’ll be interesting to see how the 2 spot shakes out this season. My guess is that it’ll end up more as a combo of 1s…i.e. Rubio, Barea, with Rubio guarding the other teams 2.
By the way, I missed the game, but thanks for the great write-up SNP.
Missing the point
Aaron Afflalo makes his shots. That’s really all you want the shooting guard to do.
With Adelman’s offense with Ricky running the show the SG is going to get a dozen wide open looks for catch and shoot opportunities.
I can predict the future using Norm Van Lier's crystal balls.
"Sam has a tendency to denigrate reports coming from any reporter who didn’t also cover the day Naismith first put up the peach baskets." - snley
by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2011 6:31 AM CST up reply actions
I have always thought eric gordon would be a good fit for this team
Beasley and Wes Johnson for him?
by srbaseball2003 on Dec 27, 2011 10:49 AM CST up reply actions
Eric Gordon is better than both combined
And if you don’t buy that the league won’t approve that deal.
I can predict the future using Norm Van Lier's crystal balls.
"Sam has a tendency to denigrate reports coming from any reporter who didn’t also cover the day Naismith first put up the peach baskets." - snley
by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2011 10:55 AM CST up reply actions
"Foresight"?
A more competent GM might have had the foresight to consolidate talent.
The reference librarian in me wants to go back to the moment of the trade for #5, and to the subsequent draft night, to see how many of us were immediately saying “Okay, solid move, but obviously now the roster is thick with PF types and needs to be re-aligned to add some wings. Well just boil down some of the talent, and get ourselves a two guard….”
As much as we wince at the 2 and 3 options right now, two years ago the Wolves ran out an historically bad set of wings the likes of which the league has seldom seen. It’s been three years now. Maybe we should get a talent guy with some hindsight, instead. ;-)
"Opinion ...a confession."
Denver would have matched
unless we offered like $12-13 million per. Maybe we should have, but that’s a lot of consolidation we’d need to create, if the onus is on Kahn to stay under the cap.
Don Godofredo Montego de Montevideo
Afflalo's one case, but it's been two-plus seasons now.
Rudy Fernandez last draft, and then again lately, would have been a cheap pickup. Mayo seems attainable. I’m not a huge, huge fan of either player, but land’s sakes, we haven’t had a true starting wing on this team in more than two seasons.
"Opinion ...a confession."
And if you've ever had a reference librarian in you,
you know: that hurts.
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
by PoorDick on Dec 27, 2011 10:51 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I really don't see how Lee can be that much worse than Wes.
I’m really not a Westbrook fan, like said in the other thread he reminds me a lot of Marbury.
Rubio needs more minutes, he looked good on both ends, aside from a couple of defensive mistakes. I really think the ball should have been in his hands at the end of the game.
They played very well against the team a lot of people believe is the favorite to come out of the West, they won’t shoot this badly from three every night. Even with the struggles from three they could have pulled this one out.
Durant struggled in spots and Harden just picked up the slack I really think by the end of the season he’ll be the team’s second best player, there is nothing he can’t do on the court. That is scary at the end of the game when he and Durant are on the floor together.
by Magoo12218 on Dec 26, 2011 11:25 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
Your first sentence said it all.
Wes is so frequently below replacement value, I cannot understand why his minutes are not automatically going in another direction. I hope that shift happens faster than many here think.
Wes Johnson is a better defender than Lee
Also taller and longer. Wes Johnson appears to be a bust. He is not a shooting guard though. He never has been.
I can predict the future using Norm Van Lier's crystal balls.
"Sam has a tendency to denigrate reports coming from any reporter who didn’t also cover the day Naismith first put up the peach baskets." - snley
by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2011 6:34 AM CST up reply actions
Lee
I was kind of wondering why not try Lee against Westbrook? He can match his length, speed, and athleticism. Perhaps his head is still swimming too much learning NBA defenses, but it seems like it couldn’t be worse than other options that were played.
I will say that I thought Rubio did OK defending Westbrook. He seemed to understand his own limitations (when he wasn’t gambling for steals), and would set himself up pre-emptively to take away certain things from Westbrook. I remember one play where Rubio setup, Westbrook adjusted, then Rubio adjusted again – it was like these guys were doing a 3 second positioning dance while Westbrook was trying to get the offense set up. Eventually the result was Westbrook passing to someone else (KD?) who then essentially had to create a play for themselves.
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 9:03 AM CST up reply actions
Rubio's defense
Was way better than Luke’s defense. There were a lot of questions about his D and early returns favor his defense…
Waiting for Relevancy...
Um...Johnson certainly has been a shooting guard.
He said himself this offseason that its the position he has played the most in his life and is most comfortable at.
Follow me on Twitter @timallenonline
Shaq said he was a point guard
It don’t make it so.
Again, Wes has probably sparkled in AAU so he just believes like most kids that what worked when you’re 16 will work when you’re 26.
I can predict the future using Norm Van Lier's crystal balls.
"Sam has a tendency to denigrate reports coming from any reporter who didn’t also cover the day Naismith first put up the peach baskets." - snley
by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2011 10:57 AM CST up reply actions
You said Wes Johnson has never been a shooting guard.
Clearly, he has been a shooting guard. Shaq was joking. I can’t believe I just had to type this.
Follow me on Twitter @timallenonline
Hard fought game
Things are definitely looking up. Would have been nice to get the W but the wolves are much improved from last year and it shows already.
This is what's going to happen with Wes
We’re going to play him.
He’s going to have a few good games.
Somebody’s going to need a 2 or 3.
Wes was the #4 pick in the draft.
Somebody is going to offer a 2012 mid 1st rounder pick.
We are going to jump on it.
Malcolm Lee will get playing time.
And it won’t be any worse with him in there (likely much better).
I know, I know. No one’s going to give up a mid 1st for Wes. Except someone will. There are plenty of McHales and Terry Ryans out there. Kahn will shop him because Adelman will tell him he’s going to sit him…period.
You can't dust for vomit.
Your timeline of what happens with Wes is the absolute best outcome.
Save him becoming a poor man’s Shawn Mari jesus I almost made it trough that lie.
by googoleeoottooooleeoottooooleeeatta on Dec 26, 2011 11:38 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs
The probability of any team offering a mid 1st round pick
for Wes Johnson in a strong draft year is close to zero.
If he doesn’t dig himself out of this hole we’re looking at the very worst of Kahn’s legacy. Choosing Wes over DeMarcus Cousins.
I think this is the first time in history one man managed to destroy an entire city by himself. Even the Enola Gay had a flight crew.
by Auswolf on Dec 27, 2011 5:28 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Cousins isn't any better
Big? Sure. An idiot? Believe it.
Cousins in the next Eddy Curry. He cares about money and food. Basketball comes somewhere after NBA 2K12.
I can predict the future using Norm Van Lier's crystal balls.
"Sam has a tendency to denigrate reports coming from any reporter who didn’t also cover the day Naismith first put up the peach baskets." - snley
by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2011 6:35 AM CST up reply actions
Cousins may turn out to be...
…the best player in that draft or the 15th best player, but we knew Wes was VERY unlikely to be a top 5 player from that draft and we took him anyway.
Indefensible. His college numbers, his age and the way he played told us everything.
I can excuse a GM who takes a gamble that doesn’t pan out, but not a GM who drafts obviously limited players with consecutive top 5 picks.
I know I said I wouldn't mention Kahn...
….and I won’t (by name), but the reason why Wes was drafted was because he “looked” the part. Can this sort of process net a good player? Yeah, but it won’t be for any other reason than the same one that netted a guy with a nice smile and a firm handshake. There is a reason why his college numbers didn’t play into his selection. They didn’t look at them.
by Stop-n-Pop on Dec 27, 2011 11:59 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
The reality of what you have written is starting to fully hit me.
You mean, they actually didn’t look at his numbers…
I’m…I’m having a hard time processing this…good god…
And I promised myself I wouldn't ever stick up for Kahn...
It seems to me like Rambis had a likely role in drafting Wes too or at least in forcing him into the mold of a long athletic 2. I got the impression that Rambis AND Kahn spent too much time dreaming of a team that was longer and more athletic at every position and kind of forgot about overall BB skill and production.
Ya
Without Rambis: Ricky, Jonny, and Wayne (a starter, a bust, and decent role player)
With Rambis: Wes, Martell, and Lazar (a bench guy?, a hurt guy, and some second round picks)
Without Rambis: Derrick Williams and Malcolm Lee (looking like useful rotation guys so far)
To be perfectly honest, one of these drafts does not look like the other (and I included Lee because he essentially got a first round contract). The influence of Rambis on sucking knows no limits!!!!
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 12:14 PM CST up reply actions
Flynn over Curry is so much significantly worse than Wes/Cousins
Wes/Cousins may very well be a wash in terms of neither will do much of anything
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
This is so right
If you think a Barea / RR backcourt is great, Curry is basically a taller, better Barea. . .
The reason Barea looks so good because
He is a competent PG which is something Wolve fans have not witnessed on the team in a very long time.
Waiting for Relevancy...
As the one-time Chairman of the Don't Draft Boogie Committee of Canis Hoopus (DDBCCH)
I don’t agree.
Yeah, Flynn is atrocious, but so is Wes.
With Curry and Rubio, you’ve got two point guards.
Cousins has to limit turnovers and fouls (a damn-near certainty over more time to develop) but he’s a force at the center position. Unless he goes Latrell on Westphal, he’ll have proven me dead wrong about where he should have been drafted.
Oh Man
I don’t care if he puts up 20 and 10 all year… I would NEVER want Cousins on my team. Its too bad Wes isn’t working out, but Cousins is pure poison. Worst attitude/body language I’ve ever witnessed in a pro basketball player. Still.
That's what I thought
but I kind of buy the Bill Simmons “you can have one crazy guy” thing, too. Maybe we’d have to trade Beasley. Bodies fly off of Cousins. He’s a serious force in the paint. Not many of those in the league.
Wes is worthless, as far as I can tell.
One of the many sad things about Wes
is that one of his supposed attributes was his age/maturity, and how he was supposedly the most NBA-ready pick in that draft.
Yet, it quickly morphed into “limited upside,” and for good reason.
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
It's kind of annoying...
..watching him freak out every time a foul is called on him. Who does he think he is? Kobe?
Kudos Andy
I agree witb you 100%. Cuz has issues, but they are areas guys typically improve as thy gain experience. The things he does well, however, are the ones you tend to either have or not have: foul drawing, rebounding and finishing at the rim. If he improves his weaknesses even a little he is going to be very good.
Interviewer: Can you understand why teams value potential ahead of experience and accomplishment in the draft? Wes Johnson: "Yeah. I understand. It’s the youngness of everything – older guys like young women, so it’s the same way."
by Xand1 on Dec 27, 2011 12:14 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
If Adelman is the coach during that draft
Do we still take Wes? Rambis would have been no match for Cousins and everyone in the Wolves org knew it. It’s not like by picking Johnson we preserved any leverage for the Jefferson trade (or Kosta Koufos trade if you prefer) either.
Textbook example of POBO and HC self-preservation. Do you want a coach that can’t handle a rookie with elite potential? Do you want a POBO who hired a head coach that can’t handle a rookie with elite potential?
Wrong.
Worst is not trading Flynn, after you already knew he sucked, for the pick that became Paul George.
by Tollysnipes on Dec 27, 2011 1:25 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs
I agree with this
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
Regarding the dog
Get through it, Winston! You can do it, boy! Here’s hope the outcome is good.
You can't dust for vomit.
On the 2 guard issu
Supposedly Martell is supposed to be back in mid to late January. I mean we have a viable 2 guard he’s just got trail blazer’s disease. Wes is playing because no one else can take his spot. I’m almost certain he’ll be at the end of adelman’s bench the moment Lee shows competence or Martell can play.
by blackswanhunter on Dec 26, 2011 11:51 PM CST reply actions
I somehow never put together
That Webster was a former blazer with his horrible injury issues. They have got to be the most cursed team ever.
As I used to tell my fellow Blazer fans until I was blue in the face
I love Marty, but he’s no shooting guard. He’s a small forward. He has little in the way of ball handling skills, and he’s not much of a passer. If you’re expecting him to work well at the 2, prepare yourself for disappointment.
We should bring in more scrub big men; they make good curse fodder.
by dan_the_man on Dec 27, 2011 4:10 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Perhaps
but I expect him to able to hit shots, to know when to take shots, and to play competent team defense – all things he has shown he’s been able to do in the past.
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 9:04 AM CST up reply actions
Unfortunately Martell is super streaky
and he seems to be off at inopportune times.
He is a three, no doubt about it.
Martell will fit well at SF with The Wolves
If The Wolves include Wes and AR as part of a swap for Kevin Martin… At that point, we’d only have two players who are currently suitable at this point (IMO) to play SF.
Martell is not a shooting guard either
He’s also done for good. The back issues are worse than he admits. He’s had them his whole basketball career.
Martell’s back is about as strong as Brandon Roy’s knees. It’s just the genetic lottery.
I can predict the future using Norm Van Lier's crystal balls.
"Sam has a tendency to denigrate reports coming from any reporter who didn’t also cover the day Naismith first put up the peach baskets." - snley
by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2011 6:39 AM CST up reply actions
As a soon to be first time dog owner,
I am sorry to hear about yours. Hope he recovers quickly and fully.
speaking from personal experience..
you are going to be shocked by how quickly and how intensely you will become attached to your dog.
I was going to protest the idea that Beas is the only 3 on the roster...
….but if Wes is going to be this bad, Martell is going to be this hurt, and Adelman doesn’t have confidence in Williams…..then I guess, yeah. Beas is the only 3 on the roster…
WTH we have like, 8 million point guards and power forwards and 0 of everything else….
Even my patience is wearing thin with Wes...
Follow me on Twitter @timallenonline
by TimAllen on Dec 27, 2011 12:00 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
That was a very entertaining game and fantastic in-game atmosphere...
…but I have to mention something that is one of my all-time pet peeves.
There are 50 seconds left. We’re down 2. Perkins gets fouled and is going to the line for two FTs…
…and lots of Wolves fans start leaving! Why would you spend 47 minutes watching a great basketball game only to leave with a minute left? That’s some pathetic stuff right there. Forgetting about beating traffic by the extra minute. Support your damn team and stay in your seat for the extra 50 seconds of the game.
Rant done.
Follow me on Twitter @timallenonline
by TimAllen on Dec 27, 2011 12:00 AM CST reply actions 7 recs
Can't stand this...funniest example...
Man Utd fans leaving the stadium during the ’99 European Cup final. One goal down, less than two minutes to go, Utd score two and win it…Priceless
by larryhagmansliver on Dec 27, 2011 12:07 AM CST up reply actions
Yeah, well, I wouldn't want to watch Man Utd either.
;)
Live And Stupid From England
by JonesTheCat on Dec 27, 2011 6:52 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I forgot one of my pet peeves, as well
Do not go for 2 possessions with 30 seconds left. All you get are 2 rushed shots. Take your time and get 1 good look and then play tough defense.
Agreed.
And it wasn’t even 30 seconds. I assume you’re referring to Ridnour’s hoist? I think there were 26 seconds at the time. Just trying to preserve that potential 2 second final posession. He’s a freaking idiot.
Ugh....
That hoist made me wanna barf. Not worth it at all if you take a terrible shot on the first possession. That’s one reason I can’t stand it when Luke is in at the end. He seems to think it’s better for him to take a horrible shot than it is to run the offense.
Luke is a point guard who cannot deal with time pressure. What did we expect?
I explained what a dumb thing that was to my two fellow watchers at that moment, but they were already sick of hearing my frustrations about Luke.
"Opinion ...a confession."
Totally agree on both points
I gave away my extra ticket to my out-of-town sister who was attending her first game, and I mentioned that the arena was 3x as full as I’d ever seen it. One complaint that she had and I’m sure some agree with: ease off on the music. If you don’t know when to cheer and/or harass the other team, you’re going to learn really quickly this year.
One interesting thing: a teenager in an OKC shirt was very vocal during the end of the game. I remarked to my sister that if this had been a game at the old Met, my dad or uncle would’ve thrown a glass bottle at him by now. Some 40-year-old took his hat and threw it down to the bottom of the 2nd level, and then someone else threw it down to the first level. In Minnesota, that’s as close to fan aggression as one will see.
The good news is hopeful doesn't mean dumb. The bad news is cynical doesn't mean smart. -- Sarah Silverman
by pagingstanleyroberts on Dec 27, 2011 9:39 AM CST up reply actions
RE: Wes
I didn’t like the pick at the time and don’t feel any different today but maybe he is struggling at the two guard because he isn’t a two guard. Hell, he played more four than two in school. Wes can have a decent career in this league but not in the role he is being asked to play.
by larryhagmansliver on Dec 27, 2011 12:03 AM CST reply actions
Great write-up, S-n-P.
- Rubio is the balls. Awesome to see him stick a jumper late.
- Wes Johnson needs to be moved before this roster is evaluated. Take any pick 22ish or higher in return.
- Derrick Williams made me reasonably happy at points.
- Malcolm Lee might not be good. Wes is definitely not good. What could possibly be lost?
- RICK FUCKING ADELMAN: Thank you for signing with us.
- I can’t wait for more games.
by TheH on Dec 27, 2011 12:11 AM CST reply actions 5 recs
Are the 76ers, still interest in
Wes for Turner!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
Turner is somehow still not starting
Which is the 2nd biggest wtf in the NBA behind Harden
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
Not saying, I'm just saying
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=7g785fe
Follow me on Twitter @timallenonline
Noooooooooooooooo!
"Of what use is a philosopher who does not hurt anybody's feelings?" -Diogenes of Sinope
by Cynical Jason on Dec 27, 2011 12:40 AM CST up reply actions
This
is the deal I want, or rather the player I want. We need a guy who can lock down the KDs of the league and who’s career will be lengthened by having Rubio set him up.
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 9:08 AM CST up reply actions
I'm
all for this, but I don’t see the scenario that would induce the 76ers to do it.
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
A good rule of thumb for the Trade Machine...
If one team gains 19 wins and the other loses 19….probably ain’t gonna happen. I know one man’s trash is another’s treasure, but…
I know
that’s the frustrating part. We need some of our guys to start looking like they’re up coming so we can get a deal like this done.
But I suppose I should get real. What’s encouraging for me is that identifying Iggy as the kind of guy we need at the two is good. The tough part is finding that player. If we’re about rolling the dice on an unproven guy, well, Malcolm Leeeeee!!! Come on down!!!!!
Otherwise I would love to get in on nabbing Iggy some how, some way, without parting with Love, Rubio, or Williams (in that order).
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 9:56 AM CST up reply actions
And people didn't think Andre was worth the salary.
19 hypothetical wins!
If the Sixers fall out of the playoff picture early
they undoubtedly will be looking to move Iggy’s contract
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
But how bad do you have to be
to get counted out of the playoff picture in the East? They may have some top teams now, but they’ll still have 1-2 sub-.500 teams in the playoffs.
Correr como un lobo.
Heh, plus 7 wins
And another tattoo
You can't dust for vomit.
FTFY
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=74whzwq
You know, as if we could convince Cuban that taking our 3 most questionable players (Aside from Beasley) in exchange for a proven 2G is a good move for his club.
Mavs are not taking contracts beyond this year
They are stocking expiring deals for next Summer.
They might have interest in Beasley.
I can predict the future using Norm Van Lier's crystal balls.
"Sam has a tendency to denigrate reports coming from any reporter who didn’t also cover the day Naismith first put up the peach baskets." - snley
by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2011 8:09 AM CST up reply actions
I thought about trying it with Beasley...
But I am not sure the Wolves are interested in trading him, in part because I don’t know what they’d actually be able to get, and if it’s any better than simply keeping him and seeing if his value rises.
My guess is that if Beasley gets traded,
it’s gonna be at the deadline.
"Life has become immeasurably better since I have been forced to stop taking it seriously."
— Hunter S. Thompson
Hell, I'd still throw Pek and Wes to Memphis for Mayo
Yeah, I know he’s kinda “bleh”, but he shoots OK, handles the ball fairly well and could easily rotate in with JJ or Rubio. It works in the trade machine and would allow us to use Ridnour in a deadline trade for a draft pick/young player with potential.
"Life has become immeasurably better since I have been forced to stop taking it seriously."
— Hunter S. Thompson
Grrrrrr.
"Of what use is a philosopher who does not hurt anybody's feelings?" -Diogenes of Sinope
by Cynical Jason on Dec 27, 2011 10:53 PM CST up reply actions
Sweet write up
and hope Winston get well soon!
by abcnerdd on Dec 27, 2011 12:19 AM CST reply actions 1 recs
They might sign J.R. Smith
after he becomes eligible to play from China. In March. Not the best, but better than what they have. As long as they don’t overpay.
ugh
Possibly my least favorite player in the league. He is a huge Dbag. Makes McCants seem likeable.
Interviewer: Can you understand why teams value potential ahead of experience and accomplishment in the draft? Wes Johnson: "Yeah. I understand. It’s the youngness of everything – older guys like young women, so it’s the same way."
by Xand1 on Dec 27, 2011 12:38 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
killed his best friend in a car crash
that’s a no no
Joe Mauer grounded out to second
Bill Smith - Buy high, Hold high, Sell for a bag of chips
Thank You
Glad someone finally called out the fact that Wes is a shooter who cannot shoot.
I’d love to turn Beas + Wes into a good shooting guard, but I don’t see it happening until the former shows shot selection and the latter shows anything at all.
Wes shot 69% from the FT line last year
I know it’s a small sample size, but if you’re supposedly a “shooter”…
Looking for tickets to Wolves' 2011 NBA Preseason Champion ring ceremony, banner unfurling. Please contact
by Black Jack Davy on Dec 27, 2011 9:47 AM CST up reply actions
Yes, for all of his negatives
this one doesn’t receive the attention it deserves.
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
In his defense...
when looking at Wes’ FT%, we are dealing with a very small sample size.
by vjl110 on Dec 27, 2011 10:19 AM CST up reply actions 3 recs
Peanut and I are pulling for Winston..
Rubio just tweeted that they are already in Milwaukee. Hope they have the energy tomorrow…
Correct me if I’m wrong, but..are you saying that the Wolves 3Pt% is not sustainable? ;p
All in all, we are who we thought we were. Beas, Wes, Love, Luke, AT, Energy Darko, AR….all pretty much what we expected. Williams is a rookie, but showed something. Rubio and Barea as good as advertised, or better. Put it all in a competent system with energy and we’re an average 2 way SG (like Martell perhaps) from being a team that can grow into something dangerous.
He who rides a wolf cannot dismount.
Darko
was not what I expected last night. Darko had only three games all of last year where he reached double figures in scoring in 21 minutes or less of playing time. He had one game (his season high) where he attempted as many free throws as he did last night (yes, Darko matched last year’s season high for FTAs last night). And he only had 8 games where he shot the ball as well or better than last night. In fact, he only had two games last year where he reached double figures on only 6 shots.
Probably an outlier, but I think it’s definitely a little of the Rubio/Adelman effect as well. Dude looked like he was clearly our best center prospect, and I loved the defense he was playing on Perkins (who appeared to think that he was way stronger than Darko). If Darko keeps this up – only shooting 4-6 shots per game, attempting 2-3 FTAs, playing D – it will be a very pleasant surprise.
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 9:17 AM CST up reply actions
No doubt that was ideal Darko
Whether he is capable of that consistently is another matter, but he was clearly an asset last night.
The Wolves are like the worst meal you've ever had--terrible while you're eating it and even worse later.
by Eric in Madison on Dec 27, 2011 9:50 AM CST up reply actions
They just need to have someone try to steamroll him at the start of every game
Let him floor the guy and then get his badass on.
by Stop-n-Pop on Dec 27, 2011 9:51 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Hey!
I’ve got a great idea for a role for Pek!
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 9:56 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Yeah..
..‘Ideal’ is a much better modifier for Darko than ‘Energy.’ My point was Darko is what we hope to expect – solid D, limited minutes, used on offense in a non-damaging way. Expected in the sense he’s not doing anything he isn’t capable of doing. Clearly the FTs were gravy. And, as alluded to in the game thread, we’ve seen Ideal Darko pop up every so often only to fade away.
So, for the 247th time in Darko’s career…if he can play like this every night he’s…well, you know.
He who rides a wolf cannot dismount.
was Jack Sikma coaching him up all night?
one thing i believe, if darko’s head is right I really think he just wants to be part of a winning team and would accept an important role equaling 15-25 minutes a night depending on the matchup.
http://loisaidabbclub.tumblr.com/
Twitter: @loisaidabbclub
by beatsandpeasnyc on Dec 27, 2011 9:58 AM CST up reply actions
I agree with this.
Although it is mostly just my belief based upon watching his reactions during games (on the court and the bench) and extrapolating based on his comments, rather than anything he’s explicitly said.
Ya
I’m not sure Darko is the most well liked guy on the team. Or maybe he’s just more of the guy who’s always Denny Downer and everyone’s tired of trying to cheer him up. Winning some games and doing well in a role might be really good for Darko. I think Rambis gave him a very poor role last year. Hopefully Adelman will give him a better one.
Also, I think it’s easier for Darko to accept 20 minutes a night when the guy playing center instead of him is Kevin Love. I’m pretty sure Darko respects what kind of player Love is and just wants to win.
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 10:34 AM CST up reply actions
Darko looked solid.
Even made his hook shots.
I loved how he gave Perkins the forearm shiver in the first quarter of the first game of the season. I love intense Darko.
Get well, Winston.
(I’m a jerk to people sometimes, but I’m a sucker for animals.)
"Of what use is a philosopher who does not hurt anybody's feelings?" -Diogenes of Sinope
by Cynical Jason on Dec 27, 2011 12:31 AM CST reply actions 2 recs
Thanks
And thanks to everyone for the kind words for the dog. I’m not a vet but I got pretty alarmed when I was told that he had ingested six times the toxic dose and that his “blood sugar count” (I may have misheard this one) was 47 when it should have been over 200.
It sucked. Santa gave into a very specific wish this year for gum and he brought a tub of it to the oldest daughter. She zipped it up in her travel bag but the dog found its way in there. 100 pieces of sugar free gum with .75g of the crazy chemical in each piece. One second my wife is playing tag with the daughters and the dog and the next second Winston is on the floor as rigid as a board. After about 30 seconds of this he starts to seize. When I picked him up to take him to the car he gave me one of those “What is going on?” looks. That just about did it for me.
We got him to the vet and they gave him an IV of some sort of sugar solution and pumped his stomach. We’re hoping that his stomach didn’t absorb all of the gum but we’re not too optimistic on this front. His liver could be destroyed and, if that’s the case, we’ll have some decisions to make.
We always knew he’d go to the big doghouse in the sky by either eating something or getting hit by a car (he looooovvveeess to jump the fence and run out to joggers…he absolutely loves people). It’s one thing to tell yourself that this is just what kind of dog he is and that this is the way he’ll go; it’s another to actually see it happen in real time.
That's very sad. I hope things get better for Winston.
Follow me on Twitter @timallenonline
by TimAllen on Dec 27, 2011 9:49 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
This is also the philosophy
behind GingrichCare.
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
Is it available
for sale? He should spend more time marketing his excellent and useful products. Perhaps he can bring in his lovely wife to help out.
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
His campaign is either political comedy at its very finest...
….or the greatest mailing list/book pitch of all time.
Hey, Herman Cain and Sarah Palin have dropped out of the race already. Leave them alone!
Oh wait, you’re talking about new frontrunner #89. My bad.
Gary, you didn't kill your brother. Those gorillas did.
If you look at the field of GOP candidates (%)...
they all seem like rejected outlines for the title character in the movie “Bob Roberts”. I keep thinking this is all satire of some kind; an elaborate skit put on by Comedy Central produced by Colbert and Stewart
"Life has become immeasurably better since I have been forced to stop taking it seriously."
— Hunter S. Thompson
It should be embarrassing for us as a country
that a significant portion of the U.S. wants Newt Gingrich to be the President of the United States.
Follow me on Twitter @timallenonline
This week,
any way . . .
The greater embarrassment is to western Wisconsin, from which the current Mrs. Gingrich (for now) AND Marcus Bachmann have sprung.
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
Or whatever hole Santorum came out of
His candidacy is so pathetic that I can’t decide if it’s funny or sad. The guy recently lost his Senate seat and thinks he can become President. He has been running almost dead last by a huge margin for some time now, openly panders (heck, almost begs) for endorsements he will never get, and has a permanently desperate look on his face. One of the only good things I can say about this nomination process is that Santorum isn’t in the frothy mix at all.
Gary, you didn't kill your brother. Those gorillas did.
by nja700 on Dec 27, 2011 1:51 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs
I see what you did there.
"Of what use is a philosopher who does not hurt anybody's feelings?" -Diogenes of Sinope
by Cynical Jason on Dec 27, 2011 2:58 PM CST up reply actions
It's even more pathetic
because he’s leaving a very ill daughter at home to chase a completely hopeless campaign.
There is something of
a psychosis that drives some people towards running for office.
Tune in this week to "At the Movies With MAYNHOLUP and Jonny Flynn":
Jonny: OMG Salt was so good Angeline Jolie kicked some serious butt in that movie
MAYNHOLUP: mayn fuck u Jonny Flynn
Here's a pretty good representation of that
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ5cGYBV2TQ
Gary, you didn't kill your brother. Those gorillas did.
by nja700 on Dec 27, 2011 3:41 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
That IS good . . .
If you squint, it could be this guy.
Tune in this week to "At the Movies With MAYNHOLUP and Jonny Flynn":
Jonny: OMG Salt was so good Angeline Jolie kicked some serious butt in that movie
MAYNHOLUP: mayn fuck u Jonny Flynn
GAH!
Flag it! Flag it! At least brown bag it.
I can predict the future using Norm Van Lier's crystal balls.
"Sam has a tendency to denigrate reports coming from any reporter who didn’t also cover the day Naismith first put up the peach baskets." - snley
by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2011 11:04 AM CST up reply actions
He cheated on a human wife
with that?
"Of what use is a philosopher who does not hurt anybody's feelings?" -Diogenes of Sinope
by Cynical Jason on Dec 27, 2011 1:46 PM CST up reply actions
He loved that she always seemed to be paying attention to him,
when so many others look visibly bored when he speaks.
by Madison Dan on Dec 27, 2011 1:48 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs
I think the bigger surprise
Is that multiple human women have thought he was a catch. Notorious blowhard with a tattered marriage history that includes him leaving his cancer-stricken wife? Jackpot! Maybe they’re impressed that he’s so dedicated to his life mission of inflating his ego to the point where his “big head” is roughly the same size as his actual head.
Gary, you didn't kill your brother. Those gorillas did.
The cancer wife story is a myth
Gingrich’s daughter finally wrote the op/ed to bury that corpse.
I can predict the future using Norm Van Lier's crystal balls.
"Sam has a tendency to denigrate reports coming from any reporter who didn’t also cover the day Naismith first put up the peach baskets." - snley
by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2011 2:02 PM CST up reply actions
Well, he certainly seems like
a wonderful man otherwise, so that settles it for me.
Tune in this week to "At the Movies With MAYNHOLUP and Jonny Flynn":
Jonny: OMG Salt was so good Angeline Jolie kicked some serious butt in that movie
MAYNHOLUP: mayn fuck u Jonny Flynn
Where did this come from?
Tune in this week to “At the Movies With MAYNHOLUP and Jonny Flynn”:
Jonny: OMG Salt was so good Angeline Jolie kicked some serious butt in that movie
MAYNHOLUP: mayn fuck u Jonny Flynn
-love it
Right
here.
Tune in this week to "At the Movies With MAYNHOLUP and Jonny Flynn":
Jonny: OMG Salt was so good Angeline Jolie kicked some serious butt in that movie
MAYNHOLUP: mayn fuck u Jonny Flynn
I got it now..
But I don’t know how much more of this my Z key can take.
Okey doke
My bad. Makes him less reprehensible to be sure, but everything else is still pretty awful.
Gary, you didn't kill your brother. Those gorillas did.
Other explanations for Newt's current rise:
Aliens shot a mind-erase ray at the planet that caused those who viewed it to forget the 90s. This ray was delivered via either Fox News or…gasp…a certain direct mailing list. Maybe Newt is not one of us.
The cancer story is 98% true
but Newt “debunked” the less used version that said she was dying. The rest of the story has been confirmed by many people including the ex-wife. Apparently the fight got so intense people down the hall could listen to it.
Newt admits he went to her post-op bed to talk about divorce. Newt was the one who filed for that divorce and it was contested by his wife. All part of the record.
Newt is a dirtbag who lies about history, economics and anything else that comes out of his mouth. He is a classic Southern Democrat and proof that Richard Nixon destroyed the GOP when he let the white trash in.
Correr como un lobo.
I like this quote which started making the rounds today I believe
“You know and I know that she’s not young enough or pretty enough to be the wife of a president.”
-Gingrich on his first wife shortly before their divorce
Keep up hope
Dogs are able to recover from incredible things. My fiancee’s parent’s dog has had 4 operations for intestinal blockages, nearly died a few times from them, and is still running around in only the way a Springer Spaniel can.
Having said that, I think you’ll know if Winston is ready to go. We had a min-pin who was fine when we left, and when we came back an hour later was paralyzed from the neck down due to a spinal embollism. Apparently dogs can recover from this and he fought for 3-4 days, but then suddenly we just knew it was OK to let him go. He was done fighting. I can’t explain it other than that when you spend a lot of time with your dog and you know them well, you can just see it in them when they’re ready.
Best of luck Winston!
(ps – named after Churchill?)
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 10:00 AM CST up reply actions
attachments tyo dogs
yep, it is crazy. When my dog died at 11 years of age and I was forty, I cried like a baby. I had no idea I could get that emotional over a dog. I hope the best for Winston.
One valuable lesson out of the experience should be what that crazy chemical can do to living things and livers, brains and who knows what else in the body. Yes, Winston ate a rather large dose, but your daughter shouldn’t be exposed to the chemical at all. You might want to caution her about the dangers of aspertame and sugar free gum. Winston might provide a knowing exampe.
by Andy B on Dec 27, 2011 11:01 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
Of course, still pulling for him..
..but as a side point…
I think it was probably xylitol (another chemical sweetener), and not aspartame, causing the serious problems. Not that it particularly matters at this point.
He who rides a wolf cannot dismount.
You sound like
you know about what you are talking.
Tune in this week to "At the Movies With MAYNHOLUP and Jonny Flynn":
Jonny: OMG Salt was so good Angeline Jolie kicked some serious butt in that movie
MAYNHOLUP: mayn fuck u Jonny Flynn
Not directly.
When I got my first dog (Peanut, my avatar) I heard that grapes could make dogs sick. This was news to me since my Aunt gave grapes to her Golden all the time when I was growing up. So, I became obsessed with talking to Humane Society/SPCA vets about things dangerous for dogs to ingest.
But, in the end, it doesn’t much matter since nobody wants their dog to eat human candy or heavily processed foods anyway.
He who rides a wolf cannot dismount.
That's why we
grow our own aspartame. Then we know from whence it comes.
Tune in this week to "At the Movies With MAYNHOLUP and Jonny Flynn":
Jonny: OMG Salt was so good Angeline Jolie kicked some serious butt in that movie
MAYNHOLUP: mayn fuck u Jonny Flynn
you should sell that at the farmers market
"Pinch-bunters don't have a ton of value, even with the Twins"
by Steven Ellingson on Dec 27, 2011 3:38 PM CST via Android app up reply actions
We did grow our own stevia.
It’s a sweetener that I don’t think has been found to have any bad implications.
I know I shouldn't...
…but I blank out with medical advice, animal or otherwise. I’m married to a nurse and I just dumbly point at/reference her when the doc/vet says something. It very well could have been xylitol.
That's rough
We have three dogs in our pack, and I know if any one of them had an incident like this, I would be definitely upset but the lady (and kids I would imagine if we had any) would be emotionally destroyed. Good luck this week for the n-Pop household.
Michael Beasley is a Small Forward. Derrick Williams is a Power Forward.
Stomach-pumpings.... takes me back.
The Newfie ingested 23 entire Halloween gift bags for a kid party. All of 23 little bags, each of which contained a rubber “bloody finger” with a long claw, a foil-wrapped chocolate-and-PB “eye,” a plastic spider ring, and something paper-ish.
Worried about the chocolate, I took her in. That wasn’t the issue – it wasn’t baking chocolate, and her body size made the dose inconsequential – but to get the fingers out and prevent intestinal complications, I decides to pump her stomach.
So a while later, I’m in the waiting area. There are three old ladies there. Two have cats in carriers, one has a little chihuahua or something like that in her lap. The vet tech comes out and tells me “We got her to throw up all but one of the fingers”….
And all the ladies’s eyes became extremely wary as they scooted away from me in their chairs, wondering what the heck kind of monster I kept at home.
"Opinion ...a confession."
by feral on Dec 27, 2011 12:46 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I'd pay good money
to see the looks on those old ladies’ faces.
"Of what use is a philosopher who does not hurt anybody's feelings?" -Diogenes of Sinope
by Cynical Jason on Dec 27, 2011 1:49 PM CST up reply actions
Best of luck SnP
My kitty had some distressing issues pop up a few months ago (spontaneous feline anorexia is a thing, apparently) and I was distraught. I hope your time of worry is brief and the outcome as positive as possible.
Interviewer: Can you understand why teams value potential ahead of experience and accomplishment in the draft? Wes Johnson: "Yeah. I understand. It’s the youngness of everything – older guys like young women, so it’s the same way."
by Xand1 on Dec 27, 2011 12:57 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
Get well, Winston.
Buddy, the Siamese, is pulling for you.
by Boss10 on Dec 27, 2011 12:37 AM CST reply actions 1 recs
What exactly is the consensus on beas
I realize his shooting percentage wasn’t spectacular tonight (11-27?) and some of his shot selection was questionable at best but I still feel like he’s one of the top offensive threats on the team being able to score it Inside And out. Basically i’m just wondering who your suggesting playing the 3 if not beas and who takes the majority of the shots ifnot beas??
by flynnformvp on Dec 27, 2011 12:54 AM CST via mobile reply actions
Here's my take on Beasley last night
and to be fair – I had to miss the 4th quarter, so I don’t know what he did then.
I was surprised to look up the stats during the game and find out that he had taken so many shots (like in the 3rd quarter or something). There were parts of the game where he was launching long two’s and iso’ing too much – but it seemed like this was part the plan for his role. But then there were other parts where he was either cleaning up little misses or receiving passes into the paint and converting. I swear he scored 3 or 4 baskets in a row this way at one point.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that I thought he showed some steps taken towards being an offensive force within the flow of the offense, but there was also a lot of what we saw last year. To be honest I didn’t necessarily have an issue with him being iso’d on offense, it’s just that he looked a little rusty doing it. It’s like he just didn’t have the confidence to blow past guys to the hoop, and I wonder if that is part of the reason Adelman is letting him iso so much. Give Beas some experience and opportunity remembering how it is he used to play at KState. KD and Westbrook were the perfect foils – no indecision, just BAM! make the move and go. Beasley was still thinking too much out there in his iso attempts.
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 9:23 AM CST up reply actions
Beas
will be fine when he isn’t playing with Luke, he feels he needs to take dumb shots before Luke jacks them up.
by Adam Chandler on Dec 27, 2011 9:52 AM CST up reply actions
Well
Beasley and Ridnour were -5 while on the floor together.
Beasley and Barea were +10 while on the floor together.
Beasley and Rubio were -5 while on the floor together.
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 10:06 AM CST up reply actions
Beasley can't do anything right
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
Gotta let it go man..
..haters gonna hate… and beas needs to shoot a bit better.
What I saw watching the game was a couple times he had the ball at the rim and would shoot, miss, board, shoot, miss, board, shoot, make. Two of those series of actions adds up fairly quickly to the shot total.
The Wolves need a post-up option
They ran 18 post-up plays tonight and were only 5-of-14 in those attempts. Their most effective offensive option was the pick-and-roll, where they went 12-of-20.
Follow me on Twitter @timallenonline
the Darko Post Option
was not sorely missed last night, this is a step forward in our post game at least.
http://loisaidabbclub.tumblr.com/
Twitter: @loisaidabbclub
by beatsandpeasnyc on Dec 27, 2011 8:35 AM CST up reply actions
That was a lot of Beasley missing fadeaways.
It was cool to see the emphasis on actually getting him the ball in the post, but it kind of defeats the purpose when he fades back rather than going to the basket.
Pek?
Looking for tickets to Wolves' 2011 NBA Preseason Champion ring ceremony, banner unfurling. Please contact
by Black Jack Davy on Dec 27, 2011 10:06 AM CST up reply actions
I hear this guy in Utah is pretty good
Maybe we should call them up!
Interviewer: Can you understand why teams value potential ahead of experience and accomplishment in the draft? Wes Johnson: "Yeah. I understand. It’s the youngness of everything – older guys like young women, so it’s the same way."
by Xand1 on Dec 27, 2011 12:59 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
Dude.. I am pulling for your dog..
My wife insisted on getting a dog for several years. I didn’t initially want to for a multitude of reasons, but I relented last year. We have had our dog, Bolt, a chihuahua and miniature pinscher mix, for a little over a year and I would be devastated if something happened to him. I am 36 years old and I have no quams saying that. As such, I am pulling for you and your dog.
How much longer until Rubio is starting?
Luke falling over on Westbrook’s crossover was embarassing.
I agree. I'm guessing Adelman is trying to build
Ricky’s confidence a bit. Let him come in against a 2nd string PG and have some success.
I’m guessing Ricky is starting by mid-January at the latest.
"It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future." -- Yogi Berra
by Wile E Coyote on Dec 27, 2011 1:12 AM CST up reply actions
Jerry Sloan is coaching Deron Williams, yes.
Veteran coach, bringing the rookie in to face the Eric Maynors first. Sloan started people like Keith McLeod when he had the rookie Deron on the roster.
Luke would be so much more comfortable as a backup, though. Starting isn’t really doing him a big favor.
"Opinion ...a confession."
Hopefully not too much longer.
The team is better with him on the court. Much, much better. Although, as long as Rubio’s out there in the 4th quarter I could live with giving Luke the start.
Holy Balls, the amount of Winston comments are disgusting.
You Dog people need………I’ll stop…..No I won’t.
Marley and Me only works if Marley is preceded by Bob or proceeded by Matlin.
by googoleeoottooooleeoottooooleeeatta on Dec 27, 2011 1:39 AM CST reply actions
Once again I'm clueless
Exactly what does it mean to be “proceeded by?” I would normally assume you mean “preceded by” but you obviously don’t, since you use that for Bob.
You can't dust for vomit.
"Holy Balls, the amount of Winston comments are disgusting."
You don’t normally post like a douchebag. What’s with this?
"Of what use is a philosopher who does not hurt anybody's feelings?" -Diogenes of Sinope
by Cynical Jason on Dec 27, 2011 2:47 AM CST up reply actions 2 recs
Drugs?
“Noooo! What are you here for?”
“Drugs.”
You can't dust for vomit.
Ha...yeah, I was gone.
I dunno….there was a particularly large amount of dog comments after a really great TWolves game, and dog people just…..it’s like, Westbrook : Rubio :: Me : Dog People.
But, yes, complete douchebaggery and I will accept and wear the Scarlet D today.
I apologize to everyone, especially Winston, who I do hope makes a speedy recovery here.
And I still hate dog people.
by googoleeoottooooleeoottooooleeeatta on Dec 27, 2011 1:09 PM CST up reply actions
Dude, that's rude
Don’t hate dog people, just hate the dogs.
But having said that, if I ever moved back to the country I’d have to get one. No dog and the deer will eat your garden every time. They also keep the feral cats away, and warn you when rabid animals try to next under the porch. (All reasons why I moved to town.)
Correr como un lobo.
googoleeoottooooleeoottooooleeeatta, has your account been hacked by an a$$hole?
"Only God is an expert, Ernie."
I can only assume this is some sort of meta critique of trolling
The artist formally known as Blakeley
Some random drunk thoughts on the game tonight...
- We hung with a team many believe is the best in the West, despite shooting 3/22 from downtown. Can’t be mad about that.
- Rubio plays like a veteran. He looks comfortable and never really plays outside of himself. Westbrook worked him over a couple times though, so it’ll be interesting to see how he handles more athletic PGs over the course of the season. This has always been a concern with him, so no surprise.
- Would like to see some minutes for Malcolm Lee. Hopefully RA is just making him work for it.
- Other than the absence of Lee, I liked the rotation. Adelman wasn’t lying when he said it doesn’t matter who starts, it matters who finishes. Despite Luke getting the start, he only played 18 minutes to Rubio’s 26.
- JJ Barea was a +11 and he showed why on the court. Wasn’t crazy about the signing at first but he’s so scrappy it’s hard not to love him.
- I’m a big Wes apologist, but he was awful tonight…just awful.
- Anthony Tolliver validates my love of the Wolves every time he takes a charge. I really hope we hold on to him for a while. He’s the best.
- No big thoughts on Derrick Williams…haven’t decided if that’s a good or bad thing yet.
- Same for Darko…decided that’s a GREAT thing.
- Loved the AR trade last year but he’s really struggling. I hope he gets it together.
- Can’t wait for tomorrow night…League Pass through 1/8 FTW.
Have a good night guys, drunk rambling over…NOW.
by LosAngelesTWolf on Dec 27, 2011 1:42 AM CST reply actions 1 recs
Westbrook worked him over a couple times though
True…but he tried to work him over a lot more than that.
by googoleeoottooooleeoottooooleeeatta on Dec 27, 2011 1:44 AM CST up reply actions
And I'd argue Ricky worked Westbrook over as well a couple times.
he was getting inside pretty easy tonight despite Westbrook sagging off him. And you could tell Westbrook was a bit frustrated by the end of the game.
by Bad News Wolves on Dec 27, 2011 1:55 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Everyone gets worked by Westbrook
Thr guy might have the best first step in the league. Ricky held his own fairly well all things considered, I’d say.
He also passed it between Westbrook’s legs and generally did enough to piss him off that he earned a stare down after that backdoor dunk. Thought that was particularly amusing.
Interviewer: Can you understand why teams value potential ahead of experience and accomplishment in the draft? Wes Johnson: "Yeah. I understand. It’s the youngness of everything – older guys like young women, so it’s the same way."
by Xand1 on Dec 27, 2011 1:05 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
Looks something like Devin Hester returning a punt in the open court.
Not sure how to stop him in transition. Much like Monta Ellis in how much better his game looks when things are going up and down.
Not to be contrarian
But I don’t think OKC fans are down on their team because they barely beat a 17-win team. A win is a win is a win. And a loss is a loss is a loss. We can be PLENTY mad about that. We should be 1-0 looking at 2-0 looking at 5-2 after the initial stretch…looking at playoffs. No? Why not? The Wolves shot poorly from three, but what lost the game are many of the same stupid things.
Just do the right things, Wes. C’mon Beas, you cost us maybe 6-8 points when you went into your “I’m the guy, I’m stopping the ball” routine 10-12 times. As I said on another thread, he’ll get three buckets in those situations, whereas moving it within a Rubio/Barea offense will get three or four more. That’s the difference in the game, if I’m right.
You can't dust for vomit.
by twinstalker on Dec 27, 2011 2:42 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
To wit: We lost a close one to OKC last season too.
There are no consolation losses this year. The draft pick won’t be better, it’ll be worse ‘cause it’ll be someone else’s. Win every game you can.
(Could not agree more about Beasley.)
"Opinion ...a confession."
Good thoughts
Agree in particular about Ricky and JJ.
The single most impressive thing about Ricky is his composure. He jmisn’t overwhelmed in the least. He plays cool and collected and doesn’t make stupid mistakes. Thst is incredible for a 21 yo PG. Guess all that pro and international experience really did mold him.
Interviewer: Can you understand why teams value potential ahead of experience and accomplishment in the draft? Wes Johnson: "Yeah. I understand. It’s the youngness of everything – older guys like young women, so it’s the same way."
by Xand1 on Dec 27, 2011 1:07 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
It takes a really special player to go pro at 14 regardless of where...
His mentality has to be incredible
by LosAngelesTWolf on Dec 27, 2011 4:54 PM CST up reply actions
A few notes
-Ricky was as advertised with his passing. I was losing it on my couch on a few of those. He needs to be more of a presence offensively if only to at least present himself as a threat. The defense sagged off him a few times because they knew he wasn’t a risk to score. It’s been picky after one game though so I’m not worried. Great first game.
-Wes does look like he’s basically just a designated shooter who just isn’t hitting his shots. I still have hope for him though. Plenty of guys struggle with their shot at times and I think he can put it together. I think he honestly tries to do too much at times. People want him to be a take it to the hole SG but I don’t think he needs to do that. If he can just knock down J’s and play good D that’s enough for me. Leave the creating and ball handling to Ricky and JJ. I actually think he’s more of a 2 than a 3 though. I think he’d get worked by many of the stronger 3’s in the league. I still think the Shawn Marion comparison could come true though.
KLove-Had a very solid game and a performance like tonight is almost expected of him at this point. Hard to find too many flaws though he does have a tendency to expect a few too many calls for my liking. Tonight was not an ideal game IMO for him to be running the 5. Perkins didn’t really do anything offensively to anyone, but they got into the paint too easily at times and KLove just isn’t long enough to disrupt many shots and neither is Tolliver or DWill. Very solid game though.
Beasley-He is what he is. A chucker. Yes he can score, but he will take a ton of shots. He won’t get the Lebron type calls and to be fair not many SFs do in this league outside of Lebron, Melo and Durant. If he works his way to that level while piping down on his attitude he might start to get those. He does force WAY too many shots and the ISOs do kill the offense at times in a way that the Darko ISOs did last year. Still he’s the best shot creator on this team until further notice. He actually did try on D for most of the game too, just sucks it was against Durant.
Luke-Really looks like he didn’t touch a basketball all summer. I completely understand the situation with his kid, he just doesn’t look ready to play yet, I can’t imagine Rubio coming off the bench for more than 10-15 games.
JJ-Gave the Wolves a big spark off the bench that they didn’t really have last year except for the last few when AR showed up. Great hustle, gets to the basket and a huge addition to this team. Look forward to seeing more from him.
DWill-A big of a mixed bag for me on him, but not at all disappointed because it was his first game. He does have a bit of Beasley chucker in him as he took some meh shots and a few head down drives to the basket, but he does rebound harder and even had KLove surprised on a few since Love never had anyone else fighting for them last year. Solid first game, looking for more control down the line though.
-Darko needs to play more than 19 minutes per game in a game like tonight OR if he’s playing as well as he was tonight. He was under control with the hooks, actually got a few foul calls, and was actually a +4 on the game (one of only 3 players in the positive with Barea and Tolliver) Perkins did absolutely nothing while Darko was on him besides get angry (Perkins getting STOOD UP by Darko was awesome and shows you just how strong that guy is when a big fella like Perk runs into his shoulder and gets DROPPED. I hope that ends up on Youtube at some point. Reminded me of Darko on Dikembe years ago. He was able to score effectively and even made 4-6 free throws. I know I’m a Darko homer but he is THE ONLY inside defensive presence they have (aside from Tolliver’s SICK block) I want to see how he can play with Ricky since the two haven’t really shared the court yet. I know they Love the Beasley-Williams-Love-Tolliver rotation, but Darko needs to be in their for his defensive presence and if he can play like he did tonight and not hurt them on offense he needs to be there during crunch time.
ARandolph-I know as a GSW fan that the boneheaded plays will probably never stop, you just have to hope that when you get in a shootout with the Suns and teams like that that you can just lob balls up and he’ll catch them. If anyone can tell him to stop shooting jump shots his value to this team will go up tenfold.
Anyway, that’s my over analysis of one game. Saying good night from your biggest Twolves fan in California.
I'll give you biggest Twolves fan in San Jose...
but I’ll challenge you for biggest fan in California any day of the week :)
by LosAngelesTWolf on Dec 27, 2011 2:04 AM CST up reply actions
Agree on Darko
I thought he played well and could really help the team if he embraced an active, intimidating role on D.
"It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future." -- Yogi Berra
by Wile E Coyote on Dec 27, 2011 9:56 AM CST up reply actions
Completely agree about darko
I was at the game tonight and he definately has a defensive presence. There were probably 3 or 4 times when perk was backing him down and then tried a hook towards the middle but it fell short each time because the length daeko has that really no one else on the team can provide. However I would like to say I cringe a little bit every time he takes a shot. And one more note the tolliver block followed by the Williams dunk(?) was by far the coolest play of the night
by flynnformvp on Dec 27, 2011 10:42 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
Look, let's just get it out there: Beasley cost us the game when he didn't immediately throw it to Kevin for the open three with 40 seconds left and instead tried to ramshackle his way for a bucket.
And I heart Beas. But…yeah.
by googoleeoottooooleeoottooooleeeatta on Dec 27, 2011 1:58 AM CST reply actions
Considing the 3-22 from 3pt range
Didn’t Beasely choose wisely in driving to the rim?
I can predict the future using Norm Van Lier's crystal balls.
"Sam has a tendency to denigrate reports coming from any reporter who didn’t also cover the day Naismith first put up the peach baskets." - snley
by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2011 7:53 AM CST up reply actions
Ha, wow
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
I thought Beasley was better than OK
He’ll make more of those shots most nights (most nights he’ll score well over 30 on 27 shots). He’s a head case when he plays Durant but most important: he got fouled by Perkins at the end and should have had free throws. I thought we got mugged a lot for no calls last night so I blame Stern for this loss (I also blame him for last season, the season before, Garnett leaving, Starbury being a jerk, etc.)
If we play this well every night, we’ll win 33+ games this season.
Correr como un lobo.
Love was fouled on the same play
Thabo doesn’t get to box out with his elbows while moving left to right. That knocked Love to the floor.
I can predict the future using Norm Van Lier's crystal balls.
"Sam has a tendency to denigrate reports coming from any reporter who didn’t also cover the day Naismith first put up the peach baskets." - snley
by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2011 9:42 AM CST up reply actions
After what happened to the Celtics on Christmas, I'm not waiting around for the league to control its late-game refs.
Only glanced in at that game a couple of times, but Joey Crawford’s bald head was there in the foreground. Watching in glorious HD on a big screen, I could actually see him thinking about how to mess up the game one way or another.
We had some bad calls last night. Loves “traveling” with the make-up call on Rubio at the other end was pretty bad. But no Joey Crawford. Whew.
"Opinion ...a confession."
I thought this at first but after rewinding and watching again
Love wasn’t really open.
That was absolutely the worst Beasley play of the night
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
SnP
Im praying for your dog mayn, get well Winston.
I thought de filming scene in Super 8 right before and during de train crash wuz really good. de rest uv de movie wuz awful.
How fuckin good iz Ricky Rubio?!?!
MAYN HOL UP!
by MAYNHOLUP on Dec 27, 2011 2:33 AM CST reply actions 1 recs
"How fuckin good iz Ricky Rubio?!?!"
Really effing good.
"Of what use is a philosopher who does not hurt anybody's feelings?" -Diogenes of Sinope
by Cynical Jason on Dec 27, 2011 2:48 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
That filming scene was great
That girl can really, really act. Too bad he followed it up with a scene where a pickup truck causes a moving train to be catapulted backwards and explode.
That movie really pissed me off. On one hand, I get that the guy wants to be Spielberg. On the other hand, he completely FUBAR’d the execution of what should have been a good movie. He did some good things with the time-period aspect of the film, he set up a nice story that could have provided a vehicle for commentary about the Cold War…he even could have said some interesting things about how people shouldn’t always assume the motives of the people who hurt them. Instead, we get a physics-breaking mush fest that rejects everything that should make it great.
I kinda
liked the movie…..but I suspended all beliefs and just went with it. Since I’m a girl I can do the chickflick suspend reality thing though.
;) My wife loves chickflicks...
…and I’m just amazed how films geared towards women are in no way, shape, or form based in anything one would recognize as the real world. They are the most sci-fi movies of all. TV is even worse. Of course, the same can be said about most mens shows. It has become a disturbing trend over the past 20 years. You used to be able to find TV and movies that actually referenced the world you live in.
Even kids movies
The theme now seems to be “An eight-year-old, when thrown into a life-threatening situation, will somehow be adept at computer hacking, operating flying motorcycles at 100+ MPH, fighting dinosaurs with a wooden stick, pulling a grown man up from the edge of a cliff, all the while manipulating all the adults to solve a mystery and double-cross the bad guys.”
And it used to be 16 years, then 12 years. At this rate, babies will rule all in movies and the rest of us will all be props.
"It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future." -- Yogi Berra
by Wile E Coyote on Dec 27, 2011 10:20 AM CST up reply actions
What, you haven't seen Baby Geniuses yet?
In all seriousness, I think you two are sounding a little like the old guys who start sentences with, “in my day!”
Kids did pretty crazy things in movies like The Goonies, too. It’s just that the special effects weren’t as ridiculous back then.
Follow me on Twitter @timallenonline
by TimAllen on Dec 27, 2011 10:27 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
The Goonies actually referenced the real world
People were poor and going out of work. Houses got foreclosed on. Kids had real dreams and athsma. Teenagers thought about sex and swore. Fat people existed and geeks had crushes too.
The director kid in Super 8 was a little porky, too,
and while it has been a few months since I’ve seen it, I distinctly remember a nerd in it.
I’ll stop there with that becaues I’m not defending Super 8. I didn’t like that movie either. I just think your larger conclusion seems like a classic, “the music these kids listen to these days is just noise,” type of thing.
Follow me on Twitter @timallenonline
I like that Super 8 did that
It actually referenced Soviets, real people, etc.
I’m not going with the “these days” argument. Kids will always do things that piss off older people. I get that. My argument is that most movies and TV are becoming increasingly devoid of things and scenarios one can actually encounter in real life.
yea de thang wit Super 8
de premise wuz cool, de first hour wuz pretty intriguing mayn even if it wuz de most spielberg derivative thang i eva saw and i mean iss 2011 mayn get ya own style. Shining neon lights into de frame on every shot isnt a style.
de second half wuz like a differnet movie wit de SAME EXACT monster from Cloverfield an de snow sene in Star Trek im juss like aight JJ i get it u like dis monster a lot but move on homie like i said iss not 2008 anymo playa.
MAYN HOL UP!
by MAYNHOLUP on Dec 27, 2011 11:11 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
You and Jonny Flynn
should have your own "At The Movies’ TV show.
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
lmao
Jonny: OMG Salt was so good Angeline Jolie kicked some serious butt in that movie
MAYNHOLUP: mayn fuck u Jonny Flynn
MAYN HOL UP!
by MAYNHOLUP on Dec 27, 2011 1:05 PM CST up reply actions 12 recs
I'm stealing this vignette
for my tagline. Have your people call my people.
Tune in this week to "At the Movies With MAYNHOLUP and Jonny Flynn":
Jonny: OMG Salt was so good Angeline Jolie kicked some serious butt in that movie
MAYNHOLUP: mayn fuck u Jonny Flynn
by PoorDick on Dec 27, 2011 1:14 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I retweeted it
And it still makes me giggle. I’m pretty certain he read that, too. I can’t remember if it was about Salt, though.
How much would Marcus Thorton be worth to this team?
Or the already attempted to be traded Kevin Martin?
You mean the guy that went 1-10 tonight?
4 points, a steal and an assist in 33 minutes? Not far off Wes’ line.
Trade Wes Johnson for Rudy Fernandez
I can predict the future using Norm Van Lier's crystal balls.
"Sam has a tendency to denigrate reports coming from any reporter who didn’t also cover the day Naismith first put up the peach baskets." - snley
by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2011 7:53 AM CST up reply actions
Is a bazillion
more or less than a brazilian? Definitely less than umpteen million, right?
Correr como un lobo.
Darko
I didn’t watch closely enough to be sure, but the Darko transformation is awesome. I thought he played as well as he or any other center with his abilities could. He looked to move the ball when appropriate, he looked for his shot when appropriate. He was a presence defensively (not that he did much). This is the Darko I want. I am happy with this Darko.
You can't dust for vomit.
He's always played well against the Thunder and when not banged up.
He has his role and did well last night, but he’s a rotation player for this team.
600 N First Ave "like a Pirate's cove".
He plays well when he's used intelligently
Before last night, he was rarely used intelligently.
Correr como un lobo.
I hope
Darko remains a rotation player, because the guy who played last night in Darko’s jersey could be a huge help to this team. 20 minutes sounds about right, rotate him in and out with Love and Tolliver at center – maybe a few minutes of AR in a small ball running lineup. I really liked what I saw last night.
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 9:29 AM CST up reply actions
I was loving Darko
I loved the shoulder he gave Perkins
Darko was honestly my 5th favorite player last night
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
Can
anyone find the highlight of Tolliver’s block that led to DWills dunk???
Best wishes to Winston the loyal dog :(
Good stuff, the best for Winston. Hope he makes it. You should put that avatar back on :D
by Wim (Belgium) on Dec 27, 2011 5:28 AM CST reply actions 1 recs
Go Winston, indeed
Hope your dog pulls through. Been lurking for a while, but I had to create an account to pull for a sick dog on christmas. Hey, maybe if he pulls through he can be our new SG!
by tbone007420 on Dec 27, 2011 6:51 AM CST reply actions 1 recs
Much love to Winston from this side of the Atlantic.
I too have a dog that eats literally anything he can. He’s been to emergency vets and stuff after eating boxes and boxes of raisins, hope he’s back soon.
-
Game was a lot of fun, we stuck with the best team in the West.
Rubio/Barea was an inspired combination.
Darko putting Perkins on his arse was fantastic.
Looking forward to tonight.
Live And Stupid From England
Oh, and Westbrook.
I like the rest of OKC, but him and Perkins just make me want them to lose, every night.
Live And Stupid From England
If I had to punch one NBA player in the face...
… it very well might be Russell Westbrook.
Is that because you're worried Bynum would kill you?
600 N First Ave "like a Pirate's cove".
That depends if you get to kick him in the knee first
and I’m not sure it matters which one. It’s a lot harder to kill someone you can’t catch…or so I hear…
"My love for Jerry Kill knows no bounds." - Jeffrick
by TheEvilProfessor on Dec 27, 2011 11:03 AM CST up reply actions
Hard not to be Happy
Seeing some of the shots Durant made in the 2nd half along with many of our blown threes. We’ll keep learning more on a night in and night out basis. I’m thinking the next week will provide a good barometer on progress. A medicore Milwaukee team on the road, along with Western Contenders (Dal, Sa, and Memp) not to mention the Heat. With the possible exception of the Miami game (Barring a hot shooting night) winning some of these games would be signs of progress.
"Vote Ailuridae for Wolves GM"
Sugar Free gum
Like Sugar free soda, or anything, I always try to avoid. Winston’s heroic downing of two packs of sugar free gum is another example of anecdotal evidence of the dangers of aspertame. Seizures and craziness. Parents, if you are going to give your kids gum, error on the side of cavities over aspertame, seizures and craziness. Get well WInston
by Andy B on Dec 27, 2011 8:11 AM CST via mobile reply actions 1 recs
Imagine: Curry instead of Flynn
Many “hits” but woeful “misses” too
Where there is a D-Williams, there is a way
For a first game against a great team,
I thought the game was super fun to watch. I absolutely loved the lineup to close out the game.
I missed the whole first quarter and part of the second. When I tuned in, I saw Wes hit a 3-pointer and then make a couple of aggressive (if not successful) plays. I was thinking he might have turned some sort of psychological corner. From the tone of the thread, I’m guessing I missed the worst of it from him.
But for now, I’ll focus on how glad I am to have Rubio and that Williams looks like he’ll be at least OK (and maybe a lot better than that). I’m even trying to be open-minded about Beasley for at least a little while. My irrational hope is that Lee saves us at the 2-guard (by “saves”, I mean minimally competent). I know it’s unlikely, but 2nd round steals happen once in a while.
Williams looks like he might presently be OK already
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
I think Williams
might take 20 games to kind of find his role and figure out what will work in the NBA and what won’t. I think he’ll be OK tho. He’ll shoot a little better eventually, and get to the line better. That’ll help.
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 9:31 AM CST up reply actions
Williams appears to have some skills
but he is something of a black hole already, it seems. He had the same number of shot attempts as their best player in a lot fewer minutes.
The Wolves are like the worst meal you've ever had--terrible while you're eating it and even worse later.
by Eric in Madison on Dec 27, 2011 10:08 AM CST up reply actions
Ya
I wonder if this is part of Adelman’s comments about him needing to learn more. It looked too frequently that he was uncomfortable knowing/making the next pass in the flow, so he would end up waiting a split second too long and then decide to just put his head down and bull his way to the basket. Hopefully this is something that will get coached up as time goes on and as Williams gets more experience with what he can and can’t do at the NBA level.
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 10:36 AM CST up reply actions
He definitely was not a passer in college
So this shouldn’t be too surprising.
Michael Beasley is a Small Forward. Derrick Williams is a Power Forward.
Well, he had a couple times where he went up and got blocked or missed
and then immediately got the ball back and went up again, so his shot attempts are a little bit inflated.
6-8 at the rim, 0-2 from 3 to 9 feet, 0-4 from 3
I have no idea when these guys will get to watch the film with so few days without games. However, I doubt Adelman will tell Williams to pass up wide open three point attempts if there isn’t a better shot he can create off the dribble.
I can predict the future using Norm Van Lier's crystal balls.
"Sam has a tendency to denigrate reports coming from any reporter who didn’t also cover the day Naismith first put up the peach baskets." - snley
by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2011 12:19 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Only one thing I must add.
End of the game down 4 and Adelman calls a timeout. The following play results in a Derrick Williams layup. A recommend we pause and think about that for a second. The Rambis era is dead.
600 N First Ave "like a Pirate's cove".
by Airete on Dec 27, 2011 8:35 AM CST reply actions 5 recs
Heh--
Yes, and during the timeout Adelman appeared to be actually diagramming an actual play, rather than writing “SCORE” in giant letters on his whiteboard.
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
by PoorDick on Dec 27, 2011 8:40 AM CST up reply actions 4 recs
That was a great play
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
Yes, this shouldn't get lost in the shuffle.
A set play out of the timeout. I wonder if Adelman invented this concept or if it’s something other non-Wittman/Rambis coaches also use.
Except...
Why didn’t they call a timeout with the ball & 16 seconds left and down by 2?
Adelman
said he wanted to find out what they could do.
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 12:40 PM CST up reply actions
They ended up getting a shot at a three that Beasley passed up on and took to the rim to draw contact.
He didn’t get the whistle and missed, but that’s two good options. Let one of our 40% three point shooters get a clean look for the win or take it strong for and one ball for 0-3 points with the likely outcome being more than 1.
600 N First Ave "like a Pirate's cove".
Adelman on the non-call
During the game you could see Adelman motioning to the official that the foul happened on Beasley’s body, not the more obvious hacking his arm. His point was that it WAS a foul and should have been called.
After the game when asked about it, Adelman said "It wasn’t called therefore it wasn’t a foul. He said it in a matter of fact fashion and went on to say something about quick turnarounds and that our players need to move on.
I’d call that good NBA coaching.
Wait
Adelman said that? I must have misread that quote because I thought it was Beasley that said it.
Well, I guess Beasley did say it too.
“If the ref ain’t called it, then I didn’t get fouled,” Beasley said afterward.
http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolves/136241993.html
I can predict the future using Norm Van Lier's crystal balls.
"Sam has a tendency to denigrate reports coming from any reporter who didn’t also cover the day Naismith first put up the peach baskets." - snley
by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2011 1:10 PM CST up reply actions
Yep - Adelman was asked about that play.
I just watched it again on my DVR of Wolves Live to be sure.
Adelman said that Beasley did the right thing by driving to the hole and trying to get the foul. Adelman stuck up for the officials interpretation of the rules and emphasized that the Wolves need to keep their heads up and prepare for the next game. As a manager myself I always focus on leadership techniques and I can’t help but be impressed by the startling contrast between Adelman’s earnestness and Rambis’s smugness and lack of support for his players.
One thing I have noticed about good coaches is that their players often mimic what the coaches say. As a Packers fan (flame on) I often hear the players mimic Mike McCarthy. If Beasley is mimicking Adelman and not making excuses it can only be a good thing for the Wolves and for Beasley. Blaming the officials after a loss is not the road for getting more calls in the future. I’m encouraged.
by InsideOut on Dec 27, 2011 1:24 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs
Much like
the Wolves kept getting worse after Flip left, Flip’s gigs keep getting worse as well.
Tune in this week to "At the Movies With MAYNHOLUP and Jonny Flynn":
Jonny: OMG Salt was so good Angeline Jolie kicked some serious butt in that movie
MAYNHOLUP: mayn fuck u Jonny Flynn
Blatche is that guy
Blatche — who welcomed the 17,102 fans before the game, declaring, "This is your captain" — took the criticism personally
I can predict the future using Norm Van Lier's crystal balls.
"Sam has a tendency to denigrate reports coming from any reporter who didn’t also cover the day Naismith first put up the peach baskets." - snley
by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2011 2:05 PM CST up reply actions
Michael Beasley
perhaps it was appropriate the i watched Friday Night Lights after this game…it was the episode where Vince was in full ME mode, alienating his teammates with his preening and sweet smell of PERSONAL success.
I saw a bit of that in Beas last night, and i’ve seen it before…but when your team is turrrrrible it just seems to go down a bit easier. And when there’s no hope and no vision for success it goes down a bit easier. At least SOMEONE has got game on this team.
Last night his skittles schtick seemed tired, so very tired. but mostly on the defensive end.
we still need him on offense badly, and he is a worthy reclamation project and one that I’ll surely be rooting for…but last night was about the future, and the future is all about Rubio to DWill…and 1.
http://loisaidabbclub.tumblr.com/
Twitter: @loisaidabbclub
by beatsandpeasnyc on Dec 27, 2011 8:46 AM CST reply actions
I watched Sherlock Holmes afterwards
and Downey’s skittles-driven performance reminded me a lot of last season.
(Sorry, not a fan of Sherlock Holmes as action hero guy with a Ken Jennings’ grasp of the truly trivial.)
Correr como un lobo.
Jeremy Brett is the quintessential Holmes, but have you seen "Sherlock"?
The BBC set-today version is surprisingly good. Like, really solid.
"Opinion ...a confession."
by feral on Dec 27, 2011 12:59 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Good to know
I’ve passed on it several times because the genre has been so horribly abused by Hollywood.
Correr como un lobo.
Truly excellent
The Wolves are like the worst meal you've ever had--terrible while you're eating it and even worse later.
by Eric in Madison on Dec 27, 2011 2:10 PM CST up reply actions
Another advantage of giving prime minutes to
Rubio
Barea
Williams
Love
Tolliver
is that it creates a bench lineup of
Ridnour
Lee
Wes
Beasley
Darko
which in a short, intense season will give the Wolves a big advantage over the benches of most other teams.
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
It's funny that Adleman seems to disagree with you
Cause Beasley was out there in the final minutes
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
Sorry to be crass, but Beasley is getting ripped pretty heavily
And I can’t disagree more with people who want him out.
They guy scored 6 straight points in the 4th to keep us in the game, had a big block on Durant. Played tough, played hard, played physical yet didn’t have a foul until late in the 4th.
He took the ball to the lane all night and there were a minimum of two non-calls that he will probably get later in the year if he continues to play like this….
He didn’t hit his shots, big whoop. He took probably 5 shots that were very questionable, but even at that Adleman felt he was one of his 5 best guys.
My guess is that Beasley has been literally out working everyone in practice (and in this game too) and has earned the right to play even when his shot isn’t falling. Which is essentially what every Beasley doubter has been complaining about over the past year.
What I think is funny is how no one seems to be mentioning the pretty poor Kevin Love game we witnessed. He took some pretty forced 3 pointers, got out worked on the boards. It was an overall good NBA PF game but it was probably one of the worst games I’ve seen Love play since before the 30/30. 6/14 is only slightly better than 11/27 (cause it extrapolates to 12/28)
Not a KLove hater at all, but I think Beasley was at a minimum as instrumental for us being in the game as Love
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
by VoodooMagic on Dec 27, 2011 9:14 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
He also got Sefalosha in foul trouble
and that’s what helped us make a game of it in the second half. I like the game he played, and most nights he’ll make more of those baskets.
Correr como un lobo.
"My guess is that Beasley has been literally out working everyone in practice"
Leaving aside for the moment that you have no clue as to if this is true (and Beasley’s reputation would say that it’s not)_, so what if he is?
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
That's why it's a guess
But this is the only reason a guy like Tolliver should play over Beasley cause he supposedly gives the energy, effort (especially on defense) that Beasley does not.
However, if Beasley is out working Tolliver and is insanely more talented than Tolliver. Why would a Tolliver play over him?
If Beasley is going hard all the time now he now has 2/3 of what makes an NBA superstar. There is no reason to believe that he will ever be able to get the full mental aspect down of bball but playing hard and just being more talented than his opposition will have him being one of the better scores in the league.
I’d argue Russel Westbrook is the ultimate example of a guy who is A) Super talented, B) Plays supremely hard but C) Is not a very smart player
Beasley played better and harder on D than Tolliver did last night. I know most people probably don’t want to believe it, but at worst Beasley was just as good as everyone else when guarding Durant
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
Main reason Beasley gets a ton of minutes:
He’s the best 3 on this team by a country mile. (Troubling conclusions follow…)
by Stop-n-Pop on Dec 27, 2011 9:43 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Adleman still doesn't have to play him
If he really is as bad as is said on CH
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
Poor Dick just said his ideal lineup is
Tolliver
Love
Williams
Barea
Rubio
if that was really the case, why didn’t Adleman do that?
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
Because PoorDick isn't Rick Adelman?
That is, admittedly, a guess on my part.
by Madison Dan on Dec 27, 2011 9:50 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Funny stuff
Just saying you guys all have your dream lineups that don’t include Beasley
….yet, at the end of the game not only was Beasley in Adleman’s final five he was also the recipient of the ball to take the final shot.
Either Adleman (i.e. directed the offense to Beasley) or Rubio (the guy who created space to pass Beasley the ball) trust him to take the final shot.
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
Beasley will get minutes
with this roster, and he’ll have some good nights. He can do some great things, I just wish he’d play smarter.
In general, I think you over-rate physical talent and under-rate mental talent. I don’t think all players are equally capable of playing smart basketball, and that appears to be Beasley’s issue to solve.
I think you are taking my opinion of Beasley drastically out of context with my overall hoops philosophy
Russ Westbrook doesn’t play smart basketball…should the Thunder trade him?
I think you can have 1 player like that on a team if he is pretty darn good. Josh Smith, ZBowe, Westbrook’s etc
And in all honesty that’s why I think our best lineup has been Barea/Rubio/Beasley/Love/Williams.
If Beasley gives the effort and attitude he gave last night all season I expect his bad games to not be so bad and his good games to be excellent.
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
We've read you at some length in this thread and the game ones, and there's no way to "take it out of context."
You’re talking yourself all backwards-like, here. I mean, within a couple of posts you asked us to a) be enthusiastic about Beasley’s defense on Durant; and b) compare Beasley favorably to Love’s “pretty poor Kevin Love game.”
Love scored two less points than Beas on 13 less shots. He recorded 5 assists. He collected 12 boards despite, in your view, being “outworked on the boards.” (Somehow he easily paced both teams in rebounding despite his lackadaisical play. Our standards are high, lazybones!)
Beasley has a lot of talent, but he plays inefficient ball. That shows up in box scores, and it shows up when you watch. You’re bending yourself in half and watching the game upside-down from between your legs to come up with things like:
if he can play this hard on a night when he is hitting he will score 50 points in a game this year.
If he took bad shots, well, just think how great he’ll be when he makes those instead!
"Opinion ...a confession."
Again though
It’s not like I think Beasley is a better player than Love
But I think their two performance last night were a lot closer than anyone is willing to admit they were.
And so what if they were, it doesn’t mean that Love isn’t good. It means that a poor game for Love is on the same level with a pretty solid overall effort by Beasley….which actually probably shows how much I appreciate Love.
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
I am unwilling to admit
that 1.57 points per shot is close to 0.89 PPS, or that a 0.571 TS% is close to a 0.424 TS%. That is a big, big gap in scoring efficiency. Their raw shooting percentages are closer, but that ignores the large difference in free throw attempts.
"Rationalization"
their two performance last night were a lot closer than anyone is willing to admit they were.
Love had a short game for a tall person, Beasley had a tall game for a short person….
"Opinion ...a confession."
This disagreement
pretty much boils down to whether you value a designated scoring player or whether you’d prefer more constant passing and cutting with each player avoiding an unnecessary shot attempt in hopes for a better one. Without a shot clock, the “wait for the perfect shot” method is ideal. With one, and with one as short as 24 seconds, there is some benefit to having an option that can get a reasonable look whenever he wants.
I don’t know how many bad shots Beasley took last night. I would guess less than 5. I know that he missed all of them, but the bigger problem was that he also missed some open shots that he normally (yes, normally) makes. The crowd was buzzing after those Rubio passes and was let down each time by a clank.
If Beasley were to start aiming for efficiency over production on offense, there would be some negative consequences along with that. It’d be great if he were the perfect player who only made good decisions, but a great many Wolves fans don’t understand his role on the team and how it will help more often than not.
I think Michael Beasley
is your new Al Jefferson.
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
by PoorDick on Dec 27, 2011 10:03 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I think Michael Beasley
is your new Al Jefferson.
by Andy G on Dec 27, 2011 10:05 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Sadly,
although there was a perfectly good replacement for Jefferson in the form of Kevin Love, I’m afraid there is none for Michael Beasley.
We can’t even Settle This!
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
And that's the problem in a nutshell
He’s all they got at the 3. (And nobody say “Wes Johnson is there!”)
Webster with a really good chiropractor
could be OK there, too.
by Madison Dan on Dec 27, 2011 10:08 AM CST up reply actions
As I stated below
bringing Wes off the bench at the 3 at least allows the team to decide if playing out of position is the biggest problem with him.
I contend it isn’t, but it would be good to have it confirmed one way or the other.
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
I get the feeling
That this will be the epitaph on the grave of Lazar’s career.
Gary, you didn't kill your brother. Those gorillas did.
Which means
Getting angry at Beas being Beas is going to make for a long season for you. He definitely shot poorly. My sole complaint was during the end of the 4th he had an open Kevin Love spotted up for 3 on at least two of his isolations and never spotted him and never passed. Other than that, the starting lineup with Ridnour not creating for anybody needs Beasley, poor shots or not.
Michael Beasley is a Small Forward. Derrick Williams is a Power Forward.
Yep
I’m going to get it all out in this thread. Wes is going to be enough for me this season on the crap front.
I thought Love was open at the end too
But after reviewing the play he wasn’t.
Think the days of Love getting 8 wide open 3s a game are long gone. The adjustments are being made.
Hopefully if other guys step up and are making shots, those 3s will open up again.
after last year
love is gonna get al ot of attention
Bromz
by punkindrublic on Dec 27, 2011 10:16 AM CST up reply actions
And/or Love
starts faking and taking it to the hoop. Although, when he’s tried it so far this season, I have to check the DVR to see if the “slow motion” button was accidentally activated.
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
So slow
Yet he seems to draw a lot of fouls when he puts the ball on the floor after the pump fakes.
If Beas had hit that game tying shot
Or got the call and tied it up at the line no one would even be having this conversation
by flynnformvp on Dec 27, 2011 10:58 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
It had already been had in the game threads, before he had the chance to take that shot.
This isn’t a memory situation to do with any recency effect. It’s a seen-him-for-a-full-season-now situation.
"Opinion ...a confession."
Why do u have to value one or the other?
It’s not like I want a whole team of Beasley’s
But the guy helps at least the team we have.
I bet you he’d really help a team like Miluakee, Houston or Indiana too…teams with all efficiency guys really.
One Michael Beasley you can win with (unless of course you already have an efficient go-to scorer like Miami…which was why that didn’t work out)
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
by VoodooMagic on Dec 27, 2011 10:03 AM CST up reply actions
No kidding.
I thought those were included with every new modem purchase.
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
I think there's something to what you're saying
but I think he could find a better balance. No doubt, his raw scoring ability can help the team, but if he rearranged his shot selection he could be so much better.
by Madison Dan on Dec 27, 2011 10:05 AM CST up reply actions
Yeah...
like I said, he took a handful of dumb shots, last night. But, scorers do that. Kobe does that. Durant does that. Melo does that. Problem last night, in my view, was that he missed all of those shots, along with some easy ones, and maybe was fouled a time or two when it wasn’t called.
Maybe this is off, but it seemed like a perfect storm of sorts of ruining his stat sheet without playing a terrible game.
He’s getting in the paint more often than last year, when Rambis had him on that island, 24-feet from the bucket.
and thats why
everyone knows who they are. My mom knows who kobe is, if i dropped micheal beasly on her see wouldn’t know who, or what that is
Bromz
by punkindrublic on Dec 27, 2011 10:11 AM CST up reply actions
"if i dropped micheal beasly on her"
In the interest of Science, please do this, and record it on video for posterity and future use.
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
by PoorDick on Dec 27, 2011 10:18 AM CST up reply actions 2 recs
Dammit
PD made my spit my coffee all over my computer screen.
www.unleashkevinlove.com
by erikanthony on Dec 27, 2011 10:42 AM CST up reply actions
Another two big differences.
Their teams win tons of games because they are better than Michael Beasley. We should trade for them!
Their dumb shots are dumber than Beasley’s because they have legitimate options around them like Pau Gasol and Russell Westbrook.
You’ve seen what basketball without a talented scorer looks like. It was the last 32 games of 2008-09. I think you wrote a lot about Korean recipes that spring.
Another big difference
Those guys are capable of creating fouls for themselves.
The Wolves are like the worst meal you've ever had--terrible while you're eating it and even worse later.
by Eric in Madison on Dec 27, 2011 10:15 AM CST up reply actions
Replace "scorer" with "player"
I think part of the problem with Beasley is that people know that a certain NBA role exists (the awesome scorer) and they can kind of see it in him on his best nights and (insert magic here)….voila!
The real problem is that awesome scorers tend to be the very best players, both physically and mentally. That is not Beasley.
There is definitely an element of
“I hope he improves” to everything pro-Beasley. With Coach Adelman on board, I think this becomes a little bit more reasonable.
Generally, I think everything anti-Beasley includes an element of viewing the box score closer than how the Wolves games are played.
There isn’t a great shot to be had on every possession for any NBA team. For one as talent-deprived as the Wolves, they are even less abundant. Perhaps as the season progresses, more things will start with Rubio and end with open shots. I would love that, and I think you guys would too.
Nah.
A 22-year old on this list should be coachable into better efficiency and decision-making.
It wouldn’t be turning water into anything. It’d be turning a uniquely-talented and productive player into a slightly-more efficient player as he enters his prime. To me, that should be expected of an expensive and accomplished coach.
I dunno - I hope so
But the thing I’ve found so surprising watching the NBA over the years is how little players change their basic strengths/weaknesses. Maybe it is because the competition level is so high. But it seems like guys very rarely move from “poor shooter” to “good shooter” or “poor rebounder” to “good rebounder” or (in Beasley’s case) “long jump shooter with few FT attempts” to “in the paint guy with lots of free throw attempts”.
"It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future." -- Yogi Berra
by Wile E Coyote on Dec 27, 2011 11:20 AM CST up reply actions
How many examples are there in history
of a player of Beasley’s (seeming) ability level being drafted to a team with Dwyane Wade, playing sidekick for a couple years, and then moving to a team entirely devoid of offensive talent? How many coaches in history were as bad at their job as Kurt Rambis?
There are some weird factors here. I’m willing to wait and see how it plays out.
But those weird factors all have to do with..
….you remembering something about the NBA and nothing to do with Beasley the actual player. He kind of played (plays) a role that most people remember and think of fondly, but he doesn’t do it very well at all.
Carmello had the same issues
Carmello was criticized heavily his first two seasons for settling for the long range 2, and not passing enough. He still has some of the same issues/tendencies, but he has improved his ability to attack the rim and draw fouls. HOpefully Beast can do the same.
You meant to sort that by win shares on purpose?
;)
That should be Clue #1. Why does Mike Beasley have nearly 7 fewer win shares than the next guy on the list? The answer to that question is why I think it will take a biblical miracle to change him into the player you hope he can be. There are lots of other reasons for those guys on that list to be as good as they are, and most of them aren’t involved in your search criteria.
That may be
But they do, in fact, measure something:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/about/ws.html
Whatever it is they measure, Mike Beasley sure doesn’t have a lot of it.
Whatever you want to call that, that should be the area of his game you want to improve and look at.
What they measure is roughly efficient production
but making these arguments is largely pointless. For those that make the “teams need a single go to scorer even if he is incredibly inefficient” argument there have been more evidence to the contrary than a reasonable person needs. Just last season we saw not one but two teams (Denver and Memphis) become drastically better offensively after losing their “go to scorer”. There isn’t any “there” there with the Antoine Carr argument but there also isn’t any evidence that you can introduce to show the argument lacks validity
SFs aren’t the only “scorers” in the league. Denver lost Melo but the reason they’re so dangerous is because nearly everyone on that team could create their own shot (Lawson, Felton, Chandler, Gallo, JR Smith, Nene). Not many teams have that much firepower.
Memphis lost Rudy Gay but they had Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol who could create easy looks in the post at will.
I just think hoping that you fill a team of 5 efficient guys who can shoot but can’t really create their own shots, you can’t succeed in the NBA. What happens when teams start backing off Rubio and staying at home on the shooters?
If there are any Wolves
in whom I have confidence in your proposed situation, it is Ricky Rubio.
Tune in this week to "At the Movies With MAYNHOLUP and Jonny Flynn":
Jonny: OMG Salt was so good Angeline Jolie kicked some serious butt in that movie
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by PoorDick on Dec 27, 2011 1:47 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
"Win shares are stupid."
Especially when they disprove your point.
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
Here's a version of that list
(here) showing similarly high usage, inefficient scorers. Not as impressive.
Hmm, not sure the link is working, but it’s players with TS%<=.52 and usage above 25%. It includes: Joe Johnson, Brandon Jennings, CJ Miles, Blatche, Stephen Jackson, Tyreke Evans, JJ Hickson, and DeMarcus Cousins.
by Madison Dan on Dec 27, 2011 11:29 AM CST up reply actions
While it might be true that Beasley can be coached into
better efficiency and decision making (I tend to doubt it), I will take this opportunity to rant about lists like the one you made.
When you create a list with minimum cut-off points reflective of the player you are talking about (Beasley in this case), you wind up with your guy and a list of guys clearly better than him. Is he more comparable to the guys on this list or a guy who went 22 and 3 assists, but missed the list because he had 5.7 rebounds a game instead of 6.
A better list would be guys who averaged, say between 19 and 23 points, between 5 and 7 rebounds, and between 1.5 and 3.5 assists. THat would give you a list of guys more comparable to Beasley, if you want to use basic per game stats.
The Wolves are like the worst meal you've ever had--terrible while you're eating it and even worse later.
by Eric in Madison on Dec 27, 2011 11:34 AM CST up reply actions
I know that, Eric.
I always post that list, since Beasley sticks out, totally out of place. It’s a funny list, to me. He isn’t that good.
Yeah, I just like to ocassionally point out that problem
The Wolves are like the worst meal you've ever had--terrible while you're eating it and even worse later.
by Eric in Madison on Dec 27, 2011 11:41 AM CST up reply actions
I don't even disagree with this
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
"Because PoorDick isn't Rick Adelman?"
This explains so, so much . . .
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
That might explain
why your wife is always screaming “WHO IS THIS MAN? GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!!!!”
Gary, you didn't kill your brother. Those gorillas did.
On Westbrook
I’d argue Russel Westbrook is the ultimate example of a guy who is A) Super talented, B) Plays supremely hard but C) Is not a very smart player
I very much agree with this. He’s really an athletic freak with better ball handling skills than his peers. He’s just not really a passer.
He’s got Durant, Ibaka, Perkins, and Thabo as options. Thabo is weak anyway so argue he has only three options. Well those are still three very good options. If you take out Thabo and insert Harden he gets another shooter. Westbrook should be posting 10+ assists every single night. If he gets 20 points it should almost always come from 5ft and closer and at the FT line.
I can predict the future using Norm Van Lier's crystal balls.
"Sam has a tendency to denigrate reports coming from any reporter who didn’t also cover the day Naismith first put up the peach baskets." - snley
by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2011 9:48 AM CST up reply actions
Ric Bucher would disagree with you.
Not that it means a damn thing.
pretty poor kevin love game?
pretty forced 3 pointers? He was 1/3. Outworked on the boards? He had twice as many boards than anyone on either team. 6/14 for 22 points. Beas was 11/27 for 24 points.
Defend Beas all you want but calling 22 points on 14 shots along with 12 boards and 5 assists a pretty poor game is crazy.
Not a great game by KLove
Agree that this wasn’t one of KLove’s better games. It seemed like OKC was really concentrating on keeping Love off the glass and it seemed to work. It was also annoying to see him crying so much over a lack of calls (although he had a point on some of them, I just don’t like watching players whine and I don’t think it helps with the refs either. Maybe he forgot that with Adelman he has a coach that might actually advocate for him with the refs).
I think all the crying for calls might have thrown Love off his game a bit. Surprisingly, it wasn’t Beas getting knocked off his game when things didn’t go his way for a change – last year it seemed like Beas would always hang his head after a bad play/foul and quickly follow it up with an even-more-boneheaded play/foul. Last night it seemed like KLove was the one that carried one bad play with him instead of getting back and shaking it off.
It was fun though seeing KLove looked shocked a couple of times when he ended up fighting his teammates for rebounds. I remember at least once with DWill and once with Ricky where Kevin looked like he couldn’t believe he wasn’t the only TWolf trying to rebound. That’s a good sign.
I like watching (Wolves) players whine
Entitlement exists in the NBA and our favorite stud player should be entitled to those calls.
I like watching coaches whine/advocate, not players
I wish the refs would call more technicals for whining – especially on some of the superstars. I think the game would be more fun to watch. I wish the NBA would have stuck with this as a bigger point of emphasis like they said they were going to last year. I understand what you saying though, if everyone is doing it then KLove as our most proven player should be able to also. I just don’t enjoy seeing it as a fan.
If I could wave a wand and change the entire reffing system...
….I’d agree with you: it sucks to watch. However, I can’t do that and it being what it is, I want the Wolves to get what’s coming to them with a star player. He deserves those calls and he should be pissed about it.
The NBA reffing
is a model of consistency, fairness, and accuracy when compared to that of the NFL.
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
I'm still sticking with my "legalize holding" take
Legalize it and allow linemen to line up more than 5 yards apart while putting multiple backs in motion.
If I could wave a magic wand
…I’d fix up your dog first and then worry about the whining in the NBA.
Seriously, though good luck with your dog. Hope for the best and prepare yourself in case your family needs you for the worst. If things get tough the kids will need you.
I'm telling you Beasley's attitude was an A+
It’s going to translate to a good year
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
Ya
It looked to me like Beasley was trying to improve as a player, but that he’s not always exactly sure what that is yet. Like I said earlier, there were parts earlier in the game where he was converting easy baskets left and right, he was fighting for rebounds, and trying to play good hard D on Durant. Then there were times where he reverted back to old Beas. I think we need to give him a 20 game window and compare where he ends up to where he is now.
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 9:34 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Beas' stat line looks worse than decision-making.
He took a few ill-advised shots, and missed some jumpers he normally makes. Kind of a bummer, because a hot night from him would have swung the result. He may have been fouled on that last shot. The replay shows body contact and each player moving. Nothing egregious, though.
I was surprised to see Adelman trust him on Durant in crunchtime.
He played good on Durant!
Barring a couple unguardable shots Beasley played very good on Durant.
Adleman has options. He’s not gonna play Beasley if he doesn’t believe he gives him a chance to win
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
With some help, yes.
Durant is on the short-list of the toughest players to guard in the world. Tony Allen showed how to really bother Durant, by bodying him and denying him the ball. Beasley played straight up (aside from one stupid foul) and let others like Love help him.
He did fine, which is better than I would expected.
Indeed
The defense on Wade/Lebron/Rose/Durant is to do everything to deny them the ball. If they get the ball make sure it is around half court in a trap.
I can predict the future using Norm Van Lier's crystal balls.
"Sam has a tendency to denigrate reports coming from any reporter who didn’t also cover the day Naismith first put up the peach baskets." - snley
by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2011 10:07 AM CST up reply actions
Anyone who remembers KG as a kid could tell us that.
What a human eraser he was for a while, there. That opposing player who’s been heating up? Will never see the ball this next quarter, so get used to it.
"Opinion ...a confession."
Remember when he guarded McGrady at his peak?
Held him to like 8 points and broke a very, very long double digit scoring streak. Just shut him down entirely. Garnett was such a special defensive talent.
by Dumbhead62 on Dec 27, 2011 2:03 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
With McGrady, admittedly, one could always just throw out a zone defense for about three seasons there.
He’d get all bothered and jack up long threes.
But yeah, KG. Da Kid KG. I loved that phase.
"Opinion ...a confession."
Speaking of which (zone D)
I wonder how many teams this regular season will defend Miami the way Dallas did in the Finals. It’s weird how a seven-game series and all the time to prepare can expose teams’ and players’ weaknesses.
Miami should always be defended with a zone. If Wade and James hit threes, so be it. You’ll lose. If not, you very-well might win, which is pretty awesome when, you know, you’re playing LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.
by Andy G on Dec 27, 2011 2:37 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
KG's style is exactly right
MJ and Pippen, who I grew up watching, had the same style. Pippen didn’t really talk like MJ and KG, but all three would basically smother their man to deny him any touches at all.
What they would do is hound the best scorer so that he’d only get the ball with 10 seconds or left on the clock, then throw a second man at him if he got an opening. It’s demoralizing for the star if they cannot get anything going.
I can predict the future using Norm Van Lier's crystal balls.
"Sam has a tendency to denigrate reports coming from any reporter who didn’t also cover the day Naismith first put up the peach baskets." - snley
by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2011 2:07 PM CST up reply actions
Sometimes
people with concentration or focus issues need more responsibility in order to perform at a high level. I believe there was an article in the NYTimes awhile back profiling some people with ADHD and even schizophrenia who had trouble keeping low level jobs. Somehow or another they ended up defaulting into management positions and suddenly they could function better because the responsibility focused them. They then went on to become really effective executives because again, the responsibility focused them and helped them manage their symptoms.
Now clearly I am not saying that Beasley or anyone else on the Wolves suffers from schizophrenia.
Nor am I saying that Beasley has ADHD, although a casual observer may wonder some times. What was fun and exciting for me to see was just how engaged Beasley was in trying to defend KD. Beasley showed the right attitude I wanted to see last night, even if his execution wasn’t what we wanted. To me that suggests that he’s buying into the coaching staff. He might really care a lot about winning and guarding guys like KD might be part of what unlocks his talent – might be what makes him take his game to the next level.
From Adelman’s perspective it’s kind of a win/win – either Beasley shows up and becomes a better player, or he continues to be what he is and Adelman can move forward accordingly.
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 10:14 AM CST up reply actions 2 recs
This is largely what I have been saying all day
Attitude was an A+
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
Which Beasley gave lots of
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
I mentioned that Love didn't have a very good game
seemed to lack his usual verve. However, you can see why he’s a great player. Not having his best stuff, he still found ways to get to the line 12 times. That makes a huge difference.
The Wolves are like the worst meal you've ever had--terrible while you're eating it and even worse later.
by Eric in Madison on Dec 27, 2011 10:10 AM CST up reply actions
Love's FT shooting was clearly off tonight as well
It cost them some easy points he usually makes.
I agree that he seemed very off, though 20 and 12 on that few shots is a pretty awesome standard for poor game.
here you go: %
I feel like te Kevin Love correctionist. Love was 9/12. 75%.
Beasley would be my first choice
from that last group to stay on the floor, as his oft-cited scoring ability is mostly lacking in that first five group. But his talents are purely from teh neck down, and Exhibit A was that stupid steal he gave up late in the game while holding the ball near the sideline.
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
THIS
http://loisaidabbclub.tumblr.com/
Twitter: @loisaidabbclub
by beatsandpeasnyc on Dec 27, 2011 9:25 AM CST up reply actions
Which was preceded by an excellent block on Durant
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
Which is why he's so frustrating
as a player. The block was a helluva lot harder than just protecting the basketball, instead of preening like an idiot on the sidelines. Above-average scorers who do little else but get into offcourt trouble generally tend to fade out of the NBA.
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
He wasn't preening, he was waiting for Rubio to disentangle himself politely from the patron in the front row.
(Did anyone else notice Ricky patting the shoulder of the camerawoman on the baseline? Someone went in there, I don’t even think it was him, and afterward he sort of checked in to be sure she was okay.)
"Opinion ...a confession."
I'm guessing it was possible to do that
while still holding tightly on to the ball with two hands and his elbows extended outward to protect against defenders, while looking around to see if any of the aforementioned opponents were approaching?
If he doesn’t know how yet, my first grade daughter has it down pat (and they can bond via their mutual love of Skittles).
Tune in this week to "At the Movies With MAYNHOLUP and Jonny Flynn":
Jonny: OMG Salt was so good Angeline Jolie kicked some serious butt in that movie
MAYNHOLUP: mayn fuck u Jonny Flynn
Game flow is available
http://popcornmachine.net/cgi-bin/gameflow.cgi?date=20111226&game=OKCMIN
The 3 newcomers got full run in the 4th. Tolliver took a backseat to Love. I think the only reason we’ll see extended Beasley action in the 4th going forward is because there isn’t another operable 3 on this team.
As for Love, he didn’t have his best night but he still posted a 1.03 points created/possessions used ratio (Beasley was 0.71), he killed the boards, and he posted a 57% TS%. Beasley had a TS in the low 40s.
I’m not really sure how Love “got outworked on the boards”. Only 2 other Wolves had a total rebounding % over 10: Rubio and Williams. The Thunder had 4. They’re a pretty solid rebounding team.
Beasley had a hugely inefficient game. Yeah, he put up a lot of raw numbers but he did so in a way that wasn’t nearly as good as Rubio (1.70 pc/pu), Barea (1.20), Love, and even Darko (1.12).
Darko was great
I’m telling you, if you replaced Beasley with Tolliver in minutes played we wouldn’t have been close to in that game.
I’ll take the energy and effort Beasley played with. Adleman has to get through to him on when to not take a contested 18 footer. But outside of that I’ll take this game anyday out of Beasley.
If he’s hitting he would have scored 40 last night
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
Some nights he'll hit..
…most he won’t. He has all the tools to be an amazing player. He just doesn’t seem to use them correctly. On nights where his mid-range jumper is falling, he’ll look good. On the nights it isn’t, he’ll look like crap. Ideally, he figures out that the mid-range jumper is a tool to get him in the lane for layups and free throw attempts. When that happens, then it will be time to get excited about the guy. Until then, he’ll just be a sometimes-hot/mostly-cold player.
by Stop-n-Pop on Dec 27, 2011 9:47 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
But he was mostly in the lane last night
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
We have data
http://www.hoopdata.com/boxscore.aspx?id=311226016
7 shots in close, 12 from 10 and beyond, including 7 from 16-23.
See
here’s what gives me hope for Beasley’s role on this team:
7/8 at the rim, with 5 of his FGs coming on assists.
When Beasley was playing this way he looked like a terrific option for this team.
Where there’s still A LOT of work to do (beyond the long two’s) is here:
2/7 from 3’ – 9’, with only one of those FGs coming from an assist.
This team couldn’t buy a shot from outside 3’ last night. It will be interesting to see how they do when some of their other shots start falling. Also, gotta give props to Love for appearing to change his offensive game a little once he realized he was having an off night shooting. 12 FTAs is how you offset poor shooting (looking at you Michael Beasley).
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 10:21 AM CST up reply actions
Love
def knows how to get to the line, thank god
Bromz
by punkindrublic on Dec 27, 2011 10:22 AM CST up reply actions
The "on assists" part is cool/problematic
Cool in that the Wolves are getting guys close looks. Problematic in that he’s not getting those shots on his own.
Positive for Beas: He was active off the ball last night.
Well
I did like that Beas was attempting to hold deep position in the lane, and sealing guys when he had position rather than always drifting to to mid-range with the defender on his back. That was very, very rare last year.
I know the numbers were lousy, but I saw him trying to establish deep position and go to the rim and that was encouraging. He should have shot more free throws but they were swallowing the whistle.
See
that’s what dampens my hope for Beasley.
2-7 on shots from 3-9 feet is exactly his problem, as much as the long 2s. It’s what he does. What he did last year, and what he did last night. Great scorers convert those, but even more, they get fouled on those.
It’s not so much his usage (though it was too high). Look at Durant. He converted 2 or 3 of those shot attempts into free throws, and it completely changes his efficiency.
The Wolves are like the worst meal you've ever had--terrible while you're eating it and even worse later.
by Eric in Madison on Dec 27, 2011 10:31 AM CST up reply actions
I agree
It seriously makes me wonder if Adelman is trying to get enough gametape on Beasley in order to confront him with it later. Maybe confront is the wrong word, but I think if Adelman can show him ‘good Beas’ and ‘bad Beas’ over and over and over and over again it might really help clarify what Beasley’s game should be.
And this raises a sidenote about this team I’ve been thinking about too – it appears that this staff actually uses some creative ways to simply show the guys where they are (and aren’t) as basketball players. Like how they showed them that they were a full second slower running back on D last year than they were running forward on offense? I think that got guys’ attention, and I seriously wonder if Adelman is trying to get enough gametape on these guys in his offense in order to show them conclusively certain things that work/don’t work about their games.
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 10:41 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I guess I'd consider anything under 15
“in the lane”
I’ve never disagreed about the frequency of his 16-23 foot shots.
3-5 are okay if he is hitting, but I’ve said all day he probably took 5 or fewer shots that I would qualify as bad shots.
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
I question this
He has all the tools to be an amazing player.
It’s this that gets us into trouble. Or gets the Wolves into trouble. It’s David Kahn’s mantra.
I doubt he actually does have all the tools to be an amazing player.
The Wolves are like the worst meal you've ever had--terrible while you're eating it and even worse later.
by Eric in Madison on Dec 27, 2011 10:18 AM CST up reply actions
Important difference:
I lack both the access and the want to act on this notion.
FWIW, I think he does have the tools. That level of college production doesn’t come by accident. I just think that mentally he’s not able to square the circle and I’d never place a bet on the guy.
Yeah, I know you aren't the decider
Whether or not he has the tools (and what those tools are—the mental part seems like an important tool to me) is too ephemeral to argue about. Either he does or he doesn’t, either way he is not an amazing player.
The Wolves are like the worst meal you've ever had--terrible while you're eating it and even worse later.
by Eric in Madison on Dec 27, 2011 10:34 AM CST up reply actions
Took Z-bowe like 8 years to figure it out
And now he might be the best offensive PF in the NBA
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
I don't have 8 years
The Wolves are like the worst meal you've ever had--terrible while you're eating it and even worse later.
by Eric in Madison on Dec 27, 2011 2:37 PM CST up reply actions
You should probably be out hang-gliding then
Or at least doing something more fulfilling than talking to us schlubs.
Interviewer: Can you understand why teams value potential ahead of experience and accomplishment in the draft? Wes Johnson: "Yeah. I understand. It’s the youngness of everything – older guys like young women, so it’s the same way."
by Xand1 on Dec 27, 2011 6:49 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
My favorite early-Zach Randolph BBIQ moment:
Dunleavy had his hands on his head…. before the ball left the shooter’s hand…. (And then the little smile afterward for the camera.)
Luke Ridnour should have been the PG on that play.
"Opinion ...a confession."
Still looking for our go-to 4th quarter guy
As good as Adelman is, we will lose a lot of games until we find that guy (and no it will never be Kevin Love; that’s not his game). This is our biggest hole.
Great game. Rubio was a blast. Derrick Williams really showed a ton of promise to me. He missed the shot but got the call on a great post-up spin move… something our team is sorely missing.
Wish Beasley would go glass when he drives more… hits the back of the rim too much. And, I think he needs to flop more. If he flops on Perkins at the end, he gets the call. (not flop to the ground, but he’s so strong he doesn’t seem affected by hard body contact, so he doesn’t get deserving calls.) Also want to see his game to getting the ball of screens and stuff like that.
Will be interesting to see what happens when we learn to move all the time and build chemistry. A lot of fun guys.
our 4th quarter guy is Rubio
controls the tempo, makes the right basketball decisions.
Rubio is already a coach on the floor, why? because he will not only expose the other teams weaknesses, he will expose our own teams weaknesses by putting someone in an excellent position to succeed, you got enough game?
if this team has a streak of faltering at the end of games, the criticism will crescendo with Beasley this, Wes Johnson that, Kevin Love not a max player this, no post game that….
then it will pivot to Rubio with a simple request …“do more”
http://loisaidabbclub.tumblr.com/
Twitter: @loisaidabbclub
by beatsandpeasnyc on Dec 27, 2011 9:13 AM CST up reply actions
No he's not
I’m talking about the guy you put the ball in his hands and you isolate and let him break down the defense, or get points when you need him most.
then you need to continue to cook
until you’re ready to be served.
http://loisaidabbclub.tumblr.com/
Twitter: @loisaidabbclub
by beatsandpeasnyc on Dec 27, 2011 9:29 AM CST up reply actions
That's exactly who Rubio is
did you not see how easily and consistently he carved up OKC’s defense to get easy layups for his teammates?
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 9:35 AM CST up reply actions
Have you seen what Rubio does on the court
Isolated break downs of defense to get points? Check, check, and check. That’s his entire game. He just isn’t the guy who gets the points.
Last night he had 1.70 points created for each possession used. That’s silly good.
by Stop-n-Pop on Dec 27, 2011 9:43 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
So you're saying that when there are 5 seconds left in a tie game
Rubio should have the ball in his hands?
That's about as silly as the Jack Bauer "what if there was a ticking nuke" torture question
Rarely is there just 5 seconds at the start of the final possession. And yes, even if there was, I still want the ball in his hands. He can beat his man and find the open guy. Plus, it’s not like his shooting is that much worse than (insert other Wolf-in-the-clutch here) in these sorts of situations. He won’t turn it over, he’ll likely beat his man…and that’s just about the best chance this team has on a final possession.
by Stop-n-Pop on Dec 27, 2011 9:50 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Ahh the wisdom of SnP
Dare not question it.
Ahhhh...
….the BS fall back. If you’re going to make a point, people can disagree with it. That’s how it works.
Yes I know in your world there are never tie games
Where you need someone to get their shot off. Your brilliant idea is to let Rubio who takes about 3 shots a game make the play. Fresh thinking.
I’m guessing Adelman won’t be going with this approach. And I’m going to trust Rick on this one.
Is that sarcasm?
Cuz Rubio making the play was our best offense. Who cares if he only takes 3 shots if he makes the play.
by monkeywolf on Dec 27, 2011 10:11 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
as long as
he keeps thowing those sweet passes!!
Bromz
by punkindrublic on Dec 27, 2011 10:12 AM CST up reply actions
That's not his game
Practically all of his great plays were in transition, and then a couple of back door cuts.
Getting him in “isolation clear out, break down his defender on the way to the basket or pass off” isn’t his game. You can’t not do it all game and then suddenly do it at the end of the game. It doesn’t work that way.
He has never done that. Not in Spain, not in International play never.
not the point. You let your pg who makes good decisions set up the play. What we’re saying is you let Rondo create the opportunity for your scorer instead of just running an iso for your scorer who rarely scores in an iso situation.
Making the play doesn’t mean making the shot.
Rondo is one of the best finishers in the NBA
Not a fair comparison. Maybe Rubio can be that guy, but he’s not now.
Go back
and watch that 15 minute clip of him playing Milwaukee. Yes, Rubio is great in transition, but almost always if he doesn’t see what he wants he directs guys around and then makes the exact right decision, putting the ball in the right place at the right time for a great look for his guy.
I don’t know what you want, other than Kobe, because that appears to be the only answer in your mind. If you don’t see how Rubio is the exact guy you want then I’m not sure any of us are going to be of any use to you.
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 10:24 AM CST up reply actions
this is the wrong question
Getting him in "isolation clear out, break down his defender on the way to the basket or pass off" isn’t his game. You can’t not do it all game and then suddenly do it at the end of the game. It doesn’t work that way.
Not to get all meta, but in some ways it reminds me of the false Fox vs MSNBC narrative…these networks ask the wrong questions to the wrong problems to the wrong people, all the while claiming to represent all of the country….no, no, no and no.
http://loisaidabbclub.tumblr.com/
Twitter: @loisaidabbclub
by beatsandpeasnyc on Dec 27, 2011 10:24 AM CST up reply actions
BINGO
Fresh thinking.
http://loisaidabbclub.tumblr.com/
Twitter: @loisaidabbclub
by beatsandpeasnyc on Dec 27, 2011 10:13 AM CST up reply actions
Heck of a lot fresher than
“When the game is close late, we need to clear out and run an isolation for our identified iso scorer,” isn’t it?
"Opinion ...a confession."
The next fall back
Mockery and straw men. Awesome.
Rubio is their best ball handler and facilitator. He creates lots of points with very few used possessions. No matter if there are 12 seconds on the clock or 12 minutes, him having the ball in his hands is a pretty damn good option for a starting point for accumulating points. Wolves wing iso possessions with 8:30 to go in the 1st probably are just as effective as Wolves wing iso possessions are in the last possession of a tied/close game. They don’t have that guy. They need to put the ball in the hands of their best players, allow them to do what they do well, and hope for the best.
by Stop-n-Pop on Dec 27, 2011 10:15 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I think you the mockery started with your Jack Bauer reference
I simply stated that at the end of game you need someone to make a play happen. 5 seconds left is a very real game situation that happens every day in the NBA.
You instead have to be a bully and throw out your lame arguments. That’s all you do SnP… bully anyone who sees the game differently.
BS
I argue with people who I disagree with. This is what happens on discussion boards. People discuss. Discussion breeds disagreement. Again, this is how it works. None of this is directed at you. It’s directed at what you are saying. I know this is an amazing concept for a lot of people, but those are two different things.
My argument is that the number of 5 seconds to go plays during a season are minuscule. All possessions are equal. Rubio creates points like nobody else on the team. He’s been a pro for several years and he doesn’t get flustered. Give him the ball. I don’t care how much time is left. Give him the ball and let him go to work. It’s a solid strategy for the first 47 minutes of the game and I don’t believe that should change in the last minute.
Bullshit dude
You bully and berate and treat people like shit.
Look in the mirror for once.
http://www.amazon.com/Narcissism-Epidemic-Living-Age-Entitlement/dp/1416575987
People will disagree with you. It isn’t about you. It’s about what you are saying.
Nice.
And with his dog in critical condition.
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
I am sorry about SnP's dog
But I’m sure many of us go through tough times too but others aren’t aware of it.
There’s a difference between arguing and not tolerating other view points. It gets pretty old.
I can't see your position in this thread regarding SnP
You opined that Beasley should get the ball in late clock situations. SnP thinks that the ball in Rubio’s hands is a better choice. Nowhere do I see not tolerating other viewpoints.
The Wolves are like the worst meal you've ever had--terrible while you're eating it and even worse later.
by Eric in Madison on Dec 27, 2011 10:39 AM CST up reply actions
When did I say the ball should be in Beasley's hands?
I asked SnP if he thought the ball should be in Rubio’s hands with 5 seconds left in a tie game? My previous point is we don’t have a 4th quarter closer still and that’s our biggest problem.
He proceeded to say (about the 5 second left scenario), "That’s about as silly as the Jack Bauer “what if there was a ticking nuke” torture question."
May I have your lunch money please?
Joe Mauer grounded out to second
Bill Smith - Buy high, Hold high, Sell for a bag of chips
You want to be tolerated?
That’s what all of this is about? You want to say whatever you want and then have it tolerated?
I’m disagreeing with what you are saying. I think there is a better way of doing things.
FWIW, I think tolerating people is one of the most disrespectful things you can do to someone. It is, essentially, saying that you don’t think enough about them to take them seriously.
by Stop-n-Pop on Dec 27, 2011 10:42 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
This is a perfect rationalization
For treating people badly.
I think genuine tolerance sprouts from the realization that idea that one may be wrong about something. Lack of tolerance sprouts from “I am right and everyone else is wrong.”
I gladly accept that I am wrong quite often.
This would be an extremely boring discussion board...
if nobody tried to prove anyone else wrong.
In order to have an interesting discussion, you must start with the assumption that your hypothesis is superior to someone else’s. That is the springboard for debate. When someone asserts an alternative hypothesis and presents an argument, you should address the points raised and/or bring new information into the discussion. What you shouldn’t do, is pin your hands to a cross and howl. That makes for a really irritating comment thread.
The part where I say "I'm right and everybody else is wrong"
Where’s that?
F*$k tolerance. Nobody deserves to be tolerated. “Hey, I’ll put up with you even though I think you’re s$*t.” Wonderful.
You said something, I disagreed…your first response was to do the whole “nobody dare disagree with the wisdom of SNP bit.” Who here doesn’t think they start with the (more) correct answer? If you want to find out if it really is a good idea, you throw it out into the big wide world and let people have at it.
I'll change the tone with a Zen or Taoist story I love
(forgive me if I butcher it). It’s about a man who owns a several beautiful horses. One day a neighbor approaches him and says he’d like to buy his horses. The man says, “No I don’t want to sell my horses.”
The next day his horses are stolen. The neighbor stops buy and says, “You fool, you should have sold my horses to me. Now you have no horses.” The man replies, “I don’t know if I am a fool. All I know is I have no horses. We shall see.” Later his horses return with a dozen other wild horses. The neighbor proclaims, “You are so lucky, you have all these horses now.” The man says, “Who knows? All I know is I have more horses now. We shall see.”
Then the man’s son is taming one of the horses and is thrown and permanently damages his leg. The neighbor says, “What misfortune you have, your son will never walk again.” The man says, “We shall see.”
The next day the army comes to town and gathers all the young men in the town to go off to war. The man’s son cannot go because of his damaged leg.
The neighbor says, “You are such a wise man. Your son is the only young man left in the village.” The man says, “I don’t know if I am wise. All I know is my son is here. We shall see.”
And on and on.
You are wrong in this bit of bickering.
Admit it.
"Of what use is a philosopher who does not hurt anybody's feelings?" -Diogenes of Sinope
by Cynical Jason on Dec 27, 2011 2:37 PM CST up reply actions
I admit it
I took the bait. And was wrong for doing so. It was a colossal waste of time and energy.
Seriously?
Live And Stupid From England
by JonesTheCat on Dec 27, 2011 10:33 AM CST up reply actions
I think this is quite a bit over the top and
not at all accurate. We have a handful of posters who bully and berate and treat people like s**t. SnP certainly is not one of them. Arguing confidently is not the same thing as what you’re talking about.
Follow me on Twitter @timallenonline
Tim I respectfully disagree about SnP
But agree it is over the top.
Here...
….we’ll make a deal. From now on I’ll tolerate you.
by Stop-n-Pop on Dec 27, 2011 11:13 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Tolerating people isn't the same as tolerating crap arguments in order not to hurt people's feelings.
"Opinion ...a confession."
by feral on Dec 27, 2011 1:56 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I can't even go down the tolerate people path anymore
Something about the concept has always really bugged me. I get that it is used as a tool to help combat bigotry and try and foster empathy/understanding, but I think the underlying factor in both tolerating people and ideas is one that is somewhat patronizing. I might be a bit of a zealot on this point, however.
Toleration: Something you reserve for situations in which you gradually develop it to iocaine powder.
"Opinion ...a confession."
Very strange..
I’ve never seen SNP berate or make fun of anyone. Usually he goes the extra mile to not do so. Dunno where you are coming from.
But as for your ‘we need a 4th quarter scorer’, I disagree. I think that the concept of the ‘4th quarter isolation scorer’ is a media-developed need that doesn’t exist in the real world.
You need the ball to go in the hoop. When you try to take 80% of your team out of the equation I think you are handicapping yourself. It is a team game afterall.
5 seconds left, that should allow for a few dribbles or a pass before the shot. If all you ever do is go to one guy and ISO, what is going to happen when people just doubleteam?
by bustaone on Dec 27, 2011 1:54 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
With 5 seconds left...
…I suggest giving the ball to Ridnour. That way when he puts up a shot, Love will have 4 seconds for the board and put-back.
:)
Unfortunately missed threes tend to rebound long.
"It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future." -- Yogi Berra
by Wile E Coyote on Dec 27, 2011 3:16 PM CST up reply actions
Love don't care
He will be in that spot waiting before Luke even takes the shot..
???
No one’s bullying anybody. You keep suggesting that we need someone who can break down defenses and make a play – and that is Rubio. You choose not to accept it because, near as I can tell, by ‘break down defenses and make a play’ you mean ‘blow by guys and score like Westbrook.’ Maybe you didn’t watch the game last night and see how consistently Rubio made OKC’s interior defense look silly.
I think JPete put it the best when he finally admitted that he didn’t know where Rubio was going to go with the ball. Two or three times in a row Rubio fooled JPete and all of OKC’s defenders with where they thought he would go, the end result being easy points at the basket. All SnP, me, and everyone else is saying is that a) we don’t have a Westbrook, so b) I want the guy who gets us easy layups via creative passes the defense never sees coming to be the guy with the ball at the end of the game.
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 10:28 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I think this is the best way to explain Rubio
http://gizmodo.com/5818835/how-a-parisian-artist-created-this-stunning-optical-illusion
When you watch him from the floor, he does all sorts of things that make the ball and his intentions hard to follow. He’s something of an optical illusion, but only from a certain viewpoint. Luckily for us, that viewpoint seems to be on the court.
Unluckily for us
practicing with Rubio has now convinced Ridnour and Darko that they too can do behind the back passes.
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 10:42 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Ridnour doesn't seem that much the worse for trying those.
He’s not calm or calming, but then that’s not who he is as a player.
"Opinion ...a confession."
Bully? What *are* you reading? This is so weak.
"Opinion ...a confession."
by feral on Dec 27, 2011 1:53 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
yes
and the 4 other players should all just stand in pre-shot position with their hands in front of their face….waiting to shoot.
http://loisaidabbclub.tumblr.com/
Twitter: @loisaidabbclub
by beatsandpeasnyc on Dec 27, 2011 9:52 AM CST up reply actions
really
half the time everyone look like they had know idea rubios pass wass coming their way
Bromz
by punkindrublic on Dec 27, 2011 10:14 AM CST up reply actions
the pass to DWill on the break
that he whizzed by the heads of 2 OKC guys, was rabbit out of a hat like passing.
http://loisaidabbclub.tumblr.com/
Twitter: @loisaidabbclub
by beatsandpeasnyc on Dec 27, 2011 10:19 AM CST up reply actions
One things for sure
this isn’t typical Minny BBall
Bromz
by punkindrublic on Dec 27, 2011 10:20 AM CST up reply actions
That was fantastic.
Nick Collison and James Harden were completely frozen on that
Follow me on Twitter @timallenonline
I thought
when I saw it that Collison nearly had his head taken off by that pass.
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 10:29 AM CST up reply actions
I love how Rubio's passes
Miss the defenders by about 1/4 inch. Can’t remember anyone threading the needle over and over again like he was.
Hope the defense doesn’t adjust to that!
Speaking of frozen...
…we should take a moment to remember Ridnour’s ankles. Although, they were more broken.
Very true.
I hope Ridnour finds that bench comfortable, because with games like last night, he’ll be enjoying some more time over there I hope.
Follow me on Twitter @timallenonline
I'd have said frozen.
At that moment, I swear to you, I was in the act of explaining that RIdnour gets so nervous he takes himself out of plays. He fell, and the girls I was talking to laughed. It was too perfect.
"Opinion ...a confession."
Wait, wait
You were talking to girls?
The Wolves are like the worst meal you've ever had--terrible while you're eating it and even worse later.
by Eric in Madison on Dec 27, 2011 2:13 PM CST up reply actions
A subtle humblebrag
But more to the point: do you think he could teach me how?
The Wolves are like the worst meal you've ever had--terrible while you're eating it and even worse later.
by Eric in Madison on Dec 27, 2011 2:37 PM CST up reply actions
It's kind of
like this. But with success instead.
"Of what use is a philosopher who does not hurt anybody's feelings?" -Diogenes of Sinope
by Cynical Jason on Dec 27, 2011 2:40 PM CST up reply actions
Learn by my example. First attend gym classes with them for about four years. Then you can start talking.
"Opinion ...a confession."
That's terrible advice.
I’ve found that it’s very difficult to get into gym classes with girls unless you’re actually enrolled in the school.
Tune in this week to "At the Movies With MAYNHOLUP and Jonny Flynn":
Jonny: OMG Salt was so good Angeline Jolie kicked some serious butt in that movie
MAYNHOLUP: mayn fuck u Jonny Flynn
Another three years to get enrolled, then. Time worth investing.
We’re still one year short of the development time apparently necessary for Michael Beasley’s game.
"Opinion ...a confession."
This has to be the beginning
of the best “Letter to Penthouse Forum” ever.
Tune in this week to "At the Movies With MAYNHOLUP and Jonny Flynn":
Jonny: OMG Salt was so good Angeline Jolie kicked some serious butt in that movie
MAYNHOLUP: mayn fuck u Jonny Flynn
Luke Ridnour's ankles?
The Wolves are like the worst meal you've ever had--terrible while you're eating it and even worse later.
by Eric in Madison on Dec 27, 2011 2:44 PM CST up reply actions
To be fair to our small, weak,
soon-to-be-backup point guard, it appears he sort of tripped on Tolliver’s foot.
Tune in this week to "At the Movies With MAYNHOLUP and Jonny Flynn":
Jonny: OMG Salt was so good Angeline Jolie kicked some serious butt in that movie
MAYNHOLUP: mayn fuck u Jonny Flynn
Or you could just run your offense
and let it be the guy who’s got the best shot who takes that shot.
Hang in there Winston...
I’ve had my dog for over 12 years now. She’s old, and when I think about losing her, I literally cry like a baby. They are amazing companions. Hoping for the best SnP…
"I'm gonna make you cry...I'm gonna make you cry and dip my cookie in your tears!!!"
by mutleyil on Dec 27, 2011 8:57 AM CST reply actions 1 recs
Fun game to watch
What a fun game to watch. Wolves were in the game the whole way. Darko played great and was really into the game – I loved the smirk on his face after he knocked Perkins on his butt in the first quarter. Rubio was as good as we could have hoped for in his first game and even made a clutch jumper down the stretch. JJ is a scrappy spark-plug that you could just tell OKC didn’t know what to do with. I had a few moans for some of Beasley’s shot selections but it seemed like he as at least trying on defense and listening to the coach – seemed like fewer long 2-point attempts at least. Wes didn’t have good results, but he wasn’t passive for a change which at this point in the season counts as improvement from my perspective. I think the biggest change is obviously the coaching. The whole team seems to be taking on the persona of the coach – calm, confident, competent. It was great seeing Adelman argue for calls with the refs, draw up plays, and actually coach. If you watched the post-game interview you heard a coach that understood his job in answering questions was partly to support/reward his players and give the fans hope. (Instead of Kahn being too-honest or Rambis telling the fans we will suck for at least 2-3 more years before contending). Fun, fun game. Looking forward to the season.
by InsideOut on Dec 27, 2011 9:12 AM CST reply actions 1 recs
Beas and contact
Adelman can coach Beas out of taking the low percentage long twos (outside the paint, he was 2/10), but I worry about Beas’s ability to get a shot off when taking contact. He’s rarely going to get the calls and it seems whenever he gets the slightest contact around the rim, he blows the shot. This worrisome because it is most likely not fixable. He’s gotta be able to finish through contact and most of the time, he can’t. That’s why we all keep wishing a foul will be called. He doesn’t get the and one cuz he doesn’t put it in the bucket in the first place.
Agree, but hoping he can improve
Good point on Beas and contact. He seems strong enough that he should be able to do better. An earlier poster suggested Beas should try banking it in off the glass more – maybe that is part of the answer? It seems like Beas is often just a little bit too low under the basket to dunk it and realizes a bit too late that he needs to lay it in or try a short floating shot instead and blows it near the rim. I also think that better team play overall and Beas limiting his out of control drives to the bucket might help him get a few calls with the refs in the future. Maybe I have my TWolves-blue-colored glasses on here but I like to think that coaching and mixing in a few passes near the rim can help Beas be more effective at the rim. Driving to the rim and passing to DWill for a dunk ocassionally as DWill improves might not hurt either. :)
GO WOLVES!!!
Wolves looked pretty damn good outside of their usual horrid D.Give em a couple games to get settled in with their shooting and we might actually have a team. Sorry to hear about your dog, my thoughts are with Winston.
Bromz
Adelman
is the man. After watching two years of craptastic coaching by Kurt, I can’t believe the difference a good coach makes.
How many easy buckets did we get coming out of timeouts? 3 maybe?
More than Rambis had all season. Even after adding all of these shiny new parts, Adelman may have the most dramatic impact on our team and W-L record.
"I haven't gotten back from the future yet." - Be-Easy
re: Coaching
Saw the resumes on FSN last night of our staff. Sikma was a 7 time All-Star? Maybe he’s working with Darko and it’s paying off? One can always hope. And T.R. Dunn was all NBA Defensive Team three times? Come on guys! Hurry up and improve these guys!
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 10:31 AM CST up reply actions
Have to say, additionally,
JJ Barea is the man.
Live And Stupid From England
by JonesTheCat on Dec 27, 2011 9:49 AM CST reply actions 1 recs
Wes Johnson
- 3 Assists
- Made 2 drives to the baskets after shot faking a catch a shoot from the corner. Yes, he turned it over on the drives, but this is the behavior we want from him.
Maybe this is a Baby Steps moment. I hope it is, because the altneratives do not look good. At least during crunch time Wes was on the bench.
Michael Beasley is a Small Forward. Derrick Williams is a Power Forward.
On the feed from Rubio
that he caught near the basket—he looked like he was afraid of getting called for a violation for shooting from so close to the rim.
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
Yes, you can definitely see the "Panic" button being pressed in Wes' brain.
Michael Beasley is a Small Forward. Derrick Williams is a Power Forward.
Go Winston.
Hang in there Pop. I know how I’d feel if my dog had troubles.
by fanslaststand on Dec 27, 2011 10:04 AM CST via mobile reply actions 1 recs
JJ Barea is the man. He was a great pickup this off season. It almost sucks to say it but he should probably be the one taking the last shot of the game. Maybe JJ Barea can teach Beasley how to drive like he does?
Also about three minutes before the last shot of the game I tapped my buddy and said “How sweet would that be to see Rubio jack down a three to win the game.” Almost thought it was going to come true.
Yes, it was a loss but a good loss none the less.
by Skoaldybi on Dec 27, 2011 10:09 AM CST reply actions 1 recs
I just went back over the first quarter to find Darko putting Perkins on the floor.
And that was a duel that was going on the whole quarter.
I love the fact that he puts him on his arse and then stares him down, and is instantly surrounded by Wolves, all smiling. Brilliant.
Now, how do I create a GIF…
Live And Stupid From England
Search youtube for an instructional video?
Looking for tickets to Wolves' 2011 NBA Preseason Champion ring ceremony, banner unfurling. Please contact
by Black Jack Davy on Dec 27, 2011 11:05 AM CST up reply actions
Are you watching on a windows machine?
If so, pause the game at the image you want to retain. If press the “print screen” button on your computer. Open Paint, and then press [control + P]. That should paste the screen shot you just saved. Then crop the image so it only contained the image you want. Then “save as” and select file type .gif. Or jpg.
If you’re on a Mac, you’re on your own…
by stuntmonkeys on Dec 27, 2011 2:54 PM CST up reply actions
Your resolution might really suck though.
by stuntmonkeys on Dec 27, 2011 2:55 PM CST up reply actions
Is there video of this?
I was at the game and looked down only to look up and see Perkins on the floor.
Surface thought: I'm legitmately intrigued
It’s nice to not have to talk myself into the Wolves for the first time in 7 years.
Beyond that:
- If they can develop the part of their offense that leads to more inside hoops off of cuts, they’ll be much less reliant on Rubio/Barea and Love put-backs. There were signs last night of that.
- Weakside shot-blocking is crucial to their defense. They had a decent amount of it in the home Milwaukee game and probably needed more of it last night.
- It was surprising to see how much they played Beasley on Durant without giving him help. Same with whoever was guarding Westbrook or Harden.
- I’m not going to get into a lot of discussion of individual players. It’s not my job to evaluate them, and the team had a chance to win down the stretch with a group that was arguably their best chance of winning. To me, how they play up the strengths and mask the flaws of the guys in the rotation is a more interesting discussion than who should play and/or who should be on the team. There were encouraging signs from some players that might develop into real change or be inconsistent flashes. Every team has inefficient guys/guys the fans don’t like/inconsistent guys in their rotations, yet they win because those guys’ weaknesses are minimized and their strengths are maximized.
The good news is hopeful doesn't mean dumb. The bad news is cynical doesn't mean smart. -- Sarah Silverman
by pagingstanleyroberts on Dec 27, 2011 10:47 AM CST reply actions
Another positive from last night's game--
The Wolves’ Laughingstockness has dropped considerably: Rubio’s assists are the lead story at Deadspin, and ESPN has been rightfully slobbering all over him for the past 12 hours.
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
by PoorDick on Dec 27, 2011 10:59 AM CST reply actions 1 recs
Here's the best part for me
Look at this comparison. (and yes, I posted this as a comment on a fanpost but think it deserves a bit more awareness).
Russell Westbrook is just upset that Ricky has a higher PER than him. Or more than double the Ortg than him. Or over 14 times the WS/48.
Zach puts it best, I think, in describing the contrast between these two archetypal points – the me first scorer vs. the team first passer:
Russell Westbrook didn’t respect Ricky Rubio’s presence on the court. He didn’t respect his presence as someone to talk about. He was upset when asked questions about Rubio. He was upset when the crowd cheered for Rubio. He wanted to make sure everybody knew that HE was the All-Star and RUBIO wasn’t. He burned Ricky on backdoor cuts. He powered through Ricky in transition for buckets and fouls. With every score, he glared in Ricky’s direction. With every bit of success the Wolves enjoyed during the competitive fourth quarter, Westbrook made sure to dismiss Rubio’s contribution by smiling when Ricky dare accept his assignment and defend Russ.
Numbers don’t lie Russell. Ricky is, at least for one game, your true peer as a PG.
So – how long do you think Russell will last on OKC?
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 11:29 AM CST up reply actions
I hope Ricky asked Russell what he was doing during the last Olympics
That’s Ricky’s trash talk trump card. Better yet, his play was good enough to have him not say anything. He got in Russell’s head.
by Stop-n-Pop on Dec 27, 2011 11:30 AM CST up reply actions 2 recs
Rubio's maturity
is not surprising, but it is still amazing.
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
Who knew...
….that going pro at a young age could teach talented athletes how to be talented professionals? He didn’t even need the NCAA.
Another thing I didn't notice
Westbrook is averaging 7 TO’s a game through two games. What?!
Ha ha, just kidding. He seriously is averaging 7 TO’s, and all it makes me think of is how that makes him the Michael Beasley of their team.
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 11:39 AM CST up reply actions
But shouldn't he donate
some of his salary to the NCAA, out of, you know, respect?
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
Just think how good he would have been
if he had played four years for Tubby Smith, instead of wasting his teens playing in Europe.
It’s a tragedy, really . . .
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
What's the over/under for games until Rubio starts?
I know Adelman says its more important who finishes the game (and I agree with him) but it still seems like Adelman is trying to protect Ricky and ease him into the league. I understand the thought process but it sure didn’t seem like he needed much protecting or easing into the game last night…
I know, right?
Russell literally seemed to try and go out of his way to make a point about Ricky…and in the process just ended up looking like a selfish guy who’s ego is fragile enough to need to care about such things. Westbrook is an amazing player – just not sure why he cares about such things. Too strong a shade of Marbury.
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 11:33 AM CST up reply actions
Westbrook's over the top competitiveness
is a two-edged sword. I’d still take it over passivity, but it definitely hurts him and his team sometimes, aside from making him look like a fool.
Westbrook was such a ninny that game.
Westbrook was getting it taken to him just as much – if not more so, honestly.
by googoleeoottooooleeoottooooleeeatta on Dec 27, 2011 1:00 PM CST up reply actions
The best thing to me. . .
Was the unpredictability of it all in the half court. Last year (really the whole two years of Rambis fisasco "Rambasco"TM) the offense was so predictable in the half court — throw it to the high or low post and run to the corner and run the Biangle. When Rubio is in the game I get the feeling that not only does the casual fan not know what could happen at any moment but the other team has barely any idea and mostly his teammates don’t either.
I was at the game, and there were literally a half dozen times when I glanced at my phone or was looking away from the ball or at Adelman and Rubio did something unexpected. Some of it was the crowd oohing at every move no matter how typical, but more often than not it was a pass that no one else saw. In today’s age of multiple distractions and the lure of multimedia, having a player that you have to watch ALL THE TIME is a great asset assuming it produces wins.
And count me as one of the Wes apologists. He did not play well and the TOs were particularly concerning to me, but if we are going to give other guys with poor shooting nights at least a couple of games to see where they settle out, then I’m going to give Wes a couple of games as well. I also don’t think you can discount the fact that he played mostly with Rindour. I want to see a larger sample size, but if RR is who we think he is, guys who get minutes with him are going to look a lot better than guys who don’t get minutes with him
I feel like the season is just on hold right now
As we wait for the amazingly obvious and overdue roster rebalancing to occur. How long will Adelman experiment with the “All PFs and PGs” group? And when he decides something needs to happen, who goes, who comes, and will Kahn muff the whole thing up?
I saw some things I liked last night, but this just feels so temporary.
It is so galling that the common wisdom in the NBA is that wings are the easiest position to fill, and yet the Wolves have had absolute garbage at SG for over two decades. Other than Wally out of position there for a few years and one good year from Sprewell, it has been a disaster year after year. I like Barea, but I see him as a super-sub capable of playing both guard positions depending on matchups.
"It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future." -- Yogi Berra
JJ guarding James Hardin?
Can someone explain to me why James Hardin, who is 6’5" and a really good player, did not exploit the match-up when under-six-foot JJ was guarding him? Why did the visiting team not go to Hardin every time down the floor? Is it because Westbrook and Durant are the designated scorers in the fourth quarter? Does Hardin have no game inside so he can’t post up JJ?
Some answers from the Canis Hoopus Basketball experts would be helpful.
Also I was at the game and when I got home, my wife said “You must be disappointed with the score.” I told her I was not only not disappointed, but was highly encouraged with how the team looked.
One more comment. It seems to me one of the most important qualities of a good coaching is knowing when and who to substitute. In the three games so far, I have yet to say to myself, “Why the hell is he making that substitution?”, unlike Rambis which happened almost every game.
I think they have history going back to last years playoffs
If I’m not mistaken JJ gives Harden fits.
Looked to me like JJ gave all of OKC fits last night
Even the coaches had a “not this guy again” look on their face when JJ started doing his thing.
Harden owned JJ when that matchup first started
but then JJ drew some offensive fouls on Harden, and Durant got hot so they went away from it.
i liked Harden befo I saw him in person
and realized whut a douche dat guy iz. Him an Westbrook piss me off alot. Dem some entitled, Vampire Weekend-listening mafuckaz who think dey nice cuz dey got a bowtie and huge black framed glasses on.
Dey be albowing and juss aimleslsy pushing towards de basket i gotta say i dont like dis Thunder team wun bit fuckin Perk iz just a thug on de court wit no skillz. Ibaka iz cool but wuz bear hugging (along wit Perk) Lov on every rebound i mean come on Ref and dat TRAVELING call late in de 4th wuz on some conspriacy shit i swear ta god. Durant iz good but i still dont think he’z next level good. im prolly wrong bout dat but fuck it im on wun
MAYN HOL UP!
That travel call
was messed up.
Westbrook was making an ass of himself, but I still like Harden’s game a lot. Were you seeing some BS going on because you were at the game? I didn’t see anything egregious from Harden watching at home.
Having good seats at a Lakers game last year made me realize how much I can’t stand Derek Fisher as a player. Nothing but provoking and acting the whole game. Being at the game allows you to see some of that stuff off the ball.
Harden annoys me
because he’s good and he grins knowingly that he’s good.
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 11:47 AM CST up reply actions
Harden annoys me first an foremost fo being a hipster
second, u cud tell he had no respect fo us. H wuz laughin an jokin all game. He didnt play a LICK uv defense. He haz alot uv talent but iz too self aware that he iz de hot young player uv de moment. Just watching him i wuz like aight fuck dis guy, Westbrook worse doe
MAYN HOL UP!
At the game, Harden just shoved JJ the entire time.
If the refs wanted to they could have called a foul on him on almost every play, and did a few times.
Last night was fun
We had an off-shooting night, but you could tell there was a night and day difference, offensively and defensively, between last year and Game 1 this year. We had some impressive games last year where we played with this type of effort and almost came out with a win against some of the best teams in the league. The difference is now I have an expectation that we’ll improve as the season goes on, rather than regress. Adelman will find that right rotation and the chemistry will improve by leaps and bounds. The only way we lose to the Bucks is if we don’t bring the same energy we brought last night. I will be very disappointed if that happens. I want to run the Bucks out of the gym and get our confidence up prior to the Heat game.
Barea is going to be one of my faves before long. When he and Rubio are on the court I expect good things to happen. Love had an off game but he battled, as did Beasley. Williams forced some shots but I love his aggressiveness in his NBA debut. He also missed some shots that he’ll knock down more times than not. Darko looked good. When he’s playing inspired he is a plus for this team. We’re going to need him this year. Tolliver’s defensive versatility is huge for us. Rubio was as advertised. I agree with Adelman bringing him in slowly, and he’ll be the starter before long — wouldn’t surprise me if it comes within a couple games. Westbrook and Durant are beasts and we didn’t have an answer for either. OKC did a great job of team rebounding and did a great job of keeping Love from having blow-up game on the boards.
Beasley driving, drawing contact, and not getting calls.
It’s hard to encourage him to keep driving and drawing contact if the refs don’t help the man out. Nobody wants to spend an entire game getting hacked at without getting any FT’s. I don’t know how he will stay motivated if the refs don’t respect him drawing contact.
If he can't stay "motivated"
he shouldn’t be playing.
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
I will keep calling this out
This is BS. It is not about the refs. It’s about Beasley’s skills. He is not consistently able to draw the sort of contact that results in fouls.
The Wolves are like the worst meal you've ever had--terrible while you're eating it and even worse later.
by Eric in Madison on Dec 27, 2011 11:44 AM CST up reply actions
He needn't look far to learn.
Love must be the best in the NBA at drawing the sorts of bonus fouls that he coninuously draws. Just tangling his arms up with opponents, letting out a scream, and headed to the line for two shots at 85 percent conversion. It’s pretty amazing how he turns off-ball scrums into points.
Yep
That’s a skill Love definitely has.
The Wolves are like the worst meal you've ever had--terrible while you're eating it and even worse later.
by Eric in Madison on Dec 27, 2011 11:52 AM CST up reply actions
These always seem to happen
at the end of quarters. He knows when to do his acting jobs. Smart player.
More importantly, via inhalation?
Gary, you didn't kill your brother. Those gorillas did.
by nja700 on Dec 27, 2011 2:47 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Very smart player
Shot wasn’t falling last night? OK – 12 FTAs it is.
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 11:56 AM CST up reply actions
This is interesting
Do you not think that Love is actually getting fouled and taking a ton of contact throughout the game? Is he just being gifted FTs? Do you think that say he and Beasley both are fouled the same amount and Love just goes to the line more?
This is interesting, too.
Answers:
1. Sometimes, No he does take a lot of contact. (Two-part question)
2. Not usually, not more than other players who have made foul-drawing a skill.
3. No.
I’m not sure what prompted all of those leading questions.
Leading questions tend to come from telling comments
Just tangling his arms up wit opponents, letting out a scream
he knows when to do his acting jobs
Kevin Love goes to the FT line at a high rate because he gets fouled a lot.
I think he draws enough contact for fouls
But for some reason he hasn’t figured out how to highlight it for the refs like other guys can. Love is excellent at emphasizing contact. Beasley looks like he’s just trying to make the basket regardless… it’s similar to why Rose wasn’t drawing as many fouls earlier in his career. He made a conscious effort to get better at drawing and showing contact.
Disagree.
I watched this all last year too. Opposing scoring wing gets into the lane and barely touched… To the line for two. Beas will get completely mugged splitting two defenders and it ends up being a turnover. Beas doesn’t play it up like love does.
Beasley motivation and better coaching
Seeing Adelman on the sidelines working the refs and listening to Adelman support his players efforts after the game will help keep Beasley motivated and responsive to coaching. I loved how Adelman both supported his players for (paraphrasing here) trying to play the right way while also saying that they needed to improve and learn how to win close games. Support plus accountability all at the same time. What a breath of fresh air compared to Rambis’s smugness, lack of creativity, and lack of support for his players.
Super snap (reaction) stats
http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/MIN/2012.html
Rubio is a magical unicorn.
Yup
he’s on pace to provide 8.25 WS this year, or more than double the cumulative WS of 4 that Ridnour, Bassy, Jonny, and Sessions put up under Rambis.
To put what Ricky did last night in further context, he only has to be half as good over the course of this season to still be better than all of our PGs combined the past two seasons. Incidentally, if you take away Ridnour, Ricky has already literally surpassed the cumulative production of Bassy, Jonny, and Sessions in WS over the past two years (0.1 WS for Ricky to 0.0 WS for those other guys).
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 12:11 PM CST up reply actions
If Ricky is a magical unicorn
Then Darko must be one of the Mearas, unless my eyes are cheated by some spell.
Michael Beasley is a Small Forward. Derrick Williams is a Power Forward.
by Ebomb on Dec 27, 2011 12:14 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Even more striking about this list
Is that Wes Johnson was the whipping boy of the night when Tolliver and Randolph played so poorly. Followed by many poser’s desire to trade our 5th best player in Ridnour.
Michael Beasley is a Small Forward. Derrick Williams is a Power Forward.
I know
I don’t really remember Wes much from last night.
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 12:17 PM CST up reply actions
My new nickname for Wes
Is “Foreplay”, because he’s good enough to get some action, but he’s too tentative to take it to the, well, you know where I’m going with this.
Gary, you didn't kill your brother. Those gorillas did.
by nja700 on Dec 27, 2011 2:49 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Tolliver
20 Minutes at -4.1 PER…OUCH
Michael Beasley is a Small Forward. Derrick Williams is a Power Forward.
Tolliver
has a large body of work to offset a subpar performance from last night. AR is still AR—there wasn’t as much hope for him (or as much invested in him) when compared to Wes.
Wes is still Wes, sadly.
(and where is the Orange Nightmare to weigh in as the Last Man Standing in Wes’ defense?)
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
I see
So it’s your expectations that are the problem…
Michael Beasley is a Small Forward. Derrick Williams is a Power Forward.
I try to diminish them
but I am still too optimistic.
As promised, since they resumed playing NBA basketball, I have resumed watching NBA basketball.
Snap judgment rule #1
Snap judgments are only to be used to support a position you already hold.
Don’t hate the playa.
my personal favorite is his offensive rating of 176.
"My love for Jerry Kill knows no bounds." - Jeffrick
by TheEvilProfessor on Dec 27, 2011 1:00 PM CST up reply actions
I liked that, too.
But he’s got nothin’ on Anthony Parker, who has an ORtg of 267 and a TS% of 1.333.
didnt see the game
how did D-will look?
"Never take your eyes off of your opponent…even when you bow."
You keep saying that
And clearly he is not gigantic in height. So are you meaning ‘freakishly strong’ or ‘spent too much time at IHOP’ or ?
"It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future." -- Yogi Berra
by Wile E Coyote on Dec 27, 2011 12:29 PM CST up reply actions
I'd say
“he’s trying to get into the Karl Malone school of Big Shoulders” large.
It’s kinda funny – he’s just a very different player than Love. Love is fundamental, all about positioning and timing, rebounding and passing. DWill is more just a classic scorer, making moves to the basket, being aggressive on cuts to the hoop. I can’t tell yet if he is lumbering or he just looks like he’s lumbering because he takes long strides.
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 12:38 PM CST up reply actions
Very different looking than KLove
Agree with the big shoulders – also he looks “cut” or “built” while Klove just doesn’t look like he has much upper-body strength. Looks sure aren’t everything though – I’m talking to you, Wes.
never will play the 3 large
his frame suggests he’d have an easier time putting on weight instead of losing it.
Everytime I see him
I keep thinking of Amare, only shorter. Perhaps Love should be our 4 and Williams our spot 5?
by Dr. Wolfenstein on Dec 27, 2011 12:52 PM CST up reply actions
He looked like the number 2 overall pick in the draft to me
He looked physically big and strong but a bit lost like you might expect a rookie to look. He had an awesome dunk and some times when he was clearly trying to force it. I was encouraged overall.
One thing I like is that he takes it to the rack with some force
He has taken a lot of threes. Not sure if that is coaching or a tendency to float outside.
But the times when he is rolling to the basket – watch out. He is going to get fouled a lot and dunk a lot I think.
He had one rookie moment last night where he tried to loft up a shot in the paint and got swatted. Have to adjust for bigger and better Cs.
But he had another moment where he had gotten open in the paint. Love fired a laser pass, Williams caught it deftly and put it right in. I was encouraged by that because that is the type of play a lot of guys miss; they either fumble the catch or botch the shot trying to rush it.
I wish he would do it more often, as he seems perfectly contend in bombing threes. And given his accuracy last year in college, I don’t mind him hitting open threes.
But I’d like to see him closer to the paint at times. Hit him with a pass while moving and go at the rim.
"It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future." -- Yogi Berra
by Wile E Coyote on Dec 27, 2011 12:26 PM CST up reply actions
Agreed
“But he had another moment where he had gotten open in the paint. Love fired a laser pass, Williams caught it deftly and put it right in. I was encouraged by that because that is the type of play a lot of guys miss; they either fumble the catch or botch the shot trying to rush it.”
Substitute “Anthony Randolph” for “a lot of guys” and I agree even more, unfortunately. :)
If all he does
Is take it to the rim (while drawing fouls) and shoot threes, he should be pretty good. At the very least, it seems like he’s drawn to the more efficient shots on the court. More so than everyone but Love, I suppose.
Gary, you didn't kill your brother. Those gorillas did.
I heard that the atomphere at the Center was great last night
"Never take your eyes off of your opponent…even when you bow."
Sure looked that way on the screen.
Crowd looked to be getting in Westbrook’s head a bit too.
Live And Stupid From England
yea Westbrooke clearly mad insecure
dis team isnt making de finals wit him runnign the show
MAYN HOL UP!
It's always insane to see a professional athlete be insecure, considering how secure you have to be to get to that point.
But, yeah, he wears his insecurity on his shoulder.
by googoleeoottooooleeoottooooleeeatta on Dec 27, 2011 1:11 PM CST up reply actions
Think of it like modern fighter planes.
They’re designed to be aerodynamically unstable. It makes them more maneuverable, and gives them an edge.
Unless they lose control.
"Opinion ...a confession."
It was rocking at times
Although there was lots of alternating between sitting and standing in the last few minutes. Good play would happen, everyone would stand and cheer and then promptly sit quietly until next good play. Wish there had been more continuous cheering in the last few minutes.
No charges brought and case was cleared by university's judicial board.
Nothing to see here. You’re just piling on.
Follow me on Twitter @timallenonline
What happened may not have been criminal
But it was certainly disgusting, and doesn’t exactly speak well of Flynn’s character. I know most NBA players aren’t saints, but it seems like a big reason Flynn ended up here was because of his “character” or whatever.
Do you even know what happened?
Or are you just going off of the vague paragraph from Mayn’s link?
Follow me on Twitter @timallenonline
Yeah, I've read the articles
I never presumed him guilty of a crime. He was cleared of the charges, so I assume he’s innocent of them.
However, if we’re talking about character, he was involved in something that wasn’t exactly great:
Although cleared of charges, the three players and the male SU student were all placed on disciplinary probation until the spring of 2011, because the panel concluded the players’ conduct could have threatened the female student’s mental health.
Was it criminal? Nope. Does it rank among the worst things NBA players have done? No. But consensual or not, I wouldn’t consider someone involved with a gangbang or train or whatever happened to be a high character guy.
"female student's mental health"
This could be anything. Should we count the way females’ mental health is affected?
Here’s a few.
- The makeup she wants is out of stock until Friday.
- She wants a discount on jeans after dropping some weight because she’s buying less denim
- Lifetime networks are blocked because of contractual disputes with Comcast
I can predict the future using Norm Van Lier's crystal balls.
"Sam has a tendency to denigrate reports coming from any reporter who didn’t also cover the day Naismith first put up the peach baskets." - snley
by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2011 3:49 PM CST up reply actions
So, yeah
I like poking fun at the silly things women get stressed about as well, but to put it nicely, it’s not wise to make those sorts of jokes when the mental health being discussed is the alleged victim in a sexual assault charge.
Gary, you didn't kill your brother. Those gorillas did.
by nja700 on Dec 27, 2011 3:55 PM CST up reply actions 4 recs
The same board cleared Bernie Fine
Evidence is very hard in these cases. It’s mostly he said, she said.
But Flynn sucks at basketball and everyone can watch the evidence over and over.
I can predict the future using Norm Van Lier's crystal balls.
"Sam has a tendency to denigrate reports coming from any reporter who didn’t also cover the day Naismith first put up the peach baskets." - snley
by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2011 2:10 PM CST up reply actions
The whole presumed guilty before innocent thing bothers me
no matter how good or bad Flynn is at basketball. I’d rather we just talked about his on-court problems and love of Martin movies and didn’t try to tear the guy’s personal life apart with little to no actual evidence.
Follow me on Twitter @timallenonline
I would agree with that
However, there are millions of dollars tied up in guaranteed contracts with these players.
Any business owner is going to ask about character.
I can predict the future using Norm Van Lier's crystal balls.
"Sam has a tendency to denigrate reports coming from any reporter who didn’t also cover the day Naismith first put up the peach baskets." - snley
by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2011 3:51 PM CST up reply actions
Sexual Assault iz wun uv de worst crimes imaginable to me
I’m juss saying dat everyone slike “oh Jonny sucked at basketball but hwat a great kid!!” uhh, no, dude tried to run a train on a chick and got off fo being a star basketball player and wearin a rubber. If Cousins and Kobe get ink everytime dey run a stop sign people shud kno about dis accusation az well.
MAYN HOL UP!
whut yall gon be sippin on tanight?!?!
me mayn ima be poppin bottles mayn iss chrismas ayday here at de MAYNHOLUP residence! i got de Bailys ready, I got de Newcastle on ice, I got de Remy chillin, an uv course dat Rozay
MAYN HOL UP!
I just bought some blueberry pomegranate juice, so I'll probably be sippin on that.
Follow me on Twitter @timallenonline
Still got some Macallans..
Haven’t drank it all yet… Will have a glass after the victory!
Diet Barq's RB
Joe Mauer grounded out to second
Bill Smith - Buy high, Hold high, Sell for a bag of chips
Difference last night was free throw %
I say the game was won or lost on the free throw line. Really, if OKC shoots less than 93.5% and MIN shoots above 73.1%, the game goes the other way. It doesn’t matter much how many times each team shot.
- OKC had four players make all of their FTs. The other two missed one shot each. Their starters went 21-21.
- MIN reserves went 4-5, with the starters going 15-21.
With more inspection, it was the lower FT% of MIN starters and lack of FTs from reserves that tilted the result.
I think we're going too hard on Wes
Let’s not forget the man is not a SHOOTING GUARD, his ball handling skills aren’t adequate enough, and his shooting is too streaky. I think with Wes you either have to trade him, or give some major minutes at the 3(although it looks like beasley got that spot.) As for the rest of the wolves you have to trade them for oj mayo, if we can trade luke, ar and maybe wes for mayo, the starting lineup of rubio, mayo, beas, love, and darko might get us to the playoffs.
Also about Westbrook
I’m really starting to not like this guy, him and Durant are two completely different personalities. Durant just goes to work and acts like he torches opposing defenses every night( which he does) while everytime Westbrook makes a jumper or dunks he acts like he’s done that thing for the very first time in his life, too much hatred, and anger in that young man, if he does not get traded he will cause another playoff meltdown for okc
Funny
Kevin Garnett does that stuff and they call it, “passion”.
Follow me on Twitter @timallenonline
I'm not too fond of Garnett either
Ever since he got that championship he became an asshole.
I want to like Wes like I wanted to like the New Star Wars Trilogy
So many things to like, but I;m getting nervous and my optimism is starting to fade.
Do you remember those ‘what might have been’ moments in the theaters? Remember that moment in the second movie when you just started to accept that this story wasn’t ever going to get any better?
Johnson’s second season is starting to feel like I felt watching Attack of the Clones.
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