Is it possible to overstate how important Adelman is?
by wolver on Jan 26, 2012 1:06 PM CST
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PrintSure, Rookie Rubio is already one of the best point guards in the league and it is only his first year. And sure, Love keeps getting more and more superstarry. And sure, the entire team seems to be getting better and better day by day. But does any particular facet of the timberwolves organization deserve more praise than Coach Rick Adelman?
I know that we have gotten some nice new pieces this year, and Rubio is truly a talented player, but we need to recognize how much of a debt of gratitude we owe to one man, Rick Adelman.
This guy has singlehandedly transformed one of the most moribund and incompetent sports franchises of all time into an actual respectable entity. I don't know if any of us are really appreciating how amazing this is.
I've followed the Wolves for a while, and it has been full of pain. But this one man, (and his little coach team i guess) have truly worked miracles.
The Wolves have actually begun playing defense, and even are leading the league in some categories. They are playing smarter and with purpose and they know their roles. It is really great.
Does anyone think that Rambis could have had this team playing this well? Even with Rubio?
Here is an even more scary thought. What if Rubio had come over under Rambis, and Rambis had Jonny Flynned Rubio????!!!!!! That would be like when Voldemort drank those unicorn's blood. A truly despicable act of evil.
So while we all wail and gnash our teeth about Love only getting 60 million dollars maybe we should be looking at a different spot. We should be talking about how we can lock up Adelman to a ten year contract! Because coaches like this don't come around very often.
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No. It's impossible to overstate how horrible Rambis was.
.
by Rascal Flatts on Jan 26, 2012 1:27 PM CST reply actions 7 recs
And he's on the green in three
(polite golf clap)
Wolves 2011-12: Crossing the Rubikahn....alea iacta est...... " et tu Ricky?"
by Tangerine dream on Jan 26, 2012 4:04 PM CST up reply actions
Rambis had a Defense
it was premised around giving 3pt specialist mostly bench roleplayers open looks beyond the arc, so long as you don’t let then drive into the lane for a layup.
Will the Real Thor Please Stand Up ... ?
by the Real Thor on Jan 26, 2012 9:25 PM CST up reply actions
Yes.
"Pinch-bunters don't have a ton of value, even with the Twins"
by Steven Ellingson on Jan 26, 2012 2:04 PM CST reply actions
Adelman’s biggest halftime adjustment compared to moves by Rambis: he gets to start Rubio instead of Flynn out of the break. And sub in Williams instead of Gomes.
fair enough in a very limited view
he also runs set plays instead of writing stops on his whiteboard, has a defensive scheme that’s not collapse into the paint and give up any open 3 people want because they’re low percentage and his players respect him.
Were it not for Adelman, every player on the roster would be dead from cancer
I guess that’s my best effort at overstating. Though I’m not sure how I’d disprove my statement, so it might be spot on.
Just cancer?
Pfft.
"Oh my, oh my, oh my. Is that great basketball or what?" --Hubie Brown, Jan. 20, 2012
by Cynical Jason on Jan 26, 2012 8:04 PM CST up reply actions
The Wolves front office
still won’t talk about that rumor of ebola in the locker room last year….
Yo ho ho and a FirstRow stream!
I don't want to give Adelman too much credit
even though he does deserve a ton. But the last guy was so bad that almost anyone would’ve done better. Having Rubio is a huge help cause for this first time in forever we have someone that can handle the rock.
But when I recall watching Rambis put Love on the bench for 10-12 minute stretches of the game last year I’m just perplexed. And forcing Flynn into a system that does not fit his style at all. In fact the whole triangle thing was nuts. It only works if you have MJ or Kobe but then again you have MJ or Kobe how can they not fit any system that doesn’t end in you intentionally throwing the ball out of bounds on purpose.
So its an example of going from a door knob for a coach and……….an actual flippin NBA head coach. Thank you Adelman, thank you.
by Doug West Domination!!! on Jan 26, 2012 6:21 PM CST reply actions
The other Adelman trend to notice
Is how they run a well executed play out of every time out and get a very high percentage shot off.
It's amazing to see.
Not so much to fans of other franchises who have recently had competent coaching, but amazing to us.
"Oh my, oh my, oh my. Is that great basketball or what?" --Hubie Brown, Jan. 20, 2012
by Cynical Jason on Jan 26, 2012 8:38 PM CST up reply actions
Maybe his single greatest contrabution is on the Defense
every player that was on last years squad (including Jonny Flynn) has had his Drtg decrease by 7 points or more! Sundiata Gaines is the only exception (and his Drtg decreased by 5 pnts from his time in MN to this year). The only way to account for this across the board increase in performance is coaching.
Will the Real Thor Please Stand Up ... ?
Actually I think scoring is down league-wide
which means that Drtg is naturally better.
he knows what he's doing
Adelman’s importance is huge. I mean, we have all recognized Ricky skills and possibilities, but RA gave a great help for that to happen. Just take the Clippers game for example. We’ve all praised the way RA prepared the last play, but for me it was much much more important how he was dealing during all the game with Ricky’s performance. RR was lost and out of place for some part of the game… many other coaches would have sit him and somehow “teach” him a lesson, kind of “punish” him for some actions… whatever… there is always the kind of coach who wants to show and to reassure what is his role and power by punishing players… examples are countless…
But RA is way above all that… he doesnt need that. He knows he basically has to help Ricky to build his confidence in this new league… And as far as he can see Ricky’s commitment, Ricky’s wish to improve… he will understand and encourage him.
He’s dealing with him in an extraordinary and delicate way. With another coach who would put him in more critical situations I’m afraid maybe many of you would think RR has some highlights moments but still can’t carry a team on his shoulders. Which Adelman has definitely proved he can do.
So what happened in the end? That game reassured Ricky instead of starting to undermine his confidence and ruining even a future game…
I agree - Adelman is doing a great job with Ricky
I don’t want to think about what Rambis would have done to Ricky in the interest of making his game more well-rounded. Maybe parked him in the corner to shoot long twos.
Ricky makes it easier for coaches to stay with him though too. Some fans have a hard time seeing past the scoring part of basketball. But coaches are concerned about defending your man, help defense, rebounding, turnovers, steals, getting to the free throw line, knowing if you have a foul to give, making sure someone is back on defense on the fast break, etc. Ricky contributes in so many of those areas that it is easier to stay with him on a night when his shooting is way off. For a player like Jamal Crawford, if their shooting is off you might as well sit them.
"It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future." -- Yogi Berra
by Wile E Coyote on Jan 27, 2012 8:35 AM CST up reply actions
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