Report Card: Wolves @ Rockets

Thanks!

“rarely does”? I need to be put down.

DUDE

Not cool

I would have thought this would have burned your soul.

No team can compete with our sheer physical talent.

But you’re right… and how I wish I’d staid up for this one instead of Sunday’s! I was falling asleep at work yesterday.

Where Beasley quickly measured up the situation and gave up to attempt an attempt. It was good to see. I was perfectly okay with him today and if he can incorporate giving up these kinds of plays more in a good rhythm, he will be a super player.

I’d also like to see some traditional sets run for him by Adelman. I want to see him succeed as a team player. Come the playoffs, it will be important to really mix thing up. If I know correctly, he is a good passer too. We really need to create plays where the play can both turn out to be some kind of isolation or Beasley has the option of starting the play in a nice rhythm. That would be awesome, and Adelman is the man to find these kinds of plays.

Beas went to the rim stronger (and more) than he used to. I would like to see him post up more (and don’t post up than shoot turnaround jumper but to go to the rim strongly.)

free throws are one possible result.

suddenly we’re getting the calls more often than not, and it’s not hard to believe that the excrescent sleaze that is David Stern’s NBA would tell the refs to cut Ricky and his teammates some slack.

Every year the NBA LOVES to see a formerly bad team pick up their game and make the playoffs. I think we’re this year’s anointed surprise team, and even Pek will start getting calls as the season progresses.

He’s a seasoned pro when it comes to ref politics. He couldn’t believe that traveling call on Beasley. He just stood right up and started yelling at the refs “call that all game at both ends”.

but he gave as hint that he might be changing. He tried to pass (ok, made bad ones but it s something completely new to him). He must learn not to force shots when it is not his night. He really have to use size advantage which he often has.
We will see how he responds on nights when shot isn’t falling….

Initial broadcast wasn’t showing it. I thought he was getting calls too. But upon replay it was Courtney Lee most of time just raking him across the arm.

I think this is why, earlier in the year, Adelman had Beasley starting and Rubio came off of the bench. The two do not mesh well offensively, so they need to be on separate units. It just happens now that the roles are reversed. One unit will thrive off of the passes of Rubio, while the other will run off of Rinour (no D) and Beasley. Two units with separate strengths.

I often am on the internet, that is exactly what I expected for about 35 seconds.

about the Wolves this year is astounding. In years past, we’d go into the 4th down by a few, up by a few, didn’t matter. You had the overwhelming feeling that the game was already decided and The Wolves would lose somehow. I don’t have that feeling anymore. Instead, I have a feeling that we will pull it out for the W. We used to lose this game and I’d feel nothing, because that was the Wolves’ MO. Now? I am genuinely disappointed that we couldn’t pull out a win. Our Puppies are changing before our eyes, folks.

on the court together is just begging for a high scoring game. Their defense is almost always atrocious. Beasley was much better last night and I think some of the reason for his +/- not being great was just that he was playing with Ridnour for awhile and Ridnour was guarding Kevin Martin. Ridnour vs. Kevin Martin is a horrible matchup—Luke cannot stay in front of him, nor can he affect his jumper. Beasley and Ridnour typically play all-star game basketball(but not all-star level). Lots of looking for their own shot and no defense. This game, Beasley came off the bench playing within the system fairly well, but got hot and started taking high-efficiency shots. He played a pretty good all-around game other than 1 bad pass. Very nice step in his progression, but I would keep him coming off the bench. He is useful to have when Love isn’t on the floor and efficient/consistent bench production(assuming Beasley can provide that) can make this team a winner.

during a stretch when some of his teammates were breaking down defensively.

He didn’t disrupt the offense, or he helped teammates score by positioning himself well, or he denied his guy the ball, or he kept his guy from scoring, or he helped keep other opponents from scoring, or he blocked out his man on rebounds, or…. Hmm, so many other things that don’t go into the stats.

He’s shot as many as 12 free throws twice here. Let’s set the bar at 10 FTAs, though. There’ve only been 28 ten-FTA games by Wolves players in the last two years, since B-Easy’s been around.

Kevin Love has 23 of those 28 games. Bring your hard hat to work, Mr. Love.

Mike has had games where he was 7-10, 8-12, and 12-12 from the line. I wish the opposition would defend Mike with a Courtney Lee, and not force him to go right, every dang night. Alas, it doesn’t happen so often.

We’d be starting our backup point guard at the two, that’s where we’d be. ;-)

He nearly developed for 3 minutes there, but then his confidence waned? What Wes needs is “an epic dose of basketball viagra.”

Rubio can pass the ball.