DAngelo Russell News - MinnesotaSportsFan https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/tag/dangelo-russell-2/ Minnesota sports, but different Tue, 21 May 2024 15:28:31 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=32,height=32,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/cropped-cropped-MSF-favicon-1.jpg DAngelo Russell News - MinnesotaSportsFan https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/tag/dangelo-russell-2/ 32 32 Was D’Angelo Russell the Timberwolves’ Problem or Their Solution? https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-timberwolves/minnesota-timberwolves-dangelo-russell-mike-conley-history/ Tue, 21 May 2024 15:28:25 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=51115 After nearly two decades of hardship, the Minnesota Timberwolves are back in the Western Conference finals for only the second time in franchise history. This monumental achievement marks a significant turning point for the team and their loyal fan base, who have endured years of disappointment.

This is the same franchise that hired David Kahn, who drafted Jonny Flynn and Ricky Rubio over Steph Curry. The same organization that tried to pay Joe Smith under the table and failed miserably to build around Kevin Garnett. Oh, and don’t forget about the more recent Jimmy Butler debacle.

In other words, it hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing in this basketball town, since the Timberwolves blossomed into existence 25 years ago. Despite some exciting moves like acquiring Jimmy Butler and Rudy Gobert, there have been mostly missteps and disappointments along the way.

But now, the Timberwolves are rewriting their narrative, demonstrating resilience and determination as they vie for ultimate basketball glory, which now lies just EIGHT wins away.

Sure, we can reminisce about the past all we like, but let’s dive into why this roster has real potential for success. Of course, it all begins with the fantastic draft picks like Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, and Naz Reid. But let’s not forget the significant trades that both boosted and challenged the Timberwolves’ journey to greatness.

Starting with the Rudy Gobert trade, which has faced criticism even to this day, it’s becoming increasingly evident that the Timberwolves owe a lot to him. Without Gobert’s presence and the defensive mindset he’s brought, it’s doubtful the team would still be playing right now.

Minnesota Timberwolves acquiring D’Angelo Russell changed everything

But what truly shifted the trajectory of the franchise was the acquisition of All-Star point guard D’Angelo Russell in 2020. There was a lot of anticipation surrounding this move. It marked the end of Andrew Wiggins’ time in Minnesota, and the beginning of what many believed was a perfect combination between DLo and his very good friend, Karl-Anthony Towns. Then, they hit on Anthony Edwards with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Unfortunately, reality fell short of expectations in 2021 and 2022. Despite their collective talent, the team only managed to deliver frustrating inconsistency, a few play-in wins and two 1st round playoff eliminations.

Related: Local Comedian Buys Anthony Edwards Inspired URL to Help TNT Crew Explore Minnesota

Then, enter Tim Connelly and the Rudy Gobert experiment, a couple of years after originally trading for D’Angelo Russell. Teaming up Russell and Gobert was intended to last at least one full season. It felt like a good marriage, given that the pick and roll was thought to be both players’ strength.

That’s no how it worked out in reality, though. DLo clashed with Rudy and seemed to openly pick on him in the locker room and leave him out to dry to media. Obviously, that caused fractures within the team.

Thus, the DLo Gobert experiment ended abruptly when Russell was traded in February 2023, before they completed one season together. Enter Mike Conley.

While D’Angelo Russell was a Wolf, the team posted a record of 85 wins and 88 losses. In the 2022-2023 season alongside Gobert, before he was dealt, the Wolves were exactly a .500 ballclub, at 27-27. That’s the epitome of average, right there.

Related: Draymond Green Finally Says Something Nice About the Minnesota Timberwolves

Since Tim Connelly orchestrated the trade that landed D’Angelo Russell in LA and Mike Conley + Nickeil Alexander-Walker in Minnesota, the team dynamic has undergone a significant shift. Suddenly, Gobert is a team leader and the point guard position is a connector, not divider.

The priority is now winning, above all else.

Mike Conley was exactly what the Timberwolves needed

In Mike Conley’s first full season as Minnesota’s starting point guard, the Timberwolves posted one of the most impressive seasons (56-26) in franchise history. And now, they are just eight wins away from hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

D’Angelo Russell may have dazzled with some thrilling moves and occasional standout performances, but let’s talk about Tim Connelly now there’s a guy who seems like he’s pulled off something truly brilliant with this trade.

As the saying goes, numbers speak volumes. So when you swap out one point guard for another and almost immediately go from one of the worst NET rating teams in the NBA to being on the verge of an NBA Finals appearance, the evidence speaks for itself.

Was D’Angelo Russell really that bad, or is Mike Conley just that good? But ultimately, the scoreboard tells the real story in the NBA, and Conley’s contributions have propelled the team to unprecedented success as they strive for a shot at the championship.

Related: Flip Saunders is Smiling Down on Timberwolves Dream He Started

But let us not forget that, by trading for DLo, the Wolves found what they did not want in their point guard. Then, they used that divisive personality to acquire the exact asset needed to put this Minnesota Timberwolve puzzle together properly, for the first time in two decades.

So, did we get what we originally were hoping for, when D’Angelo Russell was signed? No, but without DLo, there is no Mike Conley. And without Mike Conley, nobody would be bringing their asses to Minnesota this week. Sometimes, a problem can be a good thing because it helps you find the proper solution.

]]> Tue, 21 May 2024 10:28:31 +0000 Minnesota Timberwolves Timberwolves Could Prove Too Talented for Grizzlies https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-timberwolves/timberwolves-could-prove-too-talented-for-grizzlies/ Tue, 19 Apr 2022 14:08:26 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=38766 If you listened to NBA “experts” across the league last week, you came away convinced the Memphis Grizzlies were going to run the Minnesota Timberwolves off the playoff court in their first round matchup this postseason. The only questions involved, surrounded the number of games it would take to get the job done?

But then, the two teams played things out on a basketball court in Memphis on Saturday afternoon and most of the sane people watching realized that those super smart NBA minds had no idea what they were talking about. The Wolves won handily, 130-117. In fact, it was difficult to leave game one without seriously questioning the lack of top-end talent surrounding Ja Morant. Now, the Timberwolves have the Grizzlies are on the ropes entering game two, which is scheduled to tip Tuesday night at 7:30 CT.

Memphis Needs More Than Ja Morant

Sure, Morant is an amazing player, one of the most exciting in the league. But what comes after him? He has confidence and he can talk all the shit. But this dude better be the next Michael Jordan if he’s going to lead this Grizzlies team over the Wolves by himself.

Jaren Jackson Jr, Dillon Brooks and Desmond Bane are very good role players, but that’s all they are. Even in a season that saw Morant sit out 25 games due to injury, those three guys averaged only 16.3, 18.4 and 18.2 PPG, respectively. Both KAT (24.6) and Ant (21.3) averaged over 21 points per game this season. DLo often becomes an afterthought in the scoring column and he went for 18.1 per game.

The 2021-22 Memphis Grizzlies won 56 regular season games this year because they brought effort every night, played stellar defense and did the little things right. They led the NBA in many hustle categories including steals, blocks and rebound rate.

They’re team depth is incredible too. The Grizzlies were able to run ten players deep all season, which helped them immensely when Morant was sidelined. But what wins games in the regular season, doesn’t always translate to victories in the postseason.

Postseason Hits Different

Now that Memphis is healthy, their depth matters less. Nobody’s rocking a 10-man rotation in the playoffs because coaches want their best players on the floor as much as possible. Matchups become much more about talent at the top of the roster. And that’s where the Minnesota Timberwolves appear to have an advantage. An advantage that could prove to be the difference in this opening-round series.

Anthony Edwards has now dominated two HUGE games in a row. He’s been able to do that, in part, because LA and Memphis both keyed on stopping Karl-Anthony Towns. But now that Ant has proven himself a superstar on the biggest of stages, will the Grizzlies turn their focus to slowing his dominance from the wing? If so, that should allow more room for Karl to work.

And therein lies the conundrum Memphis is facing. Two games in a row, the Minnesota Timberwolves have proven that slowing KAT may not lead to a victory for their opponent. The Wolves have Ant to lead the charge and even D’Angelo Russell showed vs the Clippers that he can takeover a contest when called upon. Hell, even Malik Beasley put up 23 in game one vs the Grizzlies.

Defined Roles Matter

The Timberwolves’ role players either (a) play really good defense and/or (b) shoot the lights out from three. KAT, Ant and DLo are the main attractions. Everyone else’ purpose is based off of those two principles. So roles are clearly defined. Does Memphis have that going for them?

If the Wolves slow Ja Morant, who’s job is it to produce offensively? Dillon Brooks was good enough to be that guy in college but has yet to prove himself as anything more than a highly functional team irritant in the NBA. Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr are behind him.

And if Memphis doesn’t have that second offensive star, can role players shoot well enough to make up for that lack of scoring? Well, regular season stats say “maybe”. The Grizz were 2nd in field goals per game, but 23rd in 3-pointers. The Wolves, on the other hand, were 1st in both categories.

It’s dangerous to get too far ahead of yourself after just one game of a seven-game series. But the game plan to beating Memphis is clear. Slow Ja Morant. The same can’t be said about the Minnesota Timberwolves and any one player.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

]]> Tue, 19 Apr 2022 09:08:30 +0000 Minnesota Timberwolves Timberwolves Are Growing Up https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-timberwolves/minnesota-timberwolves-are-growing-up-clippers-nba-play-in/ Wed, 13 Apr 2022 15:42:24 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=38728 Karl-Anthony Towns was the Minnesota Timberwolves’ best chance of beating the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night, in a must-win play-in game, probably the biggest men’s basketball contest held at Target Center since 2004. But, Tyronn Lou and the Clips were invested in taking KAT away.

And it worked. Karl-Anthony Towns played, possibly, the worst game of his young career. He fouled out at 7:34 remaining in the 4th quarter, with just 11 points and 5 rebounds in 24 minutes. At that time, the Wolves were down seven points (93-86) and the early morning forecast in Minneapolis called for widespread heartbreak. A storm that Minnesota sports fans are quite accustomed to.

But instead, something rather unprecedented happened. D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards, Patrick Beverley and the unproven young pups grew up. They found their bearings and outplayed, outsmarted a much more experienced opponent down the stretch of, in all reality, an elimination game. And, the skies full of gloom started to clear.

No KAT, No Problem

Without their best player for most of the night, the Minnesota Timberwolves outlasted the LA Clippers and their referee friends. Bev played the defensive instigator/agitator. Ant, DLo and Beas took over on offense and the Wolves willed themselves to a 109-104 victory in front of a home crowd that came “unglued” late in the 4th quarter.

In doing so, the Wolves claim the 7th seed and avoid the Phoenix Suns in round one of the Western Conference Playoffs. Instead, it’ll be the Memphis Grizzlies, who the Wolves have matched up well against all season. It’ll be much more difficult to take KAT away during a 7-game series, like the Clippers did on Tuesday. But last night, Karl-Anthony Towns needed his teammates and they answered the call.

D’Angelo Russell, who scored just three points in the first quarter, ended with 29 points on 10/18 (3/5 3PT) shooting and 6 assists. Anthony Edwards was equally impressive, posting 30 points on 10/21 (5/11 3PT) with 5 rebounds and both guys came through BIG TIME in the clutch.

Pat Bev Means Everything

Unlike Ant and DLo, Patrick Beverley’s contributions from Tuesday won’t show up in the box score. But if you were watching the second half last night, his importance was bursting out of your TV screen. He forced at least two important turnovers in the final minutes and slithered his way deep into the minds of Clipper players.

There was pushing, shoving, yelling and hand-swatting. Technical fouls were called, some even taken back. It was complete chaos, and in the middle of every scrum, was a smiling Pat Bev, who was perfectly within his element. Through the fog of play-in warfare, he provided the young Wolves with a beacon of confidence that allowed them to navigate to a victory.

Afterward, emotion poured out. Beverley is 100% bought in on flipping the narrative for the Timberwolves franchise. He knows what it feels like to be disrespected and, much like other guys on this roster, Pat has a giant chip on his shoulder.

Memphis up next

The Minnesota Timberwolves landing the 7th seed in the Western Conference makes the 2021-22 season a success. This is, by far, the best season this franchise and fanbase has enjoyed since 2004. Young Wolves fans have rarely, if ever, felt that rush of emotion from watching their favorite basketball team in a do-or-die game like they did last night.

Anything the Timberwolves do vs the Memphis Grizzlies in the next round will be a cherry on top of an already great year. Hopefully, that takes some pressure off of Towns and the team plays much more loose than it did earlier in the night vs the Los Angeles Clippers.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

]]> Wed, 13 Apr 2022 10:42:28 +0000 Minnesota Timberwolves DLo Doubles Down on Quiet Wolves Fans, Suggests New Tradition to Help https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-timberwolves/dlo-doubles-down-on-quiet-wolves-fans-suggests-new-tradition-to-help/ Tue, 08 Feb 2022 18:27:21 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=37985 After the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Detroit Pistons at Target Center over the weekend, D’Angelo Russell was asked about Patrick Beverley’s importance to the team. He turned his answer, which began with Beverley’s consistent energy, into a plea to “quiet-ass” Wolves fans.

DLo wants more energy in the building, given how well the squad is playing of late. At 28-25, the Timberwolves are looking more and more like a playoff team as the season moves along. But basketball fans here have been mentally beaten, battered and assaulted by this franchise over two decades of embarrassment.

Russell Can’t Understand

Those who grew up in Minnesota and consider themselves a Timberwolves fan have had few reasons to cheer on their favorite team. Three games over .500 in February isn’t going to turn on a majority of fans who’ve been forced into Wolves impotence for most of two decades.

That was pointed out by Jon Krawczynski, who’s from MN and has covered the Wolves for much of their existence. He wrote a piece in The Athletic on Tuesday, trying to explain to Wolves fans and to Russell where each side is coming from.

DLo Doubles Down

Timberwolves color commentator for Bally Sports North, Jim Peterson, thought both sides could learn a lot from Jon’s article. D’Angelo Russell, however, wasn’t fazed. He doubled down on his ask for Wolves fans to be better and even had a suggestion.

DLo wants the crowd at Target Center to start a new game tradition, in an effort to pump up the energy early in games. He’s asking Wolves fans to stand up from first tip, until the home team scores their first basket.

As a Minnesota kid who was born in 1989, the same year the Minnesota Timberwolves franchise was founded, I rolled my eyes at Russell’s initial comments over the weekend. He doesn’t understand what we’ve been through.

But on the contrary, I’m impressed by his willingness to double down. At the end of the day, what happened in the past doesn’t matter when you think about the rest of this season. DLo knows what we all do. Loud home crowds can make a big difference on any given night. Naturally, he wants that home-court advantage as games start to matter more and more down the stretch.

Consider Me Impressed

I’ll also give him credit for working to find a solution. Way too many people complain without any solution in mind. But Russell didn’t just complain. He took a step forward in trying to help fix the quiet situation with a plausible ask of fans at Target Center.

So, I guess the ball is in the court of Target Center fans. The Wolves next home game is Tuesday, February 15 vs Charlotte at 7 PM. We’ll see how they react.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

]]> Tue, 08 Feb 2022 12:35:04 +0000 Minnesota Timberwolves How Good Are Wolves, Can Winning Continue? https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-vikings/how-good-are-wolves-can-winning-continue/ Mon, 20 Dec 2021 21:13:05 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=37535 The Minnesota Timberwolves have clawed their way back to .500 in the last week or two, winning four-straight games vs other middling Western Conference opponents, (13-18) Portland, (15-14) Denver, (16-15) LAL and (14-15) Dallas without budding star, Anthony Edwards. It’s true, a 15-15 team that needed a win streak to get back to even wouldn’t be worth celebrating for fans of most NBA franchises.

But the Wolves aren’t like other organizations around the league. Outside of one 8th-seed appearance with Jimmy Butler that wasn’t worth the trouble it brought, many basketball fans in Minnesota have never seen their pro team in the playoffs (’03-’04). Could that change this season? Streaks are made to be broken, right?

With their latest run, Chris Finch and the Timberwolves have climbed into the 8th position in the West. That would place them into the NBA Playoffs play-in tournament, if that’s where they were to finish. To avoid the play-in, Minnesota would have to reach the 6th-seed or higher. As of Monday afternoon, they sit just .5 games back of Denver, who currently occupies that final sure-playoff position. Most of the West is up for grabs as we inch closer to the halfway point of the season.

How good are they? – Defense

While the numbers on each side of the ball tell a sometimes confusing story, one thing becomes clear when you review the 2021-22 Minnesota Timberwolves on paper. They are carried by their defense. It was the surprise development through 15 games and it’s continued to be the storyline after 30.

The Wolves are ranked 22nd in offensive rating and 11th in defensive rating. But what’s continued to stand out both in the numbers and while watching is the hustle and hard work. That’s what carries them to victory most nights, along with clutch shooting from one of the big three late in contests.

And if an opponent comes into a matchup lacking that same type of energy, the Wolves will often run them out of the gym. They’ve done it twice this season to the LeBron James led Lakers and the separation in energy last week was palpable.

The stats on Basketball-Reference double down on Minnesota being one of the hardest working teams in the NBA.

They force the most turnovers in the entire NBA, including the 4th most steals. They’re terrible on the defensive glass because they’re undersized but when you flip the floor, they’re 12.7 offensive rebounds per game ranks 2nd.

Chris Finch needs to get his defense to keep up their intensity and aggressivenes without fouling, however. They rank 30th in the NBA in fouls committed and that’s led to opponents attempting the most free throws in the league against them. That’s why, even with the improvements on defense, they’re giving up the 11th-most points in the league.

DEF STATRATETOVTOV%STLBLKORBDRBPTSPFFTA
MIN RNK11th2nd1st4th5th2nd27th19th30th30th
Basketball-Reference

Offense

Karl-Anthony Towns has been the only consistent threat offensively and, at times, has put the Timberwolves on his back when needed. That’s a good thing because KAT will need to continue that killer attitude through 82 games if the Wolves are going to finish with a winning record.

But even with a new and improved Towns, Minnesota ranks near the bottom of the league in many offensive categories, including FG% (27th), 3P% (20th), eFG% (25th) and OFF RTG (22nd). But unlike their improvements on defense, I see these offensive deficiencies as a temporary problem.

There’s too much talent for them to continue struggling so much on that end of the floor and players have made it clear that Finch’s focus in the offseason was on improving their defense. Most of the competitive drills featured rebounding and defensive-based scoring opportunities.

They didn’t put in the time necessary this offseason, offensively, to get comfortable in a brand new system. The head coach chose to learn his flow-style offense on the fly, hoping the immense amount of physical talent and built up experience would push them through while they figured it out.

Can they keep winning?

As long as they continue to give effort on the offensive boards and on the defensive side of the floor, I think Finch’s decision to push defensive focus will eventually pay off for the Wolves as the year goes on. The offense will continue to get better.

And in a wide open Wester Conference, that should lead to more wins. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen the Minnesota Timberwolves fight for 82 games but if they do, there’s no reason they shouldn’t finish above .500 and smack-dab in the middle of the playoff race.

The upcoming schedule has some good teams on it, just like anyone’s, but there are a lot of opportunities for Minnesota as well. If they can play well into the All-Star break and stay healthy, it could be a fun spring. Timberwolves fans are clearly bought in already, buying tickets to Target Center at one of the healthiest rates in the NBA.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

]]> Mon, 20 Dec 2021 15:13:10 +0000 Minnesota Vikings Timberwolves Winning via Defense; Despite Broken Down Offense https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-timberwolves/timberwolves-winning-via-defense-despite-broken-down-offense/ Wed, 27 Oct 2021 16:58:31 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=36845 Leading up to the 2021-22 NBA season, there was one thing Minnesota Timberwolves fans were sure of. This offense was going to be good. Top-10? Top-5? Only time would tell. But an offensive arsenal touting Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell all led by an elite offensive mind like Chris Finch, was sure to put up points in bunches.

Or maybe not?

Through three games, the offense has looked stuck in the mud. Especially whenever Towns, Edwards or Russell has touched the ball. The aforementioned “big three” has looked more like the “pig three”. The ball stops moving when they get it. Thus, the flow just hasn’t been there.

Anthony Edwards went off on this exact subject after their first loss of the season on Monday, showing leadership qualities we haven’t seen in this town for awhile. Finch agrees, saying this about the Wolves’ offensive struggles.

By the numbers

The offensive numbers tell the same story as what Timberwolves fans, coaches and media have seen with their eyes. Minnesota ranks near the bottom in most of the offensive statistical categories that anyone cares about. To make matters worse, the defenses they’ve gone up against (Rockets and Pelicans [x2]) won’t be remembered for their world-beating defensive acumen.

  • FG%: 41% (25th)
  • 3P%: 34.1% (17th)
  • TS%: 52.5% (24th)
  • Offensive Rating: 100.6 (23rd)

This offense may have been projected as a top-10 unit but they’ve opened the new season looking bottom-10. There’s some hope though, if you’re into that sort of thing.

It’s early.

Yes, all of these games are important and, when the dust settles, making the playoffs could very well be decided by one or two wins. But it’s highly unlikely that these offensive problems continue for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Not with the offensive fire power they possess.

The shooting issues should fix themselves

There’s a reason why the 2021-22 Chris Finch coached Minnesota Timberwolves were expected to play offense at a high level. D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, and Patrick Beverley combine for a career 3PT% of 37.5%. D’Angelo Russell’s 36% is “dragging that down”.

Shooting 35% from deep is the floor for being a good NBA team or decent NBA shooter. The best shoot over 40%. DLo won’t continue his 30% from distance. Beasley, who’s a 39% career 3-pt shooter, won’t continue with his currently sad 17%. The offensive pendulum, as a whole, will swing back and the law of averages will kick in at some point. It’s just science.

Defense is keeping the Wolves alive

The offensive struggles have been buried a bit through three games because of how good the Minnesota Timberwolves have been on the defensive end. Yes, you read that right. Improving on defense was this team’s number one focus in the offseason and, so far, they’ve been noticeably better.

Defense is the reason the Wolves are 2-1 and the numbers and advanced metrics tell the story. Led by Okogie, McDaniels, Beverley and, at times, Anthony Edwards, the defense has been flying all over the place and forcing a ton of turnovers. It’s been jaw-dropping at times.

  • Allowed FG%: 41.7% (4th)
  • Allowed 3P%: 29.1% (4th)
  • Turnover %: 20.1% (1st)
  • Defensive Rating: 97.8 (3rd)

It’s even possible that the Wolves have focused so much on defense, leading up to the season, that it’s taken away from their offense early on. Take a look at this quote from Josh Okogie. He claims that most of the Wolves’ drills employ defensive scoring systems, not offense, and that 80% of drills are defensive.

Rebounding? What Rebounding?

Teams who are really good on defense can often survive poor shooting performances but not if they can’t rebound. If there’s been a struggle more real than shooting for this Timberwolves team, it’s been on the glass. Unlike the offensive struggles, however, this was a weakness that many foresaw entering play.

Minnesota doesn’t appear, on paper, to have the personnel it takes to be a good rebounding team and that’s what we’ve seen play out on the hardwood as well.

If personnel tells the story, rebounding will probably be an issue all season for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Shooting, however, should fix itself.

In the end, we’ll see what reality has in store.

Cooper Carlson | Minnesota Sports Fan

]]> Wed, 27 Oct 2021 11:58:37 +0000 Minnesota Timberwolves Anthony Edwards Calls on Wolves to “Lock the F*** In” After Loss to Pelicans https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-timberwolves/anthony-edwards-calls-on-wolves-to-lock-the-f-in-after-loss-to-pelicans/ Tue, 26 Oct 2021 14:34:53 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=36839 The Minnesota Timberwolves took their first loss of the season on Monday night at the hands of the previously winless New Orleans Pelicans, a team they’d beaten just two days prior. There was a noticeable lack of energy on both sides of the court and the players, Karl-Anthony Towns in particular, let questionable refereeing get into their heads early.

It was one of those nights where nothing seemed to go right. If last night was this team’s first real test at adversity, they failed. When the game was over, Anthony Edwards came to the podium with some grievances to air.

For the last six seasons we’ve heard insincere lip service from Karl-Anthony Towns and nobody’s taken him seriously in front of a postgame mic for years. But the 20-year old phenom, Anthony Edwards? Now that’s different. The likeable and always smiling Ant has never had an interview like this.

Edwards is new here and he’s hungry. He doesn’t care about keeping things PC like others often do. The kid just speaks his mind and he comes off in an incredibly genuine way because of it. You can’t help but get drawn in by his authenticity. Everyone seems to like this dude. But he’s almost always jovial and positive. Not Monday night.

Anthony Edwards isn’t afraid to call out the stars

It’s rare that a 20-year old like Anthony Edwards is able to call out veteran teammates without backlash. But with Ant, it hits different. The Georgia University alum seems to have a leadership quality nobody really gave him credit for when drafted. After last night’s loss, it’s clear one season of losing in the NBA was enough for Ant.

But if Anthony Edwards truly wants his message to be heard then the Minnesota Timberwolves need to win. As mentioned earlier, we’ve been fed quotes like this before and it’s been empty promises every time. Kevin Love, Ricky Rubio, Andrew Wiggins, Karl-Anthony Towns and many others before, during and after them have talked the talk. None of them have walked the walk.

None of those guys have had the same talent and “it” factor that Edwards carries though either. Ant’s legendary press conference came after an individual 3rd quarter effort that almost single-handedly dragged the Wolves back into a game they were dominated in. Remember, he blamed himself (along with KAT and DLo) when the game was over.

The Patrick Beverley effect

Many people were concerned when the Wolves traded Ricky Rubio away because he was a mentor for Edwards. Three games into this new season and it’s obvious Edwards didn’t lose any mentorship. In fact, the newly acquired Patrick Beverley is an upgrade. Rubio was teaching kindergarten classes. Pat Bev is teaching college courses.

When asked about Ant’s amazing 3rd quarter, Beverly fired back, reminding everyone that Edwards was nonexistent for 75% of the game. This is what locker room accountability looks like.

This is why, even after an ugly loss where they looked like the Minnesota Timberwolves of old, I have faith in this team being different than those Wolves teams’ past. Losing no longer feels acceptable, which is a nice change of pace.

Cooper Carlson | Minnesota Sports Fan

]]> Wed, 06 Sep 2023 11:15:39 +0000 Minnesota Timberwolves This Timberwolves Team Feels… Different https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-timberwolves/this-minnesota-timberwolves-team-feels-different/ Wed, 06 Oct 2021 16:45:53 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=36490 The Minnesota Timberwolves played their first preseason game of the 2021-22 season on Monday vs the New Orleans Pelicans. Normally, that wouldn’t be news or blog worthy. But there was a much different feel inside of Target Center, thanks to a Wolves team full of energy and effort, especially on the defensive side of the floor.

Yes, you read that right. The T-Wolves, who played Karl-Anthony Towns, D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards for starter minutes through the entire first half, executed with extreme levels of defensive intensity, tenacity and focus on Monday night in a meaningless preseason game.

That defensive effort made for a high-flying, fast-paced offense that completely dominated an overwhelmed Pelicans squad. When the starters were pulled at halftime, Minnesota held a 65-45 lead. They forced 14 New Orleans turnovers and blocked 5 of their shots, in those first two quarters alone.

Talent isn’t the question

If not newsworthy, what happened at Target Center on Monday is at least a development worth keeping our eyes on. Anthony Edwards was especially disruptive on the defensive side of the floor, which has fans especially aroused on his development.

Sure, New Orleans was playing without Zion Williamson and Jonas Valanciunas but those absences are rather irrelevant to this conversation. There was a different energy in Target Center last night, especially in defensive tenacity, and there wasn’t more than a couple thousand fans in attendance.

Nobody doubts that the Minnesota Timberwolves have enough talent to be playoff contenders. It’s always been a question of their drive to win and willingness to lock down defensively, when needed. Karl-Anthony Towns and the many teammates/coaches, who have been around him during his first 5 years in this league, like to talk about, but not play defense.

Different D-Lo

That wasn’t the case on Monday. Even after the starters left the game, nobody disengaged. Patrick Beverley, D’Angelo Russell and others were engaged in the game from the bench and leading the team hype-train until the end.

There’s been some D’Angelo Russell hype leaking out of Mayo Clinic Square during Wolves training camp and that certainly made its way to Target Center vs the Pels. Russell was tossing dimes all over the floor and finished with 19 points for himself… in the first half.

He looked the best that I’ve personally seen him. Many others, who have watched D-Lo much more often, are saying the same things. Patrick Beverly certainly believes. Hopefully, we really are sleeping on this dude and thus, sleeping on this team.

Consistency Check

The Minnesota Timberwolves will spend the rest of their preseason on the road. Friday, they’ll be in Denver vs the Nuggets. Then, they’ll hop on a quick flight further West to LA, where they’ll play the Clippers on Monday. Their final exhibition matchup will be in Brooklyn next Thursday vs the Nets and the regular season will tip Wednesday, October 30 vs the Houston Rockets.

Before we get too excited, let’s see if the Wolves can bring the same type of energy we saw vs New Orleans, for the rest of the preseason. We should probably even wait until regular season games are being played… though I’m not sure my Wolves or Wild hype levels can wait that long.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

]]> Wed, 06 Oct 2021 11:47:21 +0000 Minnesota Timberwolves D’Angelo Russell Likely to Sit vs Warriors With “Quad Contusion” https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-timberwolves/dangelo-russell-likely-to-sit-vs-warriors-with-quad-contusion/ https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-timberwolves/dangelo-russell-likely-to-sit-vs-warriors-with-quad-contusion/#respond Mon, 25 Jan 2021 19:50:12 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=32977

Maybe D’Angelo Russell really did need rest a couple of nights ago when the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the New Orleans Pelicans. And it’s possible he did develop a “quad contusion” since then… but the two absences and their subsequent diagnoses don’t make for very good optics.

No matter, DLo is likely sit tonight vs the Golden State Warriors.

The Wolves actually won without D’Angelo Russell on Saturday night vs the Pelicans. Maybe they’re trying to duplicate that formula? I doubt it… but it certainly would look pretty bad if they got another win without him tonight.

Tank tank tank?

On the other hand, maybe the Minnesota Timberwolves read my blog from the other day and have realized that tanking is their best option for 2021. This team needs a top-3 slot in next offseason’s draft or they lose their pick to the same team they are playing tonight, the Golden State Warriors.

Already sitting in salary cap hell, winning the NBA Draft Lottery could be their only ticket out of the dumps. But even with the worst record in the NBA, there’s no guarantee the Wolves land a top-3 spot. Still, the more games they lose, the better chances they have…

At this point, I struggle to find a better option.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

]]> https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-timberwolves/dangelo-russell-likely-to-sit-vs-warriors-with-quad-contusion/feed/ 0 Mon, 25 Jan 2021 13:50:18 +0000 Minnesota Timberwolves What Preseason Gm 1 Taught Us About Wolves’ Unknowns https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-timberwolves/what-preseason-gm-1-taught-us-about-minnesota-timberwolves-unknowns/ https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-timberwolves/what-preseason-gm-1-taught-us-about-minnesota-timberwolves-unknowns/#respond Sun, 13 Dec 2020 13:38:33 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=32038

The longest offseason in Minnesota Timberwolves history is finally over. After 276 days without the Wolves, they took the Target Center court on Saturday night vs the Memphis Grizzlies, in the first of three preseason games. Not only are they back, but there is more optimism and hope surrounding this team than we have seen in years.

With the regular season bearing down on us (December 23rd), there are still a lot of questions to be answered. Here are three, along with any answers we got last night.

1. How will the D-Lo/Rubio combination look while sharing the floor?

Since being away from the Minnesota Timberwolves, all Ricky Rubio has done is make those around him better, especially young stars. Over his last three seasons, Ricky has had a positive (+/-) when sharing the floor with 79% of his teammates (23 of 29) according to Basketball Reference. Devin Booker and Donovan Mitchell, two players similar in talent to D-Lo, were at their best when Rubio was on the floor.

Rubio has shared the floor with other really good primary ball handlers during his career. Unlike his first stint here though, Rubio is now capable of hitting the three ball (36.1% in 2019-20) when defenders leave him to guard Russell.

Here’s proof:

In preseason game 1 last night, their minutes together were limited but Rubio did hit Russell for an open three pointer. Hopefully they get much more time together in the next two preseason games. (vs Grizzlies: 12/14, @Mavs: 12/17)

2. Can Jarrett Culver develop into a solid role player?

The number six overall pick in last year’s draft, Jarrett Culver, looked like a bust after one season. But, he wasn’t traded and it’s never wise to completely write off a player after his rookie year.

Culver showed a bit of improvement after the All Star break last season, averaging 9.8 points, 1.5 assists, and 3.3 rebounds with a .494 FG% and .424 3P%.

In these three preseason games, Culver will be fighting for minutes. As of right now, it is hard to project a role for him unless he shows substantial improvement on both ends of the floor.

Culver looked both good and bad in his first game. He got substantial minutes and played the wing and even some point guard. The Wolves are definitely trying to get him reps in these preseason games.

3. How will the power forward position be handled?

Before last night, Juancho Hernangomez seemed to default as the starting power forward, when the regular season begins. Who else would play there? Are the Wolves willing to consistently stick with the small ball approach, leaving Layman/Okogie to battle some of the bigger 4’s across the league? Can you imagine Josh Okogie matching up on Rudy Gobert regularly?

Rosas and Saunders will need to be creative with their lineup combinations. Expect all of Hernangomez, Layman, Okogie and Hollis-Jefferson to get the bulk of those minutes. Culver, Vanderbilt and Davis could see some run there as well. It’ll be a group effort

Last night, we actually saw a lot of hope at the power forward position, thanks mostly to Jake Layman. He surprisingly got the start and was probably the Minnesota Timberwolves’ best player, scoring 10 points and posting a +11 in 20 minutes.

Defensively he showed up too, grabbing two steals and a block. The chemistry between Layman and Towns remains really good and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him steal the starting power-forward position going forward, if he can hold it down defensively. 

BONUS: Can Charlie Brown carry the Wolves to the finals?

]]> https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-timberwolves/what-preseason-gm-1-taught-us-about-minnesota-timberwolves-unknowns/feed/ 0 Sun, 13 Dec 2020 07:39:10 +0000 Minnesota Timberwolves