If it holds? Yeah, maybe. In any case I'm not making predictions here, I was just trying to start a conversation about some predictive indicators to keep an eye on as the season progresses.
I still think Minnesota has a pretty good team and great coach, will definitely make the playoffs. They don't have Kahn anymore, so the world is their oyster.
You did, though. You "fully expect" the Wolves to be in the mix for a Top 4 seed. That's a prediction. Based on point differential, do you also "fully expect" Portland to be in the mix for a Top 4 seed? If not, why?
I remember a few years ago people, we were ~7 or 8th seed. People were saying how we were much better than our record because of our good point differential. They never did end up close to a top 4 seed and ended up getting bounced in the first round. Turns out beating the Bobcats by 30 really skews your point differential, but it doesn't really make you an elite team. Looking at the Timberwolves schedule right now, they've beat the Lakers by 23, Boston by 18, Brooklyn by 30, Cleveland by 25 and OKC by 19. Outside of OKC, none of those are exactly world beaters....but that point differential though.
Minny is like the Blazers last year, they have a good starting 5 but their bench is a big liability. They have Chase coming back but one key injury and they are out of the playoffs. I don't think they make the playoffs this year.
I can't figure Minnesota out. They started out really well, but have lost 4 of their last 5 and now sit at .500 (8-8). Kevin Martin is playing way better than I thought he would for them. I haven't check lately, but his PER has been hovering around 21 and his shooting percentages have been excellent. And, SG has been a position of weakness for them forever. So, that should be a huge upgrade. They are healthy and Love is once again putting up monster stats. Rubio still can't shoot for shit from 2-point range, but has made 12/28 3FG for .429 3FG%. Yet, there they sit at 8-8 having lost 4 of 5 and currently at 9th in the West. Granted, 3 of their last 4 losses have been to good teams, but they have also lost to WAS, DEN and CLE. So, can anyone who follows them more closely provide some insight into why they are underachieving? In the past, it was injuries. What's the excuse this time? BNM
Sure. I thought Portland looked like a 9-7th seed on paper after their moves this summer, now they look like they might be a 6-4th seed based on their better than expected play. In a similar vein I see the Wolves as a well coached team with good complimentary players and a stud with Kevin Love.
I think were giving minny the short end of the stick because of the rube posters. That roster is fairly good and they get another shooter back in budinger and have a cupcake schedule towards the end of December and into january. I can see them easily being 7-10 games above .500 at the end of January. Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk
Sounds like Kevin Pelton's covering his own ass no matter what analysis. Has anything changed with the Blazers team since the summer? Or was your prediction flat out wrong? Some of us thought the Blazers ceiling was higher than a 7th seed and we were mocked all offseason.
It just bothers me how peeps downplay our team, then talk up a shit team like minny. I mean they can't even win on the road, have even a lower SOS, then warrant praise because they have a 1.5 less differential than us. Fucking boggles my mind. But whatever man. Soon this team will prove all naysayers wrong
Each and every year people say how dangerous the tpups will be. Always at the beginning of the season. Ironically every year they miss the playoffs.
I think it is their bench, they have no depth. That and I think teams are on to Love and not giving him that 3 pt shot as readily. Love doesn't really have the ability to put the ball on the floor and drive (he does have a post game), so if you take away his 3 pt shot, you can limit him. Also he is a liability on defense . . . Love's impact on the court isn't what it was in the first 5 games (I know, simple analysis but don't really follow them closely)
