Game Thread GAME# 81: TIMBERWOLVES @ BLAZERS - APRIL 9, 2016 - SATURDAY, 7:30 PM (PDT), CSNNW

Celtics didn't have the roster turnover we had. We returned one player who played over 1000 minutes on this roster last season and is playing a significant role now; and he's not necessarily any better a defender than Thomas. Stevens has had years to teach the defensive principles to the majority of the same roster with only one or two changes.

Hey I have concerns about our defense too; but Stotts has improved defense significantly in the past so I'll give him the chance to do the same next year too.

 

Come on Sly lol

 

18th, 12th and 4th, those are team defensive efficiency ratings under Stevens. Benefit of the doubt? I'm not sure.

There was a period in the year where our defense was actually doing better, but then it regressed again, and to even worse numbers. What the heck?

 

For the record

We will be very good next year. Olshey is very smart I just wish we didn't make his job harder losing a pick this summer

 

Actually, the West is still the stronger of the two conferences with a win percentage of 0.506. Not as strong as last year (0.525), but still the stronger conference.

The Timberwolves played well tonight. It was a good game, unfortunately we ended up on the losing side by a single point. Sucks.

I'm glad to see Dame and CJ both have a pretty good night. That hopefully bodes well for the playoffs.

The win totals for Minnesota over the past few years:
2015-16: 28
2014-15: 16
2013-14: 40
2012-13: 31
2011-12: 26
2010-11: 17
2009-10: 15
2008-09: 24
2007-08: 22
2006-07: 32
2005-06: 33
2004-05: 44
2003-04: 58 (playoffs!)

This will be Minnesota's 12th consecutive season missing the playoffs. If that's what success looks like building thru the draft, I'll pass.

I'm proud of the Blazers making the playoffs this year! Let's give 'em hell!!

 

Capable scoring bigs is this team achilles heel.

 

I'm hoping for J. Okafor . . .

 

Worst part is now I have to root for the Crappers to beat the Mavericks.

Takes love thy enemy to a whole new level.

 

Clippers are resting everybody Dallas is winning out


Be prepared for thunder that's our matchup

 

Stevens teams have improved significantly the last few seasons. Doesn't that prove my point of giving a coach more years with less roster turnover?

 

Perhaps that's why Olshey was targeting guys like Kanter and Monroe. I'm a fan of Kanter and think he would have been a good fit to this team.

There's not a lot of good scoring Bigs on the free agent market this summer. At this point, the draft is not an option, and even that wouldn't bear fruit for 3-4 years. Let's hope Vonleh can see a big jump up in productivity next year and fill some of that void. At some point, "potential" becomes a bad word.

 

I read it as it's our defensive problem; not offense. Which I agree with, I'd rather have a defensive center here than Kanter or Monroe.

 

Defending capable scoring bigs is our problem.

Okafor doesn't help in that area.

 

It looks like we were trying to defend the 3. Did we know they were down 1?

 

God Towns is nice

 

I agree

 

I think our defense is only on Stotts in certain situations (like end game tonight).

For the most part, I think it's mix of the usual disrespect (on both ends of the court) towards Portland by the refs (the refs only treat Toronto worse than us); and effort by our players (especially our guards).

Look at Patty Mills for a comparison. He went from a poor defender with us, to a solid defender with the Spurs. He did this by changing teams (thus gaining more ref respect), improving his fitness to get quicker feet, and focusing his effort on defense ('cause Pops wouldn't give Patty court time if he didn't).

That should be a team stat: RR (ref respect).

I think that although there's nothing our players can do to gain RR, they can (and should) focus more effort on defense rather than offense.

I say this because we are a good offensive team, and have good offensive players. I think our offense would still be good if our players expended a little less effort on offense. I think our defense would be greatly improved if our players (especially our guards) expended a little more effort on defense.

I think that on an effort v reward scale, we would gain more (because of the skill sets of our players) by expending effort on defense, than we would by expending the same effort on offense.

Look at the gains we made by practicing, and focusing on defense during the All-Star break.

 

I blame Mags.