This was not a great performance by the Wolves this evening. I did not like what I saw. I had a feeling that this was not going to be the Wolves night in the first quarter. I understand that the Wolves play better in the second half and how they are the best in the fourth quarter, but I noticed that they did not have the energy or the legs to keep up with the Bulls. They just looked dead and tired out there. I know Chicago played a back-to-back game too, but keep in mind that they played a home game last night at the United Center so they had the luxury of not traveling. Sure the Wolves made it a game in the fourth quarter, but I just did not see them keeping it up and overcoming it. I don't think I can come up with anyone playing great for the Wolves tonight. I really hope Sam Cassell has not regressed. He played great in the West Coast trip, but he did not have a great week at all. It seemed Troy played most of the minutes this entire week. Sammy is the catalyst of the Timberwolves. When he plays great, the Wolves win 100 percent. He has gotta play a lot better than he has shown. I am not happy with Olowokandi is playing. He is simply non-productive out there ever since he got suspended. He looks completely lost and he is not doing his job defensively. While it's great that Mark Madsen is starting, don't expect him to do great with that many minutes. He is great for maybe 10-15 minutes a night, but if you are going to expect him to log, you are asking for too much. It's so imperative for Michael to show something out there. How about Jim Petersen, Wolves TV analyst, pleading to management on television about how Sammy should not be traded? Good job by him. That last shot by Gordon to end the game was uncalled for. Bush league IMO. I also did not like some of the hotdog antics that the Bulls showed out there very late in the game. Considering how bad the Bulls are so far, they are better off just appreciating that they won the game against a tired Timberwolves team. Wolves are going to have step up on back-to-back nights. They did a good job last year winning back-to-back games which is why they got the #1 seed. They have to do it again if they want to get the #1 seed.
but you cant really excyuse the wolves lost on account of being tired. they simply did not play with energy and probably thought the bulls would be an easy game. a dire underestimation.
gordon just decided to have a great game and his crutial 3s killed the twolves everytime they tried to come close........
Back-to-backs should never be an excuse, netnexus. Teams should suck it up. It's not like the Timberwolves played one night at Target Center and travel to either Denver or Atlanta the next night. Chicago is a 75-mile radius to Minnesota. How in the world could the guys get so tired last night? With that said, it was so clear the Wolves legs could not keep up with the fresh legs that the Bulls provide.
Well I wasnt home last night, so I didnt get to see the game on League Pass. But from Boxscore, it look llike it was the same team, Ive been seeing all season. Giving up way to much early & then trying to click it on in the 4th quarter. 33pts given up to the Bulls in the 1st quarter, extremely unexceptable, if you ask me. The Wolves have got to make the switch to pull Trenton Hassell back into the starting unit. Iam not going to Knock Wally S defense because he has given the effort on that side of the ball alot more this then in the past. But Hassell is just to important to the overall Wolves defensive concept, not to be on the floor at the start of games. The thing that made Hassell's D so special last season was that he would contain teams best scorers early in the game to the point it would play in their heads a bit thru out the enitre full 48 minutes even when Hassell wasnt on the floor. And the Wolves are just not having that perimeter stopage this year. Its a dissapointing Wolves loss but not a shocker, they have played down to the level of their competion alot this year. Losing to a Pacers team without Ron Artest & Jermaine Oneal playing not 100% and then losing to them again a few days later without Artest, Jackson or Oneal. They struggled against the Mavs with no Dirk or Mike Finley. Anyway, I think this should be a bit of awake up call for them. Cant just turn it on in the 4th. It doesnt always turn on when you need it too. Anyway they got Portland coming up & that team gave them alot of problems last year once they acquired size on their frontline with Ratliff & Reef. So that game wont be a push over either, even tho the Blazers are just .500.
Good thing you did not record the game either, Henacy. I normally record the Timberwolves games at nights when I am working and then I watch it when I come home. There is no way Flip is not going to bench Sammy and Wally to start the game. Flip can't afford to lose those two for good. Those two will always start and they should. As long as those guys play great, they can play in the fourth. If not, they get a seat in the bench in the fourth quarter. I notice Wally is not there much in crunch time at times. I think Flip has found a match to work with KG by having Eddie Griffin, Fred Hoiberg, Trenton Hassell, and Troy Hudson in the fourth quarter and you can see that lineup works well which is why they produce and win in the fourth. You praise Trenton's defense, but I tell ya. He is very underrated when it comes to shooting the ball. He can make big shots. I like to think every loss is a wakeup call, but it has not hit them just yet. I still think the Wolves have yet to reach its stride. It's a long season. They will be more than fine. Portland will be tough. They always have the Timberwolves number. I was so relieved that Portland missed the playoffs as the Wolves avoided playing them in the first round.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Timberwolf:</div><div class="quote_post">Back-to-backs should never be an excuse, netnexus. Teams should suck it up. It's not like the Timberwolves played one night at Target Center and travel to either Denver or Atlanta the next night. Chicago is a 75-mile radius to Minnesota. How in the world could the guys get so tired last night? With that said, it was so clear the Wolves legs could not keep up with the fresh legs that the Bulls provide.</div> that is exactly what i said. their losing cannot be excused by tiredness.
Ouch... Not trying to put the Bulls down, because they have some potential to be a good team with what they have. Ben Gordon was amazing at Connecticut, and I expect nothing less in the League. He should be coming on pretty soon, once he gets comfortable working along side Kirk Hinrich. But, back to the point, a team like the Timberwolves cannot lose to the Bulls. They have one of the worst records in the League, and we honestly should be able to trample them. I hope we don't turn into the team that can beat the big teams (Sacramento) and lose to the bad teams (Chicago). It does happens, and it just makes a top-notch team look foolish.
I like what John Paxson (Bulls GM) has done with assembling the Bulls roster so far. They got lot of young talent that just need to grow together and get better. I definitely think they are on the right track. I am curious to see what happens with Curry and Chandler. I think Curry has to go. It has not worked for him in Chicago and Chandler has never been able to be healthy. I think both have talent, but they may need to go to a different environment to grow. In Chandler's case, he has to be healthy. I like Scott Skiles a lot as a coach. He is one guy that will get the most out of the team.
Curry and Chandler have both been huge disappointments, I would want them both gone. Go for a solid big man that you know will produce, and have a good attitude.
