Even though it's half-time, I really feel like we won't do anything except be the "Most Underacheiving Team". Some are calling for Flip's head, I don't know if this is the correct assesment. I do believe that there are things that he could have done better, but most of this blame goes on the shoulders of the players. Their inability to stay consistent (especially on the defensive end) has been their un-doing on numerous accounts. I don't see any fire from the team, especially when they are down. Even though I felt my head start to sag when they let the Houston game start to get away, you are not supposed to show that your defeated on the court. Even KG's head did not seem as high. Mark Madsen can give you some energy (reminds me of Jud Buechler), but I don't know if he can get their spirits soaring. This team just does not look like they will go to war every game and support each other. It's a business, but when you just don't get along with your teammates....as a person.....you can't have their backs. I'm assuming that's how they are feeling. It's just ashamed to see such a "feel good" story become a nightmare.
I knew the Timberwolves were not a good team in December. Too many flaws with age, injuries, complacency, and etc. I am more focused on hoping that McHale gets the boot. It's time for this organization to go on a new direction. I wrote a thread about McHale this week at this board and I cited why there has to be changes. Is it his fault that this team is bad this year? No, but I just wonder if he is the guy that you trust to run this team in future years considering his draft record has been hideous even before the Joe Smith disaster. There will be changes one way or another next year. Latrell is definitely a goner and Sammy will be goner once a team wants his services.
Realistically, you can disagree if you want. But I dont think that the Wolves season is done until they dont make the playoffs. If the Wolves make the playoffs they are as big a task to beat as anyone in the West due to their experience in the playoffs. The Wolves dont need homecourt any the first round to beat any team except the Spurs, if you ask me. The Wolves have shown with this group that they can win on the road, last year in Arco etc. And this year even tho they stink they still have some big road wins most notably at Sacromento, at Pheonix. If the Wolves were heathly going into the playoffs, I can easily see them knocking off a couple higher seeded teams. But first they have to get rid of the things thats going on inside their heads cause right now they arent really battling their opponents they are battling themselves mentally.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Henacy:</div><div class="quote_post">Realistically, you can disagree if you want. But I dont think that the Wolves season is done until they dont make the playoffs. If the Wolves make the playoffs they are as big a task to beat as anyone in the West due to their experience in the playoffs. The Wolves dont need homecourt any the first round to beat any team except the Spurs, if you ask me. The Wolves have shown with this group that they can win on the road, last year in Arco etc. And this year even tho they stink they still have some big road wins most notably at Sacromento, at Pheonix. If the Wolves were heathly going into the playoffs, I can easily see them knocking off a couple higher seeded teams. But first they have to get rid of the things thats going on inside their heads cause right now they arent really battling their opponents they are battling themselves mentally.</div> PLAYOFFS? WHAT PLAYOFFS? PLAYOFFS! Let's win some games first before we talk playoffs. I don't want to hear about the playoffs anymore till we start winning a lot.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Timberwolf:</div><div class="quote_post">PLAYOFFS? WHAT PLAYOFFS? PLAYOFFS! Let's win some games first before we talk playoffs. I don't want to hear about the playoffs anymore till we start winning a lot.</div> Did you read my post. Never said they were, I said that the sun wont set until they dont make the playoffs period. This team even with all their struggles wont drop out of the playoff race. Thats all I was simply stating
I have the same feeling as Henacy. The Wolves still have a chance until they don't make the playoffs. But they can and did go far in the playoffs but they aren't the same team as last year and isn't playing like they can make the playoffs. They have the talent but the chemistry is missing. They seem to have lost faith. Even Garnett looks a little tired. They can't expect to breeze past the season and take their game up a level in the post season. They have to do it now or there won't be any playoffs for them. And trading players like Spree isn't as easy because of his attitude and his huge contract. If the Timberwolves do make a trade, they need get some value in return.
In all actuality, I have given up the idea and memory of last seasons success. While watching the Memphis game, I just watched the game as a fan, without any specific expectations. It was a loss, but it didn't hurt as much. Instead of saying "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!!!" after uncharacteristic plays, I watched the game as just a game and not an example of their woes. I saw one thing that made me smile though. At the end of the 3rd quarter, KG drove to the basket repeatedly, and was given a number of calls. He needs to understand that this is what he needs to do to have a maximum impact for his team. If I were KG, I would have looked at Wally and said that we are going to carry the load. Hell, 40 each is not too lofty a goal (this is what I would have said to Wally). Until they can stop us, we will continue to roll. The team did have a respectable run.
This season is over. How could anyone be thinking playoffs or even mentioning playoffs right now? I don't think this team is a playoff team and we all know that they are not a very good team. This team is now 24-25 after the loss to Memphis tonight. They are already in a hole in chasing for the last playoff spot. I am worried about winning a game right now and I hope it's tommorow night against the Nuggets. It's going to be a huge fight getting that last playoff spot and even if we get the last playoff spot, what is the point of getting swept by the Spurs in the first round. Is it worth it losing a good draft pick for being swept in the first round? You can talk about experience all you want, but this team has aged. They don't fly for loose balls. They don't show any enthauism. They get beaten on fastbreaks a lot which is why I am very concerned when they played run n gun teams like the Suns, Kings, Mavericks, and etc. They have problems in rebounding. They looked lazy all year. They are not even entertaining anymore. Why things should change come playoff time? Hell they have to do this every night in the regular season if they are going to make the playoffs. This team had four months to realize that things have to change and now the losing mentality has permeated this team for good. I don't see anything changing now and what really bothers me is with the exception of KG, Wally, Fred, and Trenton, most guys seemed content with the losing. I notice Sam, Latrell, and Troy are so ho-hum about things with the losing. They are not even angry after the losses.
^Once again who is thinking of the playoffs, all is being said by our comments is that the season is 82 games and the season is not set for the Wolves until they dont make the playoffs. If you want to give up on the season in early febuary because you are dissappointed because the Wolves arent have this magical season you invisioned then thats fine. But realistically the season is not over, far from it. Yes, this team is old, we know that. But they have also experienced struggles like this before in their carreers and in the long term they have known how to fight thru it. And if you think the Grizz, Lakers etc are going to run away with those last two playoff spots, you are mistaken. The Wolves will be in the hunt all year, Iam not saying they will make it. But they will be in the hunt, meaning the season cant set till they are completely out of the playoff race, period.
Yes, the sun is setting, but like Henacy said: It is not set untill they miss the postseason. I dont have any hopes for playoffs, and I would probably rather not see them get killed, but out of respect, I wont say that the season is over. The huge amount of things that needs to be fixed at this point seems to be pushing this team to further it's losing streak. The frustration at this point has got to be making it impossible to focus on fixing problems that are probably impossible to fix. Obviously, this team isn't meeting anyone's expectations, and it's really, really dissapointing. The best thing to do is to forget last year, and hope we win a few more games this season.
