Series Thread: 2) Nuggets vs 3) T'Wolves

[Mebert]

He is a game changing presence.

Obvious physical gifts allow that to happen. But he’s a student of defensive basketball on top of that.

Just an awful overpay of epic proportions doesn’t change how good he is as a defender.

But man does Jokic have some stretches of just making him look pedestrian.

The coast to coast dunk after back to back bunnies brought me off the couch like I was doin the worm. Best player on the planet. Who nobody can stop.

Thay game was frustrating to watch. People have been shitting on Gobert after it, but I have asked a few times what he could have done different to crickets.

He was never out of position, he played awesome defense, Jokic just made it anyway. Even on a perfect closeout with his higher reach than anyone else could put in, Jokic just rainbowed it in for 3.

People need to stop putting so much blame on Gobert and start putting the praise on Jokic for that game. Dude never left the ground, but every shot was unblockable and never missed.

This is like watching Shaq dominate David Robinson in the playoffs and the takeaway being "I guess Robinson can't defend"

 

[shopson67]

View attachment 362207
LOL

Lil Wayne should look in the mirror lol at his crackhead gremlin ass, lol.

 

[PnkPanther]

lets hope wolves can force a game 7.

#mnsports

 

[shopson67]

They traded 5 first round picks for this dude lol.

I was actually coming around to it being an OK decision

Back to awful again lol

I agree Rudy is overrated, but who stops Jokic?

Problem is, Rudy provides nothing on the other end in addition to being overrated by the media as a defender.

 

[Stakesarehigh]

I agree Rudy is overrated, but who stops Jokic?

Problem is, Rudy provides nothing on the other end in addition to being overrated by the media as a defender.

100 percent the issue is that offensively he's limited. That is a high value for a largely 1 way player.

 

[ducky]

I agree Rudy is overrated, but who stops Jokic?

Problem is, Rudy provides nothing on the other end in addition to being overrated by the media as a defender.

That's not true.

Rudy is a problem for a ton of teams and should be a bigger problem for the Nuggets if the Wolves coaching staff was playing this series correct.

Yes all he does is dunk at the rim. But in the modern NBA all you want to do is dunk at the rim or take a 3. He shoots 65% and scores 14 a night. That is FAR from nothing.

The fact that the Wolves arent trying to get him more touches right now when Denver is switching Joker off of him and letting smalls defend him is a coaching and teammate failure.....not a Rudy failure.

 

[Mebert]

At half time when asked if the Wolves have considered trying something new against Jokic the answer was "well we don't want him to pass it".

This series is payback for me laughing at Joe Mazzula, now I know how it feels and I am sorry Celtics fans.

You have taught us that with enough talent the coach does not matter. I hope the Wolves follow in those footsteps.

 

[shopson67]

That's not true.

Rudy is a problem for a ton of teams and should be a bigger problem for the Nuggets if the Wolves coaching staff was playing this series correct.

Yes all he does is dunk at the rim. But in the modern NBA all you want to do is dunk at the rim or take a 3. He shoots 65% and scores 14 a night. That is FAR from nothing.

The fact that the Wolves arent trying to get him more touches right now when Denver is switching Joker off of him and letting smalls defend him is a coaching and teammate failure.....not a Rudy failure.

There's a good reason Denver isn't concerned about his offense; it's non-existent. Sure, he can dunk put backs and hand-offs. So can a guy from the g-league.

 

[shopson67]

At half time when asked if the Wolves have considered trying something new against Jokic the answer was "well we don't want him to pass it".

This series is payback for me laughing at Joe Mazzula, now I know how it feels and I am sorry Celtics fans.

You have taught us that with enough talent the coach does not matter. I hope the Wolves follow in those footsteps.

The Wolves simply need another offensive threat to take the pressure off of Edwards. Trade KAT for a scoring wing.

 

[Mebert]

The Wolves simply need another offensive threat to take the pressure off of Edwards. Trade KAT for a scoring wing.

You are not going to get any push back from a Wolves fans on trading KAT. That has been our dream for years, just not sure you get real value for him.

 

[shopson67]

You are not going to get any push back from a Wolves fans on trading KAT. That has been our dream for years, just not sure you get real value for him.

Even if you don't get perfect value in return, it's probably time to cut bait. Edwards has them close, strike while the iron is hot.

 

[Mebert]

Even if you don't get perfect value in return, it's probably time to cut bait. Edwards has them close, strike while the iron is hot.

I honestly would be fine if it was just cap relief.

 

[ducky]

There's a good reason Denver isn't concerned about his offense; it's non-existent. Sure, he can dunk put backs and hand-offs. So can a guy from the g-league.

If it is so easy why is Rudy 80th overall in the league in scoring? Surely every team would have their 3rd or 4th offensive option scoring more points than Rudy does if he legit has zero offensive value.

 

[shopson67]

If it is so easy why is Rudy 80th overall in the league in scoring? Surely every team would have their 3rd or 4th offensive option scoring more points than Rudy does if he legit has zero offensive value.

You're taking zero too literally. He's the least dangerous of the Wolves starters offensively with the possible exception of McDaniels.

 

[Stakesarehigh]

There's a good reason Denver isn't concerned about his offense; it's non-existent. Sure, he can dunk put backs and hand-offs. So can a guy from the g-league.

This.

 

[Stakesarehigh]

If it is so easy why is Rudy 80th overall in the league in scoring? Surely every team would have their 3rd or 4th offensive option scoring more points than Rudy does if he legit has zero offensive value.

Do 3rd and 4th offensive options typically cost 5 first round picks?

 

[Stakesarehigh]

Even if you don't get perfect value in return, it's probably time to cut bait. Edwards has them close, strike while the iron is hot.

I'd like to think he'd get reasonable value in return.

 

[trojanfan12]

Thay game was frustrating to watch. People have been shitting on Gobert after it, but I have asked a few times what he could have done different to crickets.

He was never out of position, he played awesome defense, Jokic just made it anyway. Even on a perfect closeout with his higher reach than anyone else could put in, Jokic just rainbowed it in for 3.

People need to stop putting so much blame on Gobert and start putting the praise on Jokic for that game. Dude never left the ground, but every shot was unblockable and never missed.

This is like watching Shaq dominate David Robinson in the playoffs and the takeaway being "I guess Robinson can't defend"

Yeah, I didn't get all of the criticism of Gobert. It doesn't matter how good a player is defensively, sometimes a guy gets hot and there's nothing you can do with him.

A lot of the shots Joker took were contested or just bad shots...they just kept going in. Like Ant said "He showed why he's the MVP".

 

[ducky]

You're taking zero too literally. He's the least dangerous of the Wolves starters offensively with the possible exception of McDaniels.

Yes he cant create on his own (how many bigs in the league can anymore?).

But you are really discounting the gravity that is created by a legit rolling big man. It is why Rudy is a top 10 scoring center in the league and a top 80 scorer overall.

The Wolves since he got here has a 126+ offensive rating (130 this year) with Gobert on the court. Their rating is 115.4 without him.

Yes that isnt a perfect stat. But there is without question some correlation.

Again it all comes down to the fact that basketball fans and even some coaches just dont seem to understand efficiency and simple math. Rudy getting the ball in the paint is one of the more efficient means of scoring for the Wolves this season. It is why they need to be looking to get him more touches when Joker is not on him. And hell even when Joker is on him in order to get him some fouls. I am not calling on them to post him up or anything like that. But the team needs to be looking his way more on some of the rim runs and the early offense rim seals against smalls in this series.

 

[shopson67]

Yeah, I didn't get all of the criticism of Gobert. It doesn't matter how good a player is defensively, sometimes a guy gets hot and there's nothing you can do with him.

A lot of the shots Joker took were contested or just bad shots...they just kept going in. Like Ant said "He showed why he's the MVP".

IMO, Gobert is a bigger factor as a help defender than the primary defender. Jokic went right at him to take advantage of that.