Howlin' T-Wolf

Wolves Record: 7-29

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Post-Game Quote: “I think guys — Jonny wasn’t the only one — were trying to manufacture things, rather than read the defense and take what’s there.” -Kurt Rambis

Four Factors:

Wolves Vision

Take a second to watch the video. Take note especially from 1:45 to 2:38 and then pause it.

Listen to what Kurt Rambis is saying in how he wants his team to play on offense.

Things like: reading the defense, ball movement, expending energy working together, being unselfish.

The secrets to running the triangle offense.

Now press play and listen to what the Wolves “point guard of the future” had to say.

Not exactly on the same page if you ask me. Flynn wants to instinctively dictate things on offense. It’s what he’s been doing, and doing well, probably since he picked up the basketball.

This Wolves fans is a big part of the struggle for players, especially younger ones, to embrace the triangle offense. It goes against all of your instincts as a basketball player and what you know from experience on how to play the game. Patience has been the word of the year for Wolves fans especially the die-hards who have sat through the majority of the 36 games so far this season. I even think the slogan for the season should really be “United We Wait” or something. But I hope this little juxtaposition of the wise coach and young point guard gives you a look into just what is going on in terms of this team having to learn how to play a very different style of basketball. It helps to at least know what they are trying to do behind the scenes so to speak when they aren’t on the court showing flashes of both brilliance and long periods of ineptitude int he triangle. As Rambis says, “When we do it, we do it well,” which is true. The triangle run correctly is a very beautiful thing and we’ve seen flashes of it from this young ball club. Unfortunately most of those flashes have been swallowed up by the much longer periods of individuals trying to dictate the game, the same way they’ve all been doing for the past 10+ years of their basketball careers.

On to some more specific thoughts/questions from the game:

I’m thinking of taking a poll on the blog: Do you prefer your Wolves team to play better in the first half? Or the second half? Earlier in the season the Wolves came out and played the first quarter and a half even, then slipped into halftime down 5-10 and then 10+ more in the third never to get close again. Now lately we’ve seen them spot the other team 10+ points in the first quarter and play really good second half basketball to bring it back just close enough to look competitive. The problem: there is no leader on this team. Sure Damien Wilkins might be a nice locker room presence for some of the younger guys, and Jefferson and Love are playing well down low, and Jonny Flynn was born a leader, but really this team has no one that sets a tone, either on the court or in the huddle. I certainly don’t see any of the guys getting in the other players faces and firing them up to play better after the team comes out flat in the first half or the second. I think Jonny could be that guy for the team but as the video shows he still has some learning to do in regards to what Coach Rambis is trying to accomplish.

As much as I’ve tossed around the idea that maybe the Wolves should trade Jefferson and his brilliant low post game for some help on the wing that would fit the triangle offense better, I’ve got to say he is looking improved in all the right areas as of late. I see him contesting more shots on defense than he ever has as well as looking more generally aware on D. I also see him doing well in getting his shots within the flow of the offense and even successfully getting the ball out of the double team lately too. If we could only get some real shooters to keep guys honest, it would open things up for Al even more. Last night was easily his best of the season, which we half expected based on the Warriors front line, but really I like the “little things” Al has shown improvement in.

Can we take a look at both Ellington and Brewer on the floor together please? They didn’t play one minute together last night but I’d really like to see them together as I think they complement each other well. I was a little confused as to why we couldn’t see it last night as Golden State played their usual small ball and it would have been fine for Brewer to play small forward with Ellington at the 2.

On that same note: Why can’t the Wolves try their own brand of small ball with Gomes at the 4 and Love playing center? Gomes, if you can remember that far back to a month ago, was playing really good basketball as a stretch 4 before Love came back and Gomes himself went on the shelf with an injury. I think a line-up of Flynn-Ellington-Brewer-Gomes-Love would work really well in the triangle with their ability to run, shoot and spread the floor.