Implosion of the season (so far)

[Laker Fan]

The Timberwolves, what is up JN? This is substantially the same team from last year, are Cassell and Sprewell really screwing them up this bad? I haven't caught but one game ,the 18 point spanking the Bobcats gave them, and in that one I saw no energy whatsoever. Can you shed some light on why the wheels are coming off like this?

[jn]

There are a LOT of problems with this team.  

Let's start with the defense.  Right off the bat it was obvious that outside of KG, this team is deficient on the defensive glass.  The center position is a wasteland populated by the willing but unable Mad Dog and Ervin Johnson or the slothful Kandi.  Kandi's play is just disgusting.  Eddie Griffin seems to have hit a wall, much like a rookie.

Right now KG and Hassell are the only two players who can play GOOD defense for an entire game.  

Spree and Cassell are not the same players as last year.  I don't see them out there completely sabotaging things but I think the contract issue has affected Spree, and Sam doesn't appear to be full speed after his injury.  Spree was supposed to bring this team the the ability to get to the rim, yet he has one dunk in 34 games this year.  He's not even getting short floaters in the lane.  He is strictly a jump shooter now.

Troy Hudson has been a disaster this year.   I am more down on him than any other Wolf.  Given a chance to start against the Wizards this week he promptly gets torched by Arenas and Anthony freaking Carter outplays him on the offensive end.  Huddy is taking bad shots, playing no defense and whining directly and through his agent.

I'm really concerened by what I'm seeing from KG.  He doesn't seem to be having as much fun this year even in wins.

I really tend to take a wait and see approach to the NBA and try not to get to high or to low about any streaking teams.  This time feels different to me.  I want to see a trade to bring in some defensive muscle up front.  

Man that's a lot of complaints and I haven't even brought up ball movement, bench scoring, or turnovers.

 

[WayOutWest]

Kandi's play is just disgusting.

No way!  Kandi?  :eek2:  

[Guest_Randy]

It's really tough to see a team go from being sooo good (and a contender) to dropping off the planet without any good reason.  

I think you hit the nail on the head with the TWolves defense -- this is where I DO fault Spree.  Minny has always ran a tough team zone but this year it has more holes than Dallas' team D, IMO.  KG will always be the anchor and Hassell and Spree have been the number two guys (with the center position relying heavily on the zone defense) but this year it's only been KG and Hassell and even KG seems to be a little slow in his movement in helping out.  

I think chemistry is something this team is definately feeling now.  Cassell still isn't 100% but the guy NEVER played defense so that's not what is hurting the TWolves -- I don't see the center position as the reason why the defense is suddenly lacking this year -- and it certainly isn't Hassell and KG, IMO.  Spree is the obvious reason why the defense is suddenly lacking -- even when Spree wasn't knocking down his shots you could always count on his defense.  It seems as if he just doesn't care (see Vince Carter in Toronto) and I think that's what has brought KG down.  I don't think KG is a great team leader -- I think he's a great competitor who will model for his teammates how hard to work on the court (and off) in order to make the team the best -- he also models what it means to be a good teammate -- but he really isn't a player that gets in other players faces and tells them how everything is going to work.  This is REALLY what the TWolves need at this point.  Spree IS tradeable -- why?  Because his contract is high and it expires -- but the question is, who are the TWolves going to get for him in return?  

The TWolves really NEED Spree's defense -- IMO, Wally is a better offensive player than Spree at this point in both of their careers but they need defense, not offense.  Until Spree decides to become part of the team again, I'm not sure I see this current streak changing.  I think they WILL become a little better than they currently are (man, they are losing to EVERYONE these days) but they aren't going to rise to be contenders until they make some changes.  And I'm not really sure they are in a great position to make much of a change (who do they have that is really valuable at this point besides KG and Hassell -- trading Wally isn't a great option because that only gets you a second tier player and Wally is getting paid too much to be a second tier player).

I AM surprised at Troy Hudson though.  I REALLY thought this kid was going to have his best year yet -- and he has just TANKED!  Is it the chemistry problems that are getting to him as well?  It just seems that he can't do anything right on the court -- and he showed sooo much promise and ability in the past.

[jn]

WOW,  

He's amazing.  I expect very little out of him and he STILL disappoints me.

Apparently during the offseason the Wolves couldn't find him when he was supposed to be getting himself in shape.  When the finally found him he was hanging out in the French Riviera with that Laker hater Jimmy Goldstein.     :bounce: