Locked On Wolves POSTCAST: T-Wolves Take Down RED HOT Los Angeles Clippers 109-105

Locked On Wolves POSTCAST: T-Wolves Take Down RED HOT Los Angeles Clippers 109-105

Anton Rudy helped the Wolves take care of business with the 109 105 win over the Clippers and I got Jack Borman he’s going to help us break it all down it’s all coming up next on the lockdown wolves Postcast you are locked on wolves postcast part of lockon Minnesota on the locked on podcast Network your team every day what’s up what’s up back in the lab back at it another t-wolves postcast episode right here on the lockdown Sports Minnesota Network you got myself Luke Inman lukor spin that’s the man Jack

Borman on Twitter Jr Borman 13 and Jack before we get into all the action quick reminder tonight’s episode brought to you by FanDuel make every moment more with America’s number one sports book and official Sportsbook partner the NBA right now new customers you’re getting $150 in bonus bets with any $5 bet $150

When you bet just five check it all out visit fanduel.com lockon NBA all right man so a lot of talk about the schedule starting to soften up now after that Gauntlet run in December you got the Trailblazers last Friday got the Pistons coming up next but one of the

Big litmus tests you knew would be tonight versus this red hot Clippers team who are just stacked to the gills with Talent so I know it got a little dicey at the end but to see the wolves in the driver’s seat for almost the entire game that was

Great to see kick things off with your maybe broader observations before we get into all the nuts and bolts what’s your biggest takeaways and observations and what a win like this means for the Timberwolves yeah certainly certainly a huge one for the Wolves when you consider that uh outside of the

Timberwolves I think the Clippers have been the most impressive team in the Western Conference so far this season uh the way that they uh you know really looked dysfunctional at the start of the Season uh and then and then made that move to to acquire James Harden uh and

Looked even more dysfunctional uh right after Harden got acquired but since then they’ve just been um a heat seeking missile uh in the Western Conference they’ve been incredible on both ends of the floor um for the Timberwolves especially the way that the Clippers threw through the kitchen sink at him

Defensively early early on they they threw a zone at him they were switching they switched up how they were you know aligning guys on different uh players to give everybody a different look uh and the Wolves spacing was incredible again you saw Carl anony towns in the corner

Again um in that first quarter especially but then again in the third quarter and the fourth quarter uh really whenever he shared the floor with with Rudy goar which was awesome and has been a huge reason why the Timberwolves offense has has been pretty efficient here um the the ball movement in spacing

Was just way better with Carl at the corn in in the corner or or in that kind of deep slot area um you know I thought again you know they went away from it in the second quarter when Carl was the five and they kind of featured him you

Know as the main score and he just didn’t uh you know he just didn’t score it as well it wasn’t as efficient um you know he had four more turnovers tonight uh I would venture to guess you know that that pretty much all of those came

Um you know on the drive trying to do do a little bit too much um and again man um when you when you look at how Carl played I mean he was uh he only took four threes probably could have taken more um but again was was more efficient

Inside the arc uh was five of eight uh which is which is what you want he just has to clean up those turnovers but um yeah and then in the second quarter when they they got bogged down a little bit more turnovers in assists four turnovers

Three assists uh had a had a fourpoint stretch in O over six minutes of of play which wasn’t great but but outside of that I thought the drive and kick game was was incredible um Timber roles did a great job uh you know especially in that

Fourth quarter early on of just kind of pouring it on right U you know 25 assists you know not great for them but but again I thought that you know some of that had to do with Anthony Edwards just kind of playing hero ball and and

The the Tims really just kind of or the clipp is really just kind of slowing the the pace of the game down um which was huge but defensively then again and especially on on Paul George and Harden was really pleased with how the Timberwolves played here um Paul George

16 points on five of 19 shooting um he he really just looked uncomfortable all night long uh with the Timberwolf switching one through four um you know out on the perimeter James Harden 14 points on 414 shooting he was awesome in the fourth quarter have to

Give him credit he he was kind of the engine behind the Clippers really getting into the game but for the most part um you know ant ant did a great job on him slow-mo did a great job on him um and then the big big note here

Defensively for for the Clippers uh or you know for the Clippers against the Wolves defense they were 12 of 17 at The Rim um that’s 71% everywhere else they were 24 of 66 uh which which I think goes to show that um you know the Timberwolves length really really bothered them uh they’re

Not used to facing defenses that can rotate as crisply and as quickly as the wolves do um you know and then when they put Russell Westbrook out there the Timberwolves guarded them or guarded him with with Carl Anthony towns or or Rudy goar especially in five out lineups

Which um you know made it really difficult for for the Clippers um three offensive stars to to Really operate off the bounce uh which was huge so um really on both ends of the floor against arguably the the team that will be the toughest matchup for them uh in the

Playoffs this season if if they get there in the SEC you know if they’d play each other in the second round or the from Conference Finals something like that um they passed this one with with flying colors especially when um you know Clippers really put the screws to

Him and made it difficult for him um late in the fourth quarter the timber wolves really um you know I I think kind of stumbled and and did a great job of of kind of you know Finding their balance and getting this one to the

Finish Line yeah I do want to ask you a little bit more about this Clippers team but you’re right cat was really efficient obviously like you mentioned you got Rudy with 18 boards 15 points four monster blocks four super clutch free throws at the end as well uh ant 33

Points that’s a career high versus the Clippers 16 in the third quarter alone unbelievable on top of that add in a little nine board six assists for good measure no big deal just another night at the office for him those two specifically though I mean really helped

Propel this team tonight and really took over the game at times didn’t they just talk to me about those two tonight and how massive how huge they were for this win yeah starting with Rudy goar this was my favorite Rudy goar game and it may out have been like his best

Statistical game I don’t know what that would be off the top of my head um but he had 15 points 18 rebounds four blocks um he air balled a couple of free throws in the first half and the Clippers bench was absolutely clowning him um and these

You know Rudy goar Mike Conley and the Clippers have a history from I want to say 2020 uh when they played the Jazz in the second round of the playoffs um you know the the Jazz were dominating they were up like 25 points at home in the

Second half and the Clippers went small uh you know kind of isolated and and four switches to get rudby goar on the perimeter every single time and pretty much played him off the floor because the Jazz didn’t have anyone else that could help him he couldn’t defend Five

Guys by himself um and and the Clippers ended up coming back to win that game and win that series uh in Utah and so that certainly stuck with Rudy and then you think about that history them kind of clowning him um you know at the free

Throw line uh I thought it was fantastic the way that Rudy was just everywhere defensively um just made plays um like you said the four blocks didn’t have any steals but certainly uh for some turnovers inside with guys just kind of you know crapping their pants um on the drive uh you know

Remembering that Rudy’s there and and having to think of something on the Fly um and turning it over uh I thought the way that uh he switched out on the perimeter and played some really awesome defense uh um in moments like that you know he also had that that really

Athletic play to force a turnover on on Mason plumbley uh you know out there on the perimeter as well so he he really did everything for them uh defensively which was uh really what you want to see and I thought he did it in different

Ways he did at all three levels of the defense um moved his feet really well stayed vertical forced a lot of Miss shots um again like like you know we talk about almost every time here seven of 20 in the short mid-range four to 14 feet for the Clippers 35% they were over

Seven long mid-range um so free throw line at the three-point line um so seven of 27 overall in the mid-range 26% that that’s going to play every single time and a lot of that has to do with the shots that Rudy goar forces in that deep

Drop um and then like you said uh four huge free throws at the end of the game um he was just tremendous in the fourth quarter and and again 18 huge rebounds um was a huge reason why the Timberwolves were able to come away with this one and then Anthony Edwards and oh

And the one last note on Rudy goar 13 drawn fouls I think that you know I don’t I don’t know where that ranks in terms of his best games ever um but that was that was pretty remarkable um that most of those weren’t shooting fouls um did did

Everything he could to to help impact the game even when the Timberwolves weren’t really finding him um to score around the basket but moving on to ant I mean it was really in that third quarter right for Anthony Edwards where he just went absolutely bananas he had 20 of his

33 points five of nine shooting eight nine from the free throw line got to the line nine times in one quarter um I don’t know if he’s done that in a non- fourth quarter at all in his entire career um so that was certainly really impressive from him and then um had two

Assists and didn’t turn it over I think that was the most important thing about an kind of going nuclears he was able to do it really efficiently shot more than shot better than 50% um again got to the free throw line nine times and did not

Turn the ball over in that third quarter I just think that you know when he’s riding that wave it makes it so much easier for everyone else around him to really just be able to focus on getting back in transition um which I think is an underrated part of ant kind of going

Nuclear is it kind of allows guys to just trust that ants got it um on the offensive end and then they can get back defensively and be smarter but when they’re CRA crashing the glass um and I think it just kind of wears down and breaks the spirit of the opponent and

It’s one of the you know intangibles that ant has that I think every Timberwolves fan loves about him especially in front of a packed house at Target Center um you know the way he was able to that tonight I I I certainly think that um you know that ants kind of

Bursts and and runs that he can go on like that um you know really kind of break down an opponent’s Spirit more than you know you know 95 97% um of the NBA and so for him to finish with 33 points nine rebounds six assists did have five turnovers and um

Kind of again showed his inexperience a little bit in the fourth quarter but um overall just another amazing uh just Superstar level effort for man yeah unbelievable those free throws man what a breath of fresh air um like you said I don’t know when the last time he’s had

That many free throws got to the strike but that was a lot of fun to watch if he can add that into his repertoire night in night out that’s just dangerous man uh before we move on anything you want to add as far as the offense goes you

Text me after the first half about how impressed you were with some of the spacing I know you mentioned that at the top but what they were able to accomplish with that at times you mentioned the kickout game with cat and what that showed just overall I guess

How happy were you with the offense tonight outside those pesky turnovers they just can’t find a way to shake of course but anything more to add from the ex’s and O’s Department I guess yeah I I think the way you know when they’re able to space the floor and they’re able to

Get cat in the corner uh it opens up so much more cutting uh from the Timberwolves offense you know again Jaden McDaniels Five Points in that first quarter alone I thought they did it their you know they’re at their best doing it in the first quarter um you

Know Nas Reed also had five points and Nas also when Nas comes in and plays a long side Carl watch where Nas is Nas is in the corner um or I think Nas came in for Carl um in that for was it uh I I can’t I’m drawing a blank I think Nas

Came in for Carl um no he came in for Rudy in that first quarter but but yeah when he’s playing it doesn’t really matter when he’s playing alongside um cat or Rudy I mean you see Nas there at the you know in the corner which is huge

And N is a great Corner shooter and and for me like Carl Anthony towns I trust that Carl Anthony towns you know can improve on his his Corner shooting um he’s he’s not great uh from the corner in his whole career just because he hasn’t been there that much but um I

Mean if if he starts playing there more there’s there’s no doubt in my mind that he’ll really pick it up there but I but I think when you get a four that’s spaced out to the corner like that that’s a legit three-point threat when ant and Rudy you know have that pick and

Roll game in the middle of the floor it gives ant so much more room uh to drive to the L to drive to the rim to draw those fouls um and to make kickout passes because the defense is going to have to sink you know in from one of

Those Corners um because you don’t want to have ant going one-on-one with someone to the rim with a head of steam like that and so I I think you know there’s been some talk this season about you know should the Wolves trade someone like Kyle Anderson for a shooter we’ll

Get into that a little bit later but um but that’s just another reason why I don’t think the Timberwolves necessarily need to do that they’re they’re like seventh in the league in three-point percentage and I think if they just stay out more space and let ant drive more

And pick and roll and and kick it out I think they’re going to be able to generate a lot more threes in in the spacing that that Carl creates when he’s there in the corner I think um you know unlocks more of that drive and kick game and create can create more three-point

Opportunities and I mean the Timberwolves tonight from three 13 of 26 50% they didn’t get up quite as many tonight as you might want to see them get up but again 44 points in the paint is tremendous um and and the quality of three-point looks that they created was

Really really strong against a type of defense that they’ve really struggled with this season teams that can switch one through five and and throw different types of zones and and mix and mix up their defensive coverages really well and so it was encouraging that uh the quality of shots from the

Timberwolves uh tonight was was awesome yeah well said all right plenty more Deep dive from this one right after a quick word from better help what are some things you want to keep the same about yourself or about your life in 2024 where are you already crushing it maybe start thinking the

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Switch therapists at any time at no additional charge it’s time to start celebrating the progress you’ve already made visit betterhelp.com lockon NBA to get 10 % off your first month that’s betterhelp hp.com lockon NBA let’s pick up back here on the defensive side of things let me just say

First of all it’s just so fun to watch the number one defense in the NBA on a night in Night Out basis isn’t it Clippers only had 68 points heading into the fourth quarter 10 of 32 on everything outside of the paint in the first half and what they did to Paul

George tonight man that was a thing of beauty too um dude was one of 10 in the first half he ended the night with a A Modest 16 points which for Paul George maybe an off night some would call that uh you got to give the uh Clippers

Credit late uh that rally got kind of scary at the end I know they kind of caught fire with the three ball 37 points in the fourth quarter but I guess just your quick overall thoughts on the defense and how the Wolves played tonight yeah I I was really impressed

With with the defense um tonight mostly because you know the Clippers are team that really spread you out and force a lot of uh players to defend in one-on-one situations whether it’s against Harden uh Qui Leonard Paul George and those are three of the best isolation players not just in the NBA

Not just of this era but of all time um you know when they get anyone on an island they have the advantage I do not care who the defender is I don’t care if it’s Jade McDaniels or Giannis or Rudy goar or whoever it is um those guys have

The advantage and the way that the Timberwolves were able to shut a lot of that off um they did a great job of beating those guys to the spot and forcing them to change the direction off the dribble um forced a lot of tough pull-up jumpers uh in the mid-range uh

And I thought that they contested those really really well especially on Kawhi Leonard who’s U you know one of the better mid-range jump Shooters we’ve ever seen um in this league and and he’s a guy that can just get to a spot and Elevate and there’s not a whole lot you

Can do about it but I thought that uh aunt and Jaden especially when they were switched on to kawhai had some great reps there and you could just tell that the Clippers really bothered with the length I thought that the Timberwolves again did an awesome job of rotating um

Xing out on the backside of the defense on Shooters that’s something that we saw a lot more of two years ago when the wolves made the playoffs and they’re in that high wall coverage it forces a lot more rotation um whereas a drop everybody kind of stays home a little

Bit more but even in the traditional drop coverage With The Wolves switching um you know pretty much everything except for a Rudy goar or a screen that Rudy goar was involved in I thought they communicated exceptionally well so that when they you know did uh X Out on the

Backside instead of staying home on shooters that there weren’t that many just wider than wide open looks uh which is what we’ve seen when the Timberwolves defense struggles is that communication isn’t there the rotating on the backside isn’t as good but they did a great job tonight and and Kyle Anderson again man

Um did a did a great job keeping guys in front of him he guarded Russell Westbrook for for times um did a did a great job forc a couple of turnovers was was really good when he switched on to switched on to kawhai and Harden and Paul George um and again just another

Guy with length who who isn’t the quickest guy but he can really move get in a stance and move his feet um and again just just a really good helps side Defender really smart about one to rotate one to one to stay out on Shooters so or excuse me one to kind of

Dig in on on drivers versus one to one to you know stay home on Shooters and and again with his length 73 wingspan does a really good job stunting um so that’s when a guy kind of has an open three and he’s in between two guys kind

Of you know kind of you know you know stunting out kind of you know jutting out to the to the guy who has the ball and then getting back to his man to buy um you know the guy who’s supposed to be on the ball a little bit more time to

Get back to the ball um he’s so good at those things and and overall just a just a great night from the Timberwolves defense who you know another night of holding an opponent under 50 not only under 50% but under 45% um and and the Clippers wouldn’t have gotten to 100

Points if they didn’t um you know totally extend the game with with a bunch of fouls in that fourth quarter you just mentioned slow-mo he’s really stepped up his game since that Celtics game really since uh on last Wednesday I’m just curious your thoughts on the

Bench play I guess the last three games or so I mean Nas Reed always going to be Nas Reed again slow-mo kind of stepped up the last three games nah still been you know a nice piece to the puzzle I guess mcclaflin looks healthy again but

You tell me should we feel good about the bench right now or still maybe looking to make a move at the trade deadline and maybe add a little bit more juice yeah I I think you’ve got to be pleased with what they’ve gotten from the bench I I still think you know the

Timberwolves are are one of the lowest scoring teams um when you look at bench production um which is okay you know you know they’ve got again they’re not an offensive first team um but but tonight specifically I you know Chris Finch only played eight guys uh he hasn’t done that

This might be the one of maybe three games this whole season where where Chris Finch has only played eight guys really um and it totally had a playoff field because of it right like Chris Finch pretty much will strictly only play these eight guys in the playoff

Series um you know unless there’s foul trouble or or a matchup you know dictates you know really needing more shooting in Troy Brown Jr or you know potentially a deadline acquisition like you talked about um you know I I could see the Timberwolves you know really

Trying to uh you know add some more juice uh maybe in the shooting department but but again like people want to throw out Kyle Anderson’s name as a guy that that you know they want to move or you know the Timberwolves would move just because he makes N9 million

And it’s easier to get a a higher impact guy I guess with including his salary um to make a trade legal but but I think that they’ll try to move someone like Shake Milton and then attach uh either Josh Minot or Wendel Moore Jr um uh you

Know with at least one first round pick or excuse me at least one second round pick potentially a second second round pick um to try to net a guy that has a little bit more offensive juice like you were saying just because I I think you’d

Like to be able to get more than than 24 bench points um in a game like tonight just because I think if if the bench isn’t able to score more efficiently uh it just puts so much more pressure on guys like Jaden McDaniels and Mike connley to step up and be that third

Scorer um because because Rudy you know Rudy’s not really a scorer that’s not really his thing I think that like his points are just a lot more matchup dependent than anything else um whereas I think you’re looking at Mike or Jaden to be a more consistent you know Goto we

Can rely on this guy for 12 14 16 points a game so um so we’ll see what happens um but in terms of in terms of the regular season I do think that including Jade M Jordan mcclaflin uh in the rotation I think will help uh stimulate

Some more open looks for this this bench offense that’s kind of been stuck in the mud for for most of the Season just because jmck does such a good job of playing with pace and getting the ball moving and and getting guys the ball where they like it uh in scoring

Positions um with which is uh certainly you know his best attribute as a player and he’s been making his threes this year which has been great to see so um you know if if he can continue to to provide the spark that he’s provided offensively at least in between now and

The trade deadline um before maybe the Timberwolves are able to call in some reinforcements either via trade or in the buyout Market because they they do have enough money um right now Bel below the luxury tax to to bring in a buyout player um and they also have an open

Roster spot they’ve had an open roster spot the entire season so um so that is also something that I I certainly expect the Timberwolves to be to be active players in uh you know come come three three four weeks from now uh random planet in the comments just read my mind

I I heard Jim Pete maybe you heard a tour doing Friday’s game say he’s really digging this Mike connley Jordan mlin combo when finchy gets them both on the floor small sample size I know mcgoffin didn’t even play tonight but anything extra they could add to the equation at

Some point the more they work together as the season goes on or is that something that’s caught your eye at all and and you’ve liked what you’ve seen yeah it certainly has and I and I think it’s a testament to what Jordan mcclaflin is able to do on the ball as a

Defender uh guarding opposing Point guarding opposing point guards um because Mike connley generally plays off the ball anyways defensively and and he obviously you know is used to playing off ball next to Anthony Edwards uh offensively so it’s certainly a pairing that can work on both ends of the floor

Um both those guys are you know do a lot of the same things really well and that they you know are really good at moving the ball getting guys organized um cutting when they don’t have the ball just to you know Force the defense to

Move and and can spot up and and make threes obviously Conley had a better rate um you know than than Jordan mcclaflin so far but um those lineups haven’t been quite as good as you might think they’re minus 7.3 in 55 possessions obviously that’s a that’s a

Pretty small sample size but um you know they have been pretty good in in the most common lineup um that that we’ve seen out of those two which is uh mlin Conley McDaniel’s uh towns and Rudy goar so that’s something that um you know we’ve seen when ant’s been in foul

Trouble um that that’s kind of when we’ve we’ve seen those lineups uh most commonly um kind of as that as that bridge uh lineup you know end of the or excuse me like Midway through the second quarter before ant comes in and then Midway through the fourth quarter before

Ant comes in um kind of at the start of the second start of the fourth quarters is when you’ve seen those lineups and they’ve been they’ve been effective um at least with that that last you know fiveman unit that I I said so certainly a lineup that we can see more of mclin

Played a lot alongside D’Angelo Russell when he was here and those two lineups were always um really successful and and in terms of you know Russell and Conley are both very similar in their abilities to play off the ball offensively um and also spending more time playing off the

Ball than on the ball defensively so while they are certainly two very different players um D’Angelo Russell and Mike connley they do uh bring those similar attributes that at least allow them to play alongside Jordan mclin and be successful in doing so we always spend a quick 60 seconds or so on the

Opposing Team every night I think there’s plenty I can learn from you in regards to this Clippers team so I know they started out slow hottest team in the league though now 22 and six in their last 28 22 and seven now I should

Say but it was fun to sit down and just watch these guys up close and personal and I guess I want to know what you think about them um as far as maybe a playoff matchup would that scare you a bit or not what’s The Scouting Report I

Guess and are they a potential top two seat in the west when it’s all said and done if if they can actually stay healthy for another three four months yeah well the the NBA actually came out with a report this weekend that basically proved that load management

Did not do anything to uh you know to at least keep players healthy um as opposed to just playing guys and and the Clippers were the Clippers were arguably like the biggest case study with that and that they they were really into load managing guys especially kawhai and Paul

George um and you know now all those guys have played a ton this season and they’ve been really really good and they’ve caught fire and caught a rhythm in the regular season because of it and and there’s no reason to me why they can’t continue this if they’re able to

Stay healthy um because all all those guys and throw Russell Westbrook in there as well is like really high usage guys that have you know all done a tremendous job of of sacrificing and and being willing to play alongside one another there’s only one ball right and

And so all those guys have done a great job playing off the ball moving without the basketball screening for one another um and their all really good in isolation off the dribble and and and when that happens um you know it kind of allows them to pick and choose their

Matchups and um and and they can do that on a nightly basis right like every team’s going to you know provide you different matchups and the Clippers do an excellent job of of hunting the weakest link on your defense and and really making it tough um you know

Especially down the stretch of games they’re they’re one of the best uh clutch time teams in the NBA this season and and how could they not be when they’ve got finishers like that so um I think for the Clippers they’re they’re the tough um they’re the toughest matchup uh for

The wolves in my opinion just because I think the way that they can spread the Wolves defense out um and really make them work uh that that’s you know obviously something the Wolves did really really well tonight um but if you think about the proposition of having to

Do that potentially seven times how much they make this defense work uh if the Timberwolves offense which you know more often than not struggles against switching in zone defenses um like the Clippers threw at them tonight they did a good job tonight but again like I I

Would feel comfortable if I were the Clippers betting that the Timberwolves wouldn’t you know continue that ball movement and cutting and um in spacing uh for for a full series um and so if the Timberwolves defense kind of gets tired over that seven game series and and their offense isn’t as disciplin um

As it was tonight I I think that that would be you know a series that the Wolves would really uh you know struggle in I certainly would pick the Clippers in that series um but you know I I think you know hey that that could be a second

Round thing or or a Western Conference Finals thing when when the you know the end of the day I I I think these two teams are going to be one and two in the standings at the end of the season in in whichever order um you like them um just

Because I I think they’re the they’re the two toughest teams for for a team to play on on any given night just with the way the Timberwolves are able to um you know clamp you down and make it really difficult offensively and then you know and then for the Clippers they they put

A bond on your defense and and really provide uh you know a unique challenge uh to to a defense to have to stay disciplined and rotate that much and and be in a stands and be able to guard in space for for 48 minutes the way that

They are so um be really interesting I think to be able to see that in the second round series or if they are one and two and let’s say they both win their first two playoff series and we get a Western Conference Finals with the Clippers and the Wolves I think that

That would be you know you think kind of think about how the wolves and Celtics two games have been like the Clippers play very similarly stylistically to the Celtics um and you see how how these three games have gone between you know those three teams and um you know I I

Certainly think that it would just be an incredible series for for you know the average fan that wants to tune in but um the Clippers are outside of the Tim rolles are probably my favorite team in the league to watch um and and certainly a team that I think wolves fans should

Should try to watch whenever they’re on national TV um just as a little postseason scouting because they they are are really formidable um Team out west would love to see the Vegas liner spread on a wolves Clippers playoff matchup man because you’re right I mean your splitting hairs that would have to

Be very close and very dramatic as well all right I got two quickies to close before we wrap up but first a quick word from FanDuel quick reminder tonight’s episode brought to you by FanDuel make every moment more with America’s number one Sportsbook and official Sportsbook part

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Betting app to use go check it out for yourself visit fanduel.com lockon that’s fanduel.com loock onay America’s number one Sportsbook FanDuel official partner of the NBA okay schedule coming up next week now Pistons Grizzlies who are really banged up now OKC which that should be a great one again Hornets Wizards and then

When you hear that run knowing what you know is it realistic for us to sit here and think this team can or should go something like 4- two like is that even the floor like would you be bummed if they didn’t go four- two or better or

What’s your thoughts on the next six games yeah I think the next six games I think it would be a bummer if they lost more than once um okay yeah like the the Pistons uh the Grizzlies it was actually just announced while we were recording tonight that Desmond Bane has a Grade

Three uh ankle sprain and is going to miss at least is going to miss at least six weeks so he will not play on thak man they’re just fighting for that top five pick now right at this point yeah yeah which is kind of scary when you

Think about next year johnar comes back everybody comes back healthy and you add a possible top three top five pick woo yep and they’ve got all their picks so they they can certainly go out and and try to you know add another piece if if they want to um but but sticking with

These next six um Detroit obviously has been terrible uh Memphis has been terrible um Oklahoma City you know they blew the Wolves out um but the Wolves you know played really really well in that game at Target Center that’s going to be a Saturday night game there’s no

Reason in my mind why um that that shouldn’t be a banger of a basketball game I would give the Wolves The Edge there because they’re they’re playing at home um Charlotte has been terrible um they they got Lamela ball back finally but but Washington has been terrible and

Brooklyn has also been awful um they you know really the last two three four weeks here so um and then you have San and then you have San Antonio again so I think in the next seven games uh anything worse than six and one I I think you’d you’d probably be be wishing

That uh things had gone differently but but again the fact that we’re even able to sit here and and say like six and one would be good and and five- two would be disappointing over any seven game stretch at all during the season um you

Know I I think just kind of speaks to how fortunate we are to watch this team every night um kind of prognosticating the schedule here but but yeah I mean this is this is what they kind of grinded through that that 16 game stretch for was to get to this stretch

Of games here and um you know the great thing about it is it kind of matches up perfectly with the dog days of the NBA season in which guys are really really tired they’re just kind of looking ahead to the end of the light kind of the the

Light at the end of the tunnel if you will with the uh with the allstar break coming um and so once the wolves get past the stretch of games it’s you know they’ve got a three-game home stand then they’ve got uh a brutal Road stand and

Then and then you know it’s the all-star weekend and they’ve got like seven games at home outside of the break so I think seven straight games at home out of the break that’s unbelievable yeah so I think if they can get through these next seven games at five- two six and one um

That they would definitely keep them at top the Western Conference and put him in a great position to you know have a more mediocre Road stand if you will and kind of Limp into the All-Star break um before really you know having a lot of energy with with all those seven home

Games so they could all but lock up the number one seed um you know potentially by like the second week of March uh if they just really take care of business here I think um and kind of kind of build a little bit of a lead if you will

From uh from Oklahoma City and Denver so we’ll see but it should be should be fun hopefully for for fans looking for for more wins on the schedule area absolutely absolutely all right 30 seconds up putting on the clock then we got to get out of here what’s Leonard

Miller’s comp like who’s his style remind you of if he were to hit his ceiling because of all the young guys right now he’s by far the one guy most fans I think are hyped about as far as the developmental guys and I think it’s really been that way from the first

Night they picked him at the top of round two yeah it’s it’s he’s it’s kind of tough to to just be put on the spot and and think of think of somebody I think defensively um you know honestly you you think about what Jaden McDaniels

Can do off the ball um I think that’s kind of who who I think that’s enticing alone right there that’s en off the ball yeah he he’s got the instincts that you need he just has to stay locked in uh on the defensive end of the floor and and offensively

Um man it’s it’s hard um I don’t even know if I could give you a good offensive comp off the top of my head I’m so bad at things off the top of my head um when you’re when you’re talking about comps we’re as far as like a one

To 10 I mean as far as prospects goes I know he he wasn’t a lottery pick so to get a guy in the NBA draft top of round two that this many fans are excited about he’s obviously showing some serious flashes here or there and again

I know things are very early but is that is that accurate yeah it certainly is I mean he he’s been benched in the g- league a couple of times for uh you know just some poor defensive effort and and lack of focus on that end of the floor but

His off you know that’s obviously one that’s going to come with a lefty being 610 can handle the ball you know isn’t the greatest shooter um Lamar Odum is definitely definitely up there um but yeah I think you know he’s just got to be more efficient um offensively I think

Um and once he can kind of learn um you know where he likes to get to on the floor um and refining his handle his his offensive problems are kind of similar to Jaden’s in that like um you know his handle just gets a little sloppy

Sometimes on the drive and and just has to get obviously has touch around the rim but but just kind of how you get from where you catch the ball to where you can finish it uh is still a little bit questionable at this point so it’s a

Good thing that they’ve been able to get him in the g- league and he’s played a ton so um that’s been that’s been great and I’ll take a Lamar Odum light even and he’ll play nextal guy like slow-mo won’t be back next year most likely so with his contract situation which is

Just a bummer because of how awesome he’s been U these these last handful weeks in last season as well but right um but but yeah he’ll play next year so those fans should should certainly be excited about that uh well done tonight as always wolves move to 28 and 11 on

The Year back on the road this Wednesday versus those lowly pistons for hopefully a nice little tuneup game there tip off 6 PM Central Standard Time as always huge shout out to everyone that joined us in the postcast always love everyone’s feedback and comments throughout every postcast and rest

Assured we’ll be back each and every game same time same place right here to break it all down you got to go check out all of Jack’s work on Twitter Jr Borman 13 and check out Jack on the Minnesota basketball party with our guy Sam extrom go Legend Ron Johnson Carol

Evans Reggie Wilson each and every Wednesday afternoon as well and if you haven’t already Ben Beacon Spitting Fire over in the lockon Wolves podcast each and every day that’ll do it for us tonight he’s Jack Borman I’m Luke Inman on Twitter at lukor spin until next time signing out

The Minnesota Timberwolves move to 28-11 after taking down the hottest team in the NBA. Join us for the immediate break down and analysis.