Keep hearing "Rudy will get exposed on the perimeter"? Here is your 5 min rebuttal. 5 min of Rudy's perimeter defense and defense out in space!
Up next: Rudy "NVMs" 😏
Thank you
@Huncho_Jman
for kindly sharing some of the clips in this video!
Doc River on the Wolves & Gobert trade:
“Giannis would run into one 7-footer, & then there’s another 7-footer & if you beat him, there’s another 7-footer.”
“Yeah they are long & they play hard!”
“I don’t think anyone is laughing about that trade now.”
I've gained a lot of respect for KD after this series. Just a guy who loves to hoop. Can't hate that.
Gave Rudy respect for perimeter defense before the series started too.
Not saying this will happen but if our boys get eliminated in Game 6, I hope we give them a standing O like we did in the Memphis series. This was the 2nd best season ever, they've given me so much joy & nothing can take that away
You know what was freaking magical about the crowd last night? People stood up & cheered when it was 101-100 unprompted. Instead of getting antsy amidst the meltdown, it was a "you got this! We'll help you!" vibe. Not cheers in reaction to a play but simply unconditional support.
Why do people say "no one wants to watch Rudy in the all-star game"? He's so entertaining? His dunks are emphatic & violent,his lobs are hype AF,he does funny coast to coast shit & cmon...who doesn't want to see a Rudy 3? A Rudy All-Star 3 would feed families & break the internet
I last minute went to the game today & splurged on a good lower level seat bc I’ve never been so close. And holy shit the experience is SO different?? Way more cheering, louder & watching these players up close is fucking mesmerizing. No joke one of the best nights of my life 🥲
@DaneMooreNBA
Damn I love KAT
This might be my favorite series of his. Even if the scoring stats aren't big, nothing feels empty. Every rebound he snatches matters. It feels like he's impacting winning than any other series before. Awesome defense & effort to crash the boards
I love how the Kings have a Keegan Murray chant. PA: KEE-GAN. Crowd: MUR-RAY!
Wish we had one for Naz!
PA could do something like "I say Naz you say Reid. Naz"
"Reid!"
"Naz"
"Reid!"
@Jones_Jedidiah
👀❓
Slumping Wolves are still a top team with the 4th best point differential. These metrics are a snapshot of where teams are in the last 10 games (a stretch the Wolves haven’t been their most dominant)
Man it is surreal seeing KAT, Ant AND Finch being the first 3 people introduced 🥹
"Coach of the West, Chris Finch from the Minnesota Timberwolves"
Chills tbh. Never would have expected this
@ChristopherHine
I was impressed with how Ant was attacking and seemed almost methodical in his approach to close. Now it makes sense. Thank god for Mike <3
@wheatonbrando
@chadik
@ActionNetworkHQ
If you can't enjoy the biggest Game 7 comeback in NBA history & the 2nd best Wolves szn ever then you're always going to be miserable my man.
That's not luck. Even if the opponent missed shots, it takes significant mental fortitude & defense to comeback down 20 in a road Game 7
This was BEFORE the Conley floater & Ant dunks. I was surprised bc usually Wolves fans have a "I'll cheer only if u show me something" conditional fan mentality (understandable) but last night was a stark contrast. People cheered when the Wolves *struggled* to spur momentum 🥲
@DaneMooreNBA
Having Gobert, Conley and Slowmo probably helps too. They've all been on 50+ win
#1
or
#2
seed teams and know the mentality needed to sustain success throughout the season.
@iramaJsucraM
@waltdenver
Yeah I don’t get the ~clutch my pearls~ reactions.
Wolves fans after Luka literally told our crowd to go home & cussed out our players & bench: 🤣😂👏🏽👏🏽
Nuggets fans after Jaden tried to dunk & Ant waved his hand: 😡🤬🤬😖
Rudy Gobert's interior defensive dominance throughout his career really cannot be understated.
➡️ Opponents shoot LESS often at the rim when the player is on the floor (same stat shown in tweet below)
⬆️ Opponents shoot WORSE against the player at the rim
@DaneMooreNBA
I had no idea this was a thing! Makes sense to have the offense closer to the bench in the 2nd half. Play calls within earshot could prevent blown leads. Thanks for sharing!
"Because defensively we got fuckin Rudy Gobert. We don't need them talking to us on defense."😂Love it.
Fun fact: In 13 games, KAT and Rudy Gobert have played over half the minutes (279) that they played together over the ENTIRE 2022-2023 season (529) due to Towns' injury. The starting 5 have played almost double the minutes (133) they played together last season (75).
@CIRC0L0C0
@ClutchPoints
No it makes sense bc of matchups. Wolves' length & size bothered OKC & the Kings. Wolves were the only team to beat the Kings 3-1 and Wolves crushed OKC smallball. Maybe things will change with Chet but Wolves are still bigger & longer than their group.
@KyleTheige
Not a fan of how Kings fans are picking on KAT. They of all people should know how our players have been told that they will only be recognized if they are winning. Can't switch up on "reward winning" just bc it's KAT...pick on AD (play-in team) or PG (worse stats than KAT).
This might be my favorite playoff series of KAT
It's not even about the scoring, he's impacting winning. The defense, rebounding and cutting in particular. Look at him run to save those loose balls too!
@EvInFour
@TheDunkCentral
Why? I ask this as a Wolves fan lol
Regardless of FTs, he's consistently super efficient, clutch, passes well & elevated his team to a top team in the West.
@DaneMooreNBA
Damn this is even cheaper than I thought. Don't have to pay $26 until after Rudy's contract ends and in 2029, we'll pay prime Jaden McDaniels less than $30M. That will be a bargain. No player option either?? Damn let Tim Connelly cook...
Zach Lowe giving Jaden McDaniels some props for the game last night!! His "holy bleep moment" was Jaden (and the team's) defense to stop an OKC 3 shot in clutch. Zach said Jaden's name 5-6 times and ended with "Jaden Mcdaniels is for real."
🥹
@JonKrawczynski
No one can accuse him of empty stats. Every rebound, every loose ball, every point mattered. I think this was his best playoff series tbh because his presence was felt. He really impacted winning, whether that be by scoring or something else. His defense too 🔥
@Perrywinkle1267
Naz Reid can never be traded from MN
I'm sorry, that's just the rules. Let's be real, there will be numerous white children named Naz in the next decade. People need to understand that he cannot be traded lol
This! KAT played a patient game, got crucial rebounds, no crazy offensive fouls & 19 points on only 9 shots?? That's awesome & we often take that efficiency for granted
@DaneMooreNBA
W take Rudy
Ant has gotta adopt the hands on hips, shake your head & smile thing that Rudy does lol. Wolves complain way too much, it is annoying to watch :(
@abdirizak_a1
For real. Also Game 2 defensive masterclass and Jokic’s Game 5 was one of the best offensive performances I’ve seen.
Those games had people talking about whether this team could be an all-time defense and if Jokić could be a GOAT. THAT’s how good the basketball was.
@annaeknutson
ESPN announcers: "It is so uncharacteristic for Denver to have all these TOs! They usually are good at not turning the ball over. Just uncharacteristic..."
Ya no shit they're playing the
#1
defense lol
What if Jaden went for 20? That 3 he took late in Gm 4 broke the slump & is a harbinger for things to come 👀
Tonight will be a Jaden McDaniels offense game. There will be offensive rebounds snatched & threes made. It is time
KD calling Rudy an "all world, hall of fame, defensive player" and acknowledging how he can guard the perimeter is dope. My man finally getting some respect & it's clear KD watched the film.
Kevin Durant on making Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns work defensively: “Rudy’s gotten extremely better at guarding perimeters, guarding posts, guarding the rim. So you can’t just throw ‘em in actions expecting them to just give in. I think we’ll be strategic with what we do”
There is literally 0 rim protection lmao
Crazy how much no Rudy, KAT & Kyle changes their identity. When KAT was here, even with no Rudy in the BOS & Nets games, Wolves still played similarly on defense. I've underestimated how much KAT has improved his interior D...
@MoronFunctional
It was hilarious how Finch immediately called a timeout & subbed him out after the 2nd bank 3 🤣
I think Finch died a little inside lol. Those possessions/shot selection is why Wolves are susceptible to blown leads in clutch 😂 Finch was like, “alright, we’re done here” lmao
okay I did NOT expect that
I thought Wolves would have to blow Denver out to win bc the Nuggets are too good in clutch execution. But Wolves D, Naz Reid and Ant showed up.
I'm speechless. That was so impressive wow
Honestly surprised that the TNT crew didn't question the KAT selection like I expected. Chuck even said "they rewarded winning. I have no problem with the selections."
Kenny even brought up Rudy as another snub outside Fox & Sabonis
@ChristopherHine
For real. Also KAT IS helping Rudy, Bev. He got in there immediately & put his arm underneath Draymond's so Draymond couldn't choke Rudy harder. How is that "not doing anything"? I'm glad Conley is on the team. We would have lost the game if Bev was here. Too immature & volatile.
@The_OxKing
@cjzero
I love Pels commentators
Once Ant came out of nowhere for a dunk & this Pels announcer was like "OHMYGOODNESSGRACIOUS!!!!"
He's so good 😂
@TWolvesLead
Even though we lost, Mike Conley hitting those 3 clutch FTs to go to OT in the Lakers play-in was the coldest thing I’ve seen.
I shut my eyes and turned the volume off because I couldn’t handle the pressure 😂. I have no idea how he did it
@KevinGarnett5KG
You were on the money. It started with a soft whistle and the physicality from Game 2 wasn’t allowed. So Wolves started giving more space and the passing lanes weren’t clogged like in Game 2.
@WolfWiseStats
Takeaways:
Ant & Gobert are the most impactful players. Rudy has the most impact on the court.
The NAW > Jaden crowd needs to chill. Need both to develop for Wolves to make a run.
Morris elevates reserves & bench. Want to see a higher sample size.
Thanks for posting!
Gotta say, national media and the NBA LOVE talking about Ant
One of the TNT panelists just stopped everyone from talking about the playoffs & was like “wait can we talk about Ant one more time?”. Then they had a 5 minute conversation about how he’s “a REAL dawg” 😂
Love it 🥹
lol these Wizards commentators LOVE Ant's shoes. They are just wondering if they are comfortable or not.
Word on the street is they are super comfortable right?
@ADHDGoat
Gobert can defend guards and smaller players in space too. It's not just Bam and AD, if you watch the games, Gobert has done it often this season.
@TWolvesLead
He was so ridiculously wide open on that last possession and throughout the 4th. France just kept jacking up shots - horrible offense.
But yea silver lining is he gets more rest & he's gonna be angry lol. And he shot 83% from the line! 33/40 FTs isn't a bad sample size.
Rudy Gobert's interior defensive dominance throughout his career really cannot be understated.
➡️ Opponents shoot LESS often at the rim when the player is on the floor (same stat shown in tweet below)
⬆️ Opponents shoot WORSE against the player at the rim
@KarlTowns
Yeah your injury while terrible may have forced some need rest for you, especially after your illness. It forced Ant to rise to the occasion & develop faster. A consistent version of Ant + a fully rested KAT? 🔥🔥😍 CAN’T WAIT. You existing will free him up & provide more spacing
I still can't believe that Rudy stopped the unstoppable Jokic-AG lob. This might have been the biggest sequence that turned the tide in the game. A 1 possession game became a 3 possession game
Incredible two-way sequence by Rudy Gobert:
-Rolls hard, met at the rim
-Finishes the putback
-Blocks the lob to Gordon
-Runs the floor to pave the way for Edwards
Late 4th. On the road. In Denver against the defending champs. This is clutch basketball for the Timberwolves.
@LetsTalk_Wolves
ECSTATIC
My friend who knows the draft well said this:
"Rob Dillingham can score score score! His defense is shaky but elite speed, a sniper from deep and can create his shot from anywhere. I mean anywhere! Conley backup and the future of" 👀👀👀
@lucas224567
Ant is averaging 32/7/6 on 56/44/83 this playoffs. He's been even more efficient than Jdub (50/41/75) on higher volume & he's been efficient in the playoffs the last 3 yrs. Ant's playmaking is much better too. The "low efficiency, can't playmake" narrative isn't playoff Ant
Fans after a loss:
“This pathetic shit is why we’ll get bumped in the first round,” he types, fingers still oiled from the night’s bag of Ruffles. He leans back in his gaming chair, fulfilled. And in the glow of his computer monitor he smirks, “Got ‘em.”
@GBearTrading
@WorldWideWob
Iron sharpens iron & Nuggets woke up, made masterful adjustments & are now outplaying the Wolves. I don’t think there’s any answer at this point tbh, Jokic is the best player in the world.
@Joe_Gusty
@Timberwolves
It's not that big of a deal lol Jaden isn't in here either and Jaden is Naz's best friend.
Damn people will hate on KAT for anything
@KingJosiah54
@CharlesFromWork
@GilsArenaShow
💯SAC used to have 5 games, now they have 22. Bucks have 30 games bc of their success & Giannis turning the franchise around. Steph turned the Warriors around (GS used to be terrible). Why can't the same thing happen with Ant? He'd be even more of a legend vs joining a superteam
I'm over the moon!! 🥹
I wear this man's jersey when I need to work on my thesis so I can embody the ~professional, hardworking, motivated~ vibe of Mike Conley lol.
About to wear his jersey every day this week to celebrate & finally get work done during their break 😂
Conley remains one of the best perimeter shooters in the league. High quality offensive organizer. Serviceable cog in an elite defensive unit. 2/$21m is an unbelievably beautiful ride-into-the-sunset contract for the Wolves.
Shouts to Bite Bite 🐐
@Visicert
I mean let’s be real - fans wanted this too..
“I NEEEEED KAT to get 70+ points” was everywhere. People WANTED him to chase stats & everyone feed him.
I think the historic shooting being in front of the home crowd made it harder not to get swept up in the excitement & adrenaline
@DaneMooreNBA
Positive reinforcement :') Conley is an amazing vet. In the Wolves-Jazz game when Ant passed to Jaden for a possible game winner, didn't Conley also go over & tell Ant he made the right play? Conley wasn't even Ant's teammate then but he still gave advice. What a guy
@JonKrawczynski
I'm glad he realizes it. Watch film, make better reads and let's win on Saturday! We missed Jaden's ball movement, cutting & threes. Jon do you think he's going to be back on Saturday or do you anticipate a few more games?
Is it just me or did Gobert's absence highlight how important he is to our offense? Feels like he impacts our offense more than our defense.
His screens, vertical gravity to get shooters open, being a lob threat, putbacks, REBOUNDING.
The numbers agree:
@Y0Leo
@chiney
To be fair, they did a whole segment on the Wolves and praised the team a lot. Although it was weird - their takeaway for why the Wolves are good is "there is no power struggle now" lol.
In 22-23, Slowmo was asked how he learned to pass to Rudy so quickly. He said he watched Ingles film 🥲
Now we got the GRANDMASTER Rudy whisperer y'all! The OG
Lost Shifu but got Oogway 😏
Free agent F Joe Ingles has agreed on a one-year deal to join the Minnesota Timberwolves, sources tell ESPN. Ingles reunites with his old Jazz teammates Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley Jr.