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[DamnGoat]

Jimmy will not walk. Extending Wiggins was dumb though.

Why do you think Jimmy won't walk? There'll definitely be a market for him, probably some better opportunities as well. I'd actually be somewhat surprised to see him stay in Minnesota.

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[DamnGoat]

That Sixers team is fun to watch... Simmons is awesome. Hopefully we have an exciting young group like that in a couple years.

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[ChiSox219]

Wolves will probably get swept in that series.

I wonder how long Thibs will last in Minnesota? His coaching style is pretty outdated, aside from the Butler deal it's been a mistake to make him team President, and I'd be very concerned about him running KAT into the ground within the next couple years. Pretty sure Jimmy will walk after next year too.

Thibs had the Twolves playing outstanding offense until Jimmy went down, I'm talking an ORtg that was top 30 since the stat has been tracked (goes back to the late 70s I believe). They ended the year 4th in the league in Ortg .2 pts per 100 behind Golden State. His defense is the foundation for basically every team in the league but the problem is KAT can't rim protect to save his life so they've struggled overall.

Most impressive to me is what Thibs has done with Tyus Jones. Everyone knows Thibs is the point guard whisperer but I thought Tyus was going to wash out of the league and now he's a solid role player with upside.

Having watched the Rockets and Twolves more than any other team this year, I have a hard time believing this will be a sweep. T'wolves are by far the worst matchup Houston realistically couldve faced. Mbah Moute being out is not really being mentioned but he was a big part of Houston being as good as they were defensely. Capela struggles guarding bigger post scorers and Kat has had some big games against him and the Rockets. We know Jimmy is capable of locking down Harden. And being able to throw Teague, Tyus, and Rose at CP3 is a nice luxury.

[Shammyguy3]

Every twolves poster hates Thibs, says his defense is out of date, his offense rudimentary that involves isolation and a slow pace which brings down their turnovers, has the team crash the offensive boards which weakens their transition defense but helps with their ortg.

His rotations suck, he has no in game adjustments, etc. Most of the forum wants him gone

[ChiSox219]

Thibs isn't exactly popular with blog boys. The narrative against Thibs is strong but also inaccurate. Dont forget most here wanted Thibs gone and then the Bulls missed the playoffs altogether and have been in NBA hell since.

[Shammyguy3]

Thibs isn't exactly popular with blog boys. The narrative against Thibs is strong but also inaccurate. Dont forget most here wanted Thibs gone and then the Bulls missed the playoffs altogether and have been in NBA hell since.

I thought we were un NBA hell because Rose got injured, not because of Thibs....

And hawkeye is arguably the most respectable poster on this site, and he is done with Thibs.

[KG2TB]

That Sixers team is fun to watch... Simmons is awesome. Hopefully we have an exciting young group like that in a couple years.

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Agreed. Very fun team to watch. Probably one of the most fun teams in the league and they're so young. Imagine if Simmons actually gets a halfway respectable jump shot

Why do you think Jimmy won't walk? There'll definitely be a market for him, probably some better opportunities as well. I'd actually be somewhat surprised to see him stay in Minnesota.

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I think he loves playing for Thibs and is very loyal. But sure, he could leave and will have other opportunities. But Minny has some nice pieces and Jimmy's the undisputed leader of the team which is something I believe to be important to him. They really should try to move Wiggins though.

[ChiSox219]

I thought we were un NBA hell because Rose got injured, not because of Thibs....

And hawkeye is arguably the most respectable poster on this site, and he is done with Thibs.

There's certainly more than one reason why the Bulls are where they are. But Thibs was axed with the understanding he was holding the team back but the same roster missed the playoffs altogether the next season after Thibs' crew nearly took out Lebron. Of course then the front office moved on to their next scapegoat, DRose. Wonder if Lavine will be next...


I agree with you on Hawkeye, I've got a lot of respect for him and have had discussions with him about Thibs.

[Aapox]

Thibs defensive scheme getting outdated just like the triangle on offense.

[Cubby]

Thibs defensive scheme getting outdated just like the triangle on offense.

That’s not entirely true. A lot of teams still have a few components of the triangle in their offensive sets. It’s just not nearly as prominent as it once was and offenses really don’t have set schemes anymore. For example, if you listen to interviews of Steve Kerr, he says he pulls sets from basically everywhere. Spurs, Celtics, triangle, Princeton, UCLA, horns, etc. He even has taken things for Fred Hoiberg.

I don’t think it’s outdated. Offenses are just so diverse now that most teams run a lot of different things.


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[Shammyguy3]

There's certainly more than one reason why the Bulls are where they are. But Thibs was axed with the understanding he was holding the team back but the same roster missed the playoffs altogether the next season after Thibs' crew nearly took out Lebron. Of course then the front office moved on to their next scapegoat, DRose. Wonder if Lavine will be next...


I agree with you on Hawkeye, I've got a lot of respect for him and have had discussions with him about Thibs.

I haven't watched much NBA this season, at all. For any team. And i'm a big Thibs fan, but I don't think he's as good as we made him out to be. He was ahead of his time defensively, and I think he knew that and is too stubborn to recognize where the league is at currently. I don't like the team that he constructed honestly. If you replace Teague with George Hill or heck Rubio who he traded, and replace Wiggins with an actual 3 point threat, that team would be looking on the up and up. I don't think Thibs knows how to win in today's pace and space offense.

That’s not entirely true. A lot of teams still have a few components of the triangle in their offensive sets. It’s just not nearly as prominent as it once was and offenses really don’t have set schemes anymore. For example, if you listen to interviews of Steve Kerr, he says he pulls sets from basically everywhere. Spurs, Celtics, triangle, Princeton, UCLA, horns, etc. He even has taken things for Fred Hoiberg.

I don’t think it’s outdated. Offenses are just so diverse now that most teams run a lot of different things.


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It's definitely outdated. If you strictly rely on the triangle, your team will be garbage. You can incorporate it here and there as a different offensive set when the defense is playing a specific way, but it requires such specific players and skillsets that it isn't useful as a foundation anymore.

[Cubby]

I haven't watched much NBA this season, at all. For any team. And i'm a big Thibs fan, but I don't think he's as good as we made him out to be. He was ahead of his time defensively, and I think he knew that and is too stubborn to recognize where the league is at currently. I don't like the team that he constructed honestly. If you replace Teague with George Hill or heck Rubio who he traded, and replace Wiggins with an actual 3 point threat, that team would be looking on the up and up. I don't think Thibs knows how to win in today's pace and space offense.



It's definitely outdated. If you strictly rely on the triangle, your team will be garbage. You can incorporate it here and there as a different offensive set when the defense is playing a specific way, but it requires such specific players and skillsets that it isn't useful as a foundation anymore.

I still wouldn’t say it’s outdated. I think defenses are so good now that you’ve gotta have a versatile amount of offensive sets. If you look at all the best offenses, they incorporate a ton of different things like I said. No team really runs one system anymore, so in a way they’re all outdated to be honest.


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[Mamba42]

Does anybody else here hate watching James Harden play basketball? It's like he is always looking for some cheap foul call. Literally everything he does is in search of a foul call and the refs give him the most ridiculous calls.

[pentel1980]

Does anybody else here hate watching James Harden play basketball? It's like he is always looking for some cheap foul call. Literally everything he does is in search of a foul call and the refs give him the most ridiculous calls.

I hear ya, Mamba. There is the "cheat code" article on ESPN re: Harden that pretty much sums it all up:

"He thought it was good defense, which it was, and then it's just one of those things where you can't do s--- about it," Harden tells ESPN, proudly grinning a few weeks later as he recalls the possession, which featured 27 dribbles, zero passes and one pretty shot

So...that's 'great basketball' we are showing kid's of today to emulate and strive to become?

[Mamba42]

I hear ya, Mamba. There is the "cheat code" article on ESPN re: Harden that pretty much sums it all up:

So...that's 'great basketball' we are showing kid's of today to emulate and strive to become?

It's definitely an ugly thing to watch. I know Jimmy Butler focuses a lot of his game on getting to the foul line too, but he does it by attacking the rim and forcing contact. Harden just flops about around the three point line and constantly looks for fouls.

I still remember this ridiculous play: