The Suffocation Strategy: The Wolves’ Ferocious Defense Drives a 2-1 Series Lead

The Minnesota Timberwolves didn't just take a 2-1 series lead in Game 3—they physically dictated the terms of the matchup. In this episode of the Splash City Basketball Podcast, we break down the 113-96 victory over the Denver Nuggets through a tactical coaching lens.

Joining the show is Derek Long (AKA Croonch), host of the SideLine Vibes Podcast and a fellow coach who breathes the game. We dive deep into the X’s and O’s of how Minnesota navigated Denver’s zone defense to put up a staggering 68 points in the paint and why the Wolves' speed is becoming a problem the Nuggets simply can’t solve.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The Jaden McDaniels Factor: How Jaden "swallowed up" Jamal Murray and fueled the team by backing up his pre-game talk. Similarly Rudy Gobert and the Timberwolves rendered Nikola Jokic human by holding him to 7-for-26 FG and only 3 assists. 
• Zone Breakers: Analyzing the adjustments that allowed the Wolves to hit the gaps and attack the rim with high efficiency.
• The "Iffy" Moments: Why focus wavered during non-Jokic minutes and the importance of cleaning up second-chance points.
• Changing the Narrative: Derek shares his mission to bring a new level of optimism and coaching-based analysis to Minnesota sports fandom.
• Looking Ahead: Why physical dominance worked against Denver, but "winning smart" and attention to detail will be the keys to surviving the Western Conference gauntlet.

Whether you're looking for deep statistical analysis or a coach's perspective on the playoff grind, this episode covers how the Wolves are evolving into a legitimate Western Conference powerhouse.

Follow the Guest: Derek Long on Instagram: @Croonch Check out the SideLine Vibes Podcast: youtube.com/@SidelineVibesShow

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube. 

Follow Splash City Basketball Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Bluesky. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:04

Bag in that bag in that bag again. Whoa, whoa, bag again.

SPEAKER_00 0:08

Hey, what's up, everyone? Welcome to the Splash City basketball podcast. I'm your host, Steve Hartman. And if you were watching game three last night, you know we have a lot to get into. The Timberwolves didn't just win, they physically dictated the terms of that game. We saw the Nuggets try some zone, try to find some gaps, but uh honestly the Timberwolves just overwhelmed them. And Jaden McDaniels is the star of the night backing up his words after game two. Uh 20 points, 10 rebounds for him. Iodesumu leads the Wolves with 25. Kind of an off night for Ant and Julius, and they still just punish the Denver Nuggets to take a 2-1 series lead game four Saturday night at Target Center 7:30 p.m. Central Time. Um excited for today's show. Got a new guest coming on to talk about game three and what possibly what can what could we could see in game four. But before we get to that, want to make sure that everyone, if you aren't already, follow and subscribe. Uh, we're on Instagram, Blue Sky, Facebook, YouTube, wherever you get your podcast, we'd love to have you leave a review if you like what you're hearing. And even if you don't like it, you know, let me know. Let me know what you'd rather hear instead. Um, but really appreciate you all listening. And so without further ado, we have Derek Long from Sideline Vibes Podcast joining today to talk about game three and what could happen in game four. So, with that, let's get into it. All right, to dig into the X's and O's of the Timberwolves swallowing up Jamal Murray and what needs to happen next in the next game to go take a 3-1 series lead. I wanted to bring in someone who sees the game similar to me. I do, I think, in terms of uh tactical coaching lens. Joining me today is a fellow coach. Uh, you might know him on Instagram as Crunch, and he's the driving force behind Sideline Vibes Podcast, Derek Long. Welcome to the show. How are you, man?

SPEAKER_01 2:11

Great. Thanks for having me. Uh I was we were talking about before, like you look at your lists of people you've had on uh some very bright and basketball minds, and so the fact that he asked me to come on and talk some basketball, X's and O's, it's an absolute honor. So uh I'm excited, I'm very excited based on what our conversations we've had before.

SPEAKER_00 2:30

So yeah, absolutely. Well, I I love what you've done. Like, I like some of the stuff I saw on Instagram, like how you're breaking down things. So I wanted to kind of think about the next couple games because I'm really trying to figure out what Denver does at this point. Um, you know, I'm trying not to get ahead of myself either because of the series two years ago where it felt like the wolves were in control and Denver wrestles it back, and we all know how that went. But um, I wanted to start off just like recapping a little bit of game three. Um, obviously Jaden's comments were the big story going into it, and you know, they he kind of backed it up. Yeah, I was a little nervous. I told you, I was a little nervous. Like, is Denver gonna come out and just be pissed off? And they just didn't seem to have much of a fight in them. Uh, what what was your big takeaway from from last night's game?

SPEAKER_01 3:20

Um, like I was kind of like I always like to go the next day after and just kind of like dive back into it and just let the the fun of the game kind of just sink in afterwards. And I ended up like just writing down my thoughts of like how the qu it's funny, the quietest guy in the team. I feel like when Jaden says something, it's kind of it might be true, which it was true. Um, it probably is still true, but it also scares the crap out of you. But if you're like a die hard wolves fan, um you either have this sense of like nervousness or you have this sense of like, well, if Jaden's saying it, he's definitely gonna back it up. So I was on the I was on the side of like, oh, this is gonna be a fun game too, because they're gonna come out like all jacked up to help Jaden now back up his point. Jaden's gonna do what he does, and he's gonna he has a little chip on his shoulder. When Jaden has a chip on his shoulder, it's like uh it's terrifying if I'm on the other team. But um, yeah, it was fun to see it was it kind of just started off right away, like um with him kind of just like setting a tone on the defensive end and then just push it in transition. And that was it was just kind of downhill from there.

SPEAKER_00 4:29

Yeah, yeah, it kind of felt like to me when you make a goal for yourself, you have to write it down, right? Like, or you have to tell people about it to hold you accountable. And I felt like he was almost saying, like, we're gonna do this, and I'm gonna tell the world we're gonna do this. So you guys need to do that, like we need to all do this together, and you know, for for whatever, you know, he he may not be the leader of the team, but it sure certainly felt like everyone followed that in in game three.

SPEAKER_01 4:56

Yeah, it like it just it's fun. It's fun when you like at that post-game, like I think Io, I think it was Io, yeah, he said like we had to we had to back up our boy, like we had to like he said what he said, like we're gonna do it. Nas before the game was like talking about how like some guys just they need certain things uh to like kind of like bring him up a whole nother level. And as we've seen in these last couple playoff runs, like ant ant does the same thing as Jaden. Jayden obviously less and quieter than Ant, but Ant, he's calling out everybody. Like that's just how he gets that's just how he gets going. And that's this team has tried to tell tell us this all year is like once we get to the playoffs, we're gonna figure it all out. That that switch that they've been talking about flipping. Um I think I think after game, at least so far, it's it it exists, and so uh yeah, it's just it's just been fun. It was a fun game. I love when a like a guy, if a guy's gonna if you're gonna talk to talk, you gotta walk it. And I think he did that for sure.

SPEAKER_00 5:54

Yeah, I mean, one of his best performances, I mean, maybe ever, like just 20 and 10, but more more so even just like the impact. It felt like it the the crowd almost seemed to back him on it. Like every time Murray started struggling, the crowd would rise and like get into, you know, and they were just like, We got you, we got you, Jaden. Like, we we we can see it. So it was kind of like you know, when you're in a in a gym and the other team starts clapping and all the kids are getting ramped up. Like, that's that's what it felt like with 18,000 behind them. And yeah, like I I Denver, I thought they'd go more zone. They did play a fair amount of zone, and I think the wolves fell into that trap a little bit, right? Like they took a couple of shots where you're like, they're baiting you to take these outside shots. But I I think what impressed me in this game was that it didn't stick as long as it did in like game one, where it would be six, eight minutes of just struggling to score. This game at like a couple couple possessions were not great, and then I think it was Julius. Maybe they got it at the elbow and just downhill, and nobody stopped him, and then it kind of got him going again. Um, do you see anything from Denver's side on what they could do? Because right now it just seems like they don't have the personnel.

SPEAKER_01 7:13

They it's I think this whole series comes down to that personnel at this point. Um it's always interesting. The first couple games kind of seeing the teams figure out like how they're gonna try to approach it. The wolves after game one, they it looked like they kind of just decided, all right, we're attacking the middle of the floor, we're getting downhill. They've been running this uh ghost action um where it's like a four-out ghost action where they put Rudy or Randall or Nas down, or even Jaden down in like kind of like the dunker spot, and they've just been doing ghost screen, pick and pop, uh like the little get action where they pitch it in and then go chase it, pitch and chase. And they they've been just hammering that that action all series from that point on, because they figured out all right, if we attack the middle of the floor, we either get a wide open layup or everybody's packing in and we're gonna kick it out. And they're really we're a really good like spot-up shooting team, one of the best in the league. And Denver's also that, but like on the flip side of that, we're doing a good job of kind of containing their spot up shooting, which has been a struggle. But back to back to what our point is here on um on that end, like what they could do differently. The only thing they haven't done is tried to just hard, hard show, hard trap, hard switch. They've been just kind of stuck in this drop coverage look. Um and they I'm I'm honestly shocked that they they didn't try something this game. I think maybe they thought like they'd be okay just kind of running it back, and maybe game two was not um was kind of like a fluky thing for them, but like it just kind of surprises me that they haven't really tried anything else, or maybe the coaches just kind of think that they don't have anything else to push, and they just hope that um we're gonna go miss miss some shots because that seems like Denver's MO. I don't know. They're they're clearly not dedicated to try to be like a very solid defensive team, and they're hoping that just um that outscore you on the other end, and so it's gonna be interesting to see. The zone came out a little bit too late, I thought. Like if I'm at home and I probably look back at that game and go, man, I probably should have tried that zone a little sooner because it did look like it stymied us for a little bit. Um, but again, like you said, Randall, Randall's really good against those zones because he can kind of he operates in the perfect spot for that in like a 2-3-3-2 where you catch the ball at the elbow. That's just like where he thrives. And so I don't know what you do. It's per it might just come down to just they just don't have the guys.

SPEAKER_00 9:44

Yeah. Even when they score, the wolves were able to get out and fast break, which this was probably the first game where I I've because I've I think a lot of us probably have been talking about like they need to win fast break points, and they haven't always won it, but um, this game it felt like they made a concerted effort, and that was kind of like another glaring component to this of how much more athletic and fast the wolves are. Like Adam and I think burned two timeouts on things like that where we were just beating them down the court, and it's like, well, yeah, man, you got Jokic out there trying to keep up with these guys, that ain't gonna work. And you know, Io's best game by far, like he looked phenomenal, but it wasn't anything crazy, it wasn't anything schematic, it's just a lot of pace and you know, getting getting to the rim. And the the the wild thing is, and this is I want to talk about this later, but the advantage we have right now is so glaring in athleticism and speed across the board, but it won't be the advantage if you play the Spurs or the Thunder. And so, like, I was just going to the rim on Jokic, no problem, like not even hesitating, not even thinking about it. But long term, I don't know if that's gonna be, you know, they're gonna have to find other ways to do things in the next series, you know, no matter who they play. Um, but yeah, it's just it's I don't know. Denver can try to outscore them, but the wolves are getting so many easy baskets that it's like you know, the wolves don't have to work on offense and they won't get tired on defense either.

SPEAKER_01 11:16

Yeah, and I think something unlocked like with your point with about transition, like something in game two unlocked for them when they realized how tired Denver looked at the end of that game versus us, and it that's in Denver. And so as a staff, I'm sure they're like, hey, look at how tired they are at the end of this game. If you can push it, push it, push it, um, you're gonna have an advantage. We're gonna get at least at least 10 points in advantage in transition. Um, if you're looking to do that, whereas game one, it's set it felt like they were just trying to feel it, feel it out, feel the playoffs out. And um, you haven't seen that the last two games, which is which is great, I think. Um, and fans have been wanting that all year. And Finch has been wanting that all year. He says it after every game, thought our pace think our pace was a little down, think our pace was a little down. He wants them to be moving, moving, moving. But um, yeah, it's it's gonna take it's it's it took a while for us to get to that point because Ant and Randall kind of they operated a different they want to operate at a different speed, which is good. It's good to have different like kind of speeds um that you can go to if you need to. And so um again, it comes down to the amount of levers you have, and um, that's where we're at right now.

SPEAKER_00 12:24

Yeah, I mean that's something I talked with um Andrew Dukowitz from zone coverage about was roster flexibility, and the wolves can play different ways. Like when I look at Denver, you were talking about you know, Jokic and Murray, that's like all they can do, right? Like if they don't get their advantage in that that pick and roll action, there isn't. I know they've been going to a little bit of the um pin downs for Jokic, uh Murray getting on the wider side of the court coming across the middle instead of at you know top of the key, but they don't have another point guard. So like even when the wolves want to play a little faster, you bring in Io or Bones, the Nuggets don't even have another ball handler. So I I just I'm kind of thinking, like, I don't know. I mean, I know they'll bring Jokic will bring the ball up, or Aaron Gordon when he's healthy, he will a little bit, but that's just that's not the same. It's not like you're changing your flow or your pace. Um so it's just they're kind of like stuck with this is the group, and they have to win a certain way, where I think the wolves have just multiple ways to defend and multiple ways to play offense. And I I just don't know what Denver's gonna do next game.

SPEAKER_01 13:30

Yeah, it's yeah, it's interesting, and I think what's really there's been a lot of talk about like our offense, and which is it's been great in the last two games, but like what we're doing to them defensively is there's been some debate about whether or not they're just missing shots versus us just like what we're forcing. And I I have like a little snippet video out on Twitter somewhere. I probably should post it on like uh whatever social media things are. Um, but it kind of what the game plan seems like against Denver, and I think we do a good job of guarding them um over the years, and it's like what do they like to do? They like to finish at the rim, easy like backdoor cuts and corner threes. Those are what those guys, like three through 15, are that's their job on this team, is to be able to knock down open shots, be able to um read and cut to the hoop. Jokic and Bernie are gonna do their own two-man game. Um, but I feel like how we're guarding it is like what has made this series what it is, and part of it is our personnel is able to do it, and the other part is that um it's just an incredible like thought process for how you how you're gonna stop it. Like it's very scary to just give guys open shots or and make Murray be able to shoot certain shots and making Jokic have to shoot a bunch of threes. He doesn't want to do that. He doesn't, he's a very smart basketball player. He's like, if I'm shooting like 10 threes a game, that's not gonna put us in a good a good spot. I don't like that's probably what goes through his head, and so he kind of has to like overthink and I don't know, it's just it's causing problems. We're taking away the corners, we're taking away cuts. We're they're running, they're down to just one action, they're just constantly running. Basically, it's that down screen for Murray to come up and get a dribble handoff. Gobert is able to guard to uh Murray, Io are coming off that screen. Sometimes Dante even and they're trailing well and forcing them to shoot like a bunch of shots that they just don't want to shoot. And that's just been the game, that's just been the series so far. And I don't know how you would just that. That's just like what they're that's just what they do. What I would do is probably do a little bit like Spain actions in the middle of court because that's gonna be super hard to guard. But I hope they don't do that, yeah, personally.

SPEAKER_00 15:48

That's true. Uh, if they did that, I suppose then and when I wonder if the wolves would put Dante on the ball and Jaden, you know, as the guy who's defending that Spain screen because then he'd be on the back end. But that's again, like I just that the wolves have too many parts, I think. Um, you know, I I said I think it was after the game last night, or maybe it was just in my own head, but like who on the nuggets, so say say you know, you get your Jokic Murray action and the wolves rotate a little bit too slow. Who on the nuggets is breaking the paint? Who's attacking downhill? You know, like Christian Brown, maybe is he the only one? Like Johnson and Hardaway aren't doing anything like that. Spencer Jones doesn't do anything like that. So you just kind of are that group, and um that's where, yeah, I think I just think they're in a really tough spot. Uh they might come out and Murray and Jokic might each drop 40 and they might win a game. Uh, you know, that's that's the scary part about it, is they can get it going. But you talked about the backdoor cuts. I think and and you maybe you know more than this, but like I I imagine a lot of that is on double teams on Jokic, and the wolves just don't have to do it. So they're just staying home. And Jokic doesn't want he had what three assists last night. Like that that to me was almost more impressive than his field goal shooting. Yeah. Because that means he can't do anything, like all of his skill set is taken away. If he can't score, and then now he can't even find open guys, and or they're not making shots, or they can't get cuts, whatever it is. Three assists for him, that's that's crazy.

SPEAKER_01 17:23

Yeah. You nailed it with the if he's not able to do that's what makes Jokic so good. It's like you pick your poison, and the wolves kind of have eliminated the the picking of the poison. It's like this is what we're doing, and you're gonna have to figure it out. And they're just kind of like out of right now, they're it looks like they're kind of out of options, and then the only option is all right, we need Murray to make a bunch of shots, we need Jokic to make a bunch of shots, and right now they're not making a bunch of shots, and so it looks that's why it looks the way it does. Um, and now they're frustrated. But again, like you said, you you can expect there's gonna be a scoring burst from one of those two, if not both of them, in one of these games coming up. But I could still see the wolves being in those games versus in the past. It might have felt like even two years ago when we played them, it felt like if Jokic and Murray had like a big game, it was probably a blowout in that in that game. And that's what that one that series was like, even though it went to seven. It was blowout after blowout because both teams kind of didn't have the personnel to kind of to do what the Wolves are doing this year, and that's just a credit to kind of how they've built their team. But yeah, it'll be interesting to see kind of how they're gonna adjust that and how they're gonna attack it. But I they didn't they didn't do much of adjustment in the from game one to game two. So it kind of worries me a little bit if I'm a Nuggets fan. Right. Agreed.

SPEAKER_02 18:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:49

Yeah, and Adleman um, you know, he called those two timeouts. He was more animated, you know. I think that was kind of the the thing with him was he's very calculated and analytical and stays pretty calm, but man, he was not happy. I don't know. You know, that's where like Finch gets a lot of crap from fans, but I've I don't I've never personally wavered on him. I think he's great. I love him, and I think he is absolutely killing this matchup. And I again, the personnel is in the wolf's favor from for most of the positions, but he's pushing the right buttons. Like last night, he let you know, you're at home, your role plays players generally play better at home, and Bones came in and made shots, and Io played great. You know, we haven't even talked about Ant and Julius because they were kind of just Julius had some good moments. Ant hit his above the break three early, like you know, that he does, but neither of them are playing like out of their minds. The wolves are doing this with Jaden and Rudy and Io and Bones and Dante. Um so I there's just the stars are aren't even shining. So you know if Jokic and Murray get going, there's a chance Ant get go it gets going. Um you know, because I think he's probably doing as much as he needs to do in these games. Like last night, obviously fall trouble and didn't need a lot from him. So the wolves have more buttons to push too, for sure. Yeah. Uh let's talk about um Io a little bit more because I think he to me was I mean the fact that I don't think he finished top five in six man of the year voting, like he's been phenomenal. I think he's averaging like 15 points a game, shot over 40% from three. Um, just phenomenal last night and in the pace and again attack in the run, but he also had nine assists, led the team. Um what do you what do you see from from Io that's just like getting incrementally better in these three games that he's been playing?

SPEAKER_01 20:52

I think with him, and this is what's really fun, is we've kind of like been looking for like a na replacement uh this year, and we got I think we got one with Io with the guy who just kind of brings the the spark off the bench. The thing that's the difference between him and Na is that Io kind of fits what we want to do more as a team, uh getting downhill. And for this series specifically, it took till game three to kind of for him to feel more confident, I feel like this was a perfect example of why we got him is his ability to get downhill, his ability to push and transition, his playmaking is very underrated, I think. Um he's finding guys, he's willing to pass it to Rudy, which is a whole nother conversation, which is a hot topic issue. But I think his honestly, his abil his uh I wanna I want to know his ability because just throwing the ball at somebody, but like his willingness to do that has kind of opened up everything, and um which has been great. I it he's just been a phenomenal addition to to our team. I have 25. He didn't even make a three last night. I'm just looking at his. Score here 10 for 15 from two. And yeah, it's it's nice to have that, especially with like ants. Is it takes a little bit of pressure off of like ant and it takes a little bit of pressure off of even Randall, um, even Jaden at times, you know, even Nas having to put a lot on his shoulders as being a bench scorer. We needed it kind of the one more guy who's gonna be constant at like all three levels and off that bench. And I think he's done a great job of that. Plus, the playmaking helps quite a bit. He could be that point guard of the future that wolves have been talking about for years.

SPEAKER_00 22:33

Yeah. I I was kind of advocating maybe like three, four weeks before the end of the year that he start because I like Dante's not a facilitator, and Ant isn't a facilitator. I mean, he can make the right reads. We always talk about that, he's getting better at that, but he's just not a point guard. And Io comes in and he's just lightning in a bottle, man. Like he's he's pushing it, he's getting guys in the right spot. I think, you know, depending on what the offseason situation is, like I think most people are ready to like resign him right now. Um, but yeah, he's just he's great. He's not as good at navigating screens as Na. Um, and not as I I don't know, but but I he kind of does a little bit more, like you said, like he fits what we needed um a little bit better. And then again, you can play him with Dante and Ant. You could play him and Bones together. You can, you know, you just have like options, and he I think you brought this, you brought up a good point. You had Nas on the bench, it's pretty reliable, but Bones was super hit and miss. And so, like when he's going, he's great, but you needed another really reliable guy off the bench who could, and neither Bones nor Nas are great on defense. So the fact that you get someone who's pretty he's a plus defender, um, and he's reliable on offense is is just yeah. It this does start it is starting to feel a little bit more like the two years ago Wolves with the defense. Um you know, just maybe it's the series that's just bringing that back that nostalgia. But uh yeah, they just they got they they put it together. I mean K Connolly you know did it in Denver. He's put together a a pretty good roster right now for for the Wolves.

SPEAKER_02 24:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:14

I with IO's defense too, like his screen navigation. Um Buddy at Wolf Eye Stats uh tweeted out his navigate, like he's I think he was like fourth in the league in like navigation, which I don't know how that's stat is kind of uh figured out, but watching it, it it makes sense. Obviously, Na, you just remember him being so like slippery and slithery. Yeah, I think with Io, the difference between him and Na is just the physicality part of it where Io can guard more of a range of guys versus Na was really good against like a Jamal Murray, who's just not super physical, but like very shifty, and he was great against that that matchup. Whereas Io can guard a Murray and also can guard a Doncic if we needed to. Um which that gives that should give Wolves fans a little bit more uh what's the word uh trust in maybe like how far this team could go if things are clicking in the right way. I don't again don't want to get too ahead of ourselves here, but like I I've been saying this all year for the Wolves, and it's kind of like we just are our own worst enemy at times, and I think we have the talent, the ceiling to to be a contender. And again, this this is kind of kind of showing that a little bit. Lot of lot of series left. I don't want to I don't want to discredit Denver's very smart basketball team and obviously very talented, but I think I think it's uh it's it's gonna be it's gonna be a tough one for them to to kind of figure out what they can do against these guys right now.

SPEAKER_00 25:47

And don't worry, we're fans, we're not part of the team. There's no there's no jinxes happening here. Nobody's jinxes though. Yeah, yeah. They're not listening to us anyway. Uh we could talk all we want about let's let's break down the Spurs Wolves matchup right now. Yeah, uh yeah. Um yeah, like I didn't realize I was fourth. I don't know how again how you calculate that step, but that's pretty impressive. I'm assuming Na is number one.

SPEAKER_01 26:12

Yeah, yeah, Na's up there, Jaden's sneaky up there too. I wish I could have the tweet for he's been better in this series.

SPEAKER_00 26:21

Um, I think game one, he was a little bit not quite on his game on that part, but he has been more connected to Jamal these last two games on the screens and getting over, getting using his length. Part of it is Rudy, right? Like Rudy's one of those underrated things, is like they're not getting many of those pocket passes to Jokic because zero of them. The length of Rudy and Jaden together is just taking away that that angle and that that space to make it.

SPEAKER_01 26:48

So they made one little adjustment that sorry, I didn't, I mean a interruption. They made one little adjustment that I noticed, and I talked about this in my like preview thing about picking up like Rudy's drop needs to be like a little bit higher. I'm sure they talked about it, and Rudy did a great job of adjusting it, but more like staying with it for instead of dropping so far down on the initial screen, so it looks more like an something in between like a hard drop and like a soft show. Just pick it up a little bit higher so it forces the ball handler to like stop for just a second so that our guy can get through because Jokic is really good at screens and you have to like really go around to get around them. Um and so we always find ourselves on the back side of it. But Rudy in the first in game one, he was really far back, just trying to protect the paint, and Murray was getting like all those like elbow jumpers, elbow jumper, elbow jumper, and then just kind of opened up everything else. Versus now Murray has to stop. Our guy gets back in position, now he's shooting like more fanned out shots, he's not getting downhill as much, and then that's just kind of a a little adjustment that uh they made that has made like a huge difference. But yeah, yeah, sorry, I didn't mean to no.

SPEAKER_00 28:01

That's that's why you're on here, Derek. That that's the kind of stuff. I I think I saw you post something or say something about that, and I thought that was really important because that is something that they typically get against most teams, is that pocket past the Joker, and then he either hits a floater or somebody has to help in, and then he's kicking it out and making shots. So um between Jaden and Rudy, who had the better game last night defensively?

SPEAKER_01 28:29

Oh gosh. Both I gotta say, Rudy just just for the fact that he has to guard like he has to guard Jokic. And and it's it has only to do with that, but both of them played phenomenal defense. That Rudy block, uh the pin block on Jokic just that was that brought like almost tears in my eyes. That was like the most beautiful thing because I feel like it's a lot of times too, Jokic probably gets that foul. I'm sure Denver fans are like, how's this not a foul? Look at all this contact, and it's like, you know what? I I don't feel bad at all. Uh but God, both of them are good. Like Jaden was just an absolute menace on the defensive end, and so God, if I had to pick one of the other, maybe I maybe I would say Jaden just just for the I'm I know I just flipped my flip my hands. Yeah, Jaden for the fact that like he he's had a solid series, obviously, defensively, but he was he set the tone for how that defense how we were gonna defend last night. And so Rudy's been doing his thing all series, so that I would say Jaden for game three if I had to pick.

SPEAKER_00 29:31

Yeah, yeah. He he came out ready. I mean, that's that's what's great about his comments, it backs it up. He's the one playing uh from the get-go, gets the end one dunk on the fast break. I mean, he was just that was phenomenal, loved it. Um, you you brought this up earlier, and I meant to go further on it, but I think you're a hundred percent spot on about them being exhausted. I think Jokic and Murray, we're putting them in every action, like we're getting making Jokic have to guard. And that last night, uh it it's crazy to me that a seven-footer is like backing away from a guard attacking the hoop. But there was multiple times where Jokic is like, nah, I'm good. I don't I don't want to even attempt to come over and help or block the shot. And they're just they're and you saw it in like in game two, home game, they're just dead at the end of it. And I think that's again great in this series. I don't know if that translates to the next opponents you might play, but um there is a relentlessness about Jaden and Rudy, but kind of the whole team, but that they're just in such great shape, they don't look tired. Rudy, I I can't remember the last time I thought, man, he looks tired. Like he's just killing it both ends.

SPEAKER_01 30:40

Yeah. I always have this debate with people about like end of the regular season, like rest versus like trying to get some momentum. And I've gotten a lot of arguments with my friends about this this year, is like everyone was like, Man, we are our vibes are horrible going into the postseason. Like, we have guys hurt, we uh we're resting. Like, does the seed not matter? And like in the modern in this climate of the NBA, and especially in the Western Conference, I don't think that seed matters at this point. Like, obviously, we would love to be a one or a two seed, but sometimes the the cards just don't fall that way, especially with like I feel like we've had some bad luck injury-wise this year compared to like for the last couple of years. You can make that argument, whatever. And I'm sure people still disagree with me, and that's fine. But you can see kind of it's maybe a little bit of that, like uh, we have a little bit more rest than they were kind of pushing the foot uh like pedal to the metal to the end, trying to get that two seed. Um versus I just think we were we were just more physical of a basketball team, and so it's a combination of the two, I think, but um it it was just shocking to see after that game too that how how gassed they were on their home floor, and um that that was a that was a story the last couple years of us going into Denver and being tired and being talking about how tired they are or we are, and uh it's just interesting to see that kind of flip this year. Um yeah, it c it comes down to that depth. I was actually so shocked that Valentin did Valentunis even playing. He was so bad in uh game two. I don't think he played in game three. No. And uh Zeke, Zeke Najee shout out to Minnesota, okay. Yeah um he had some good minutes. They're just real they're really missing like Peyton Watson, I think. That's just kind of the big yeah. I I'm actually shocked he did wasn't able to play the start of the series, but um yeah, he he'd be he'd be very helpful for them right now.

SPEAKER_00 32:40

Yeah, so we got lucky a little bit there. Yeah, I mean if Gordon's back and I don't know if Watson, if they've ruled him out for the whole series or if he's like kind of game to game, I think they had him at questionable going into game three. So, like, you know, if they come back for game five, and you know, that things can change. But um any other positives you want to add there was one kind of negative that I wanted to get into, but uh anything else that kind of stood out. I mean, we could kind of go down the list.

SPEAKER_01 33:06

There's a lot of great performances, but yeah, it's it's after a game like this, you can just go on and on and on about but our coaching perspective, we're never I don't think you ever feel really good about anything, and so this is gonna be a good good part of the pod to listen to here.

SPEAKER_00 33:21

Yeah, yeah. Um, so let's talk about like some of the non-Jokic minutes. Like you mentioned Zeke Najee. Like when he came in, that I think he had a positive plus-minus for the Nuggets. He might have been the only player on the Nuggets, yeah. But there were like there was the lack of focus for uh a stretch there again. You know, I think they got it down to 13 and fans a little bit uneasy, but obviously the Wolves were in control of the game. Um so I I thought, you know, maybe the the rebounding at times wasn't always great. I think we ended up out rebounding them pretty substantially. But to me, the biggest thing, these last two games, and it kind of goes hand in hand with the positive of being aggressive and really physical, but the fouling. Um again, Denver really smoked us at the freezer line last night, and uh maybe that's just because we're actually contesting shots versus like free runners go. But I mean, Nas was in foul trouble, Ant was in foul trouble. I think um Rudy was kind of flirting with some foul trouble. Um, do you think the fouling is an issue, or do you think it's just a part of how they're playing right now?

SPEAKER_01 34:31

I think it's I think fouling has always been an issue with this team. And part I'm just trying to look up the stat really quick about our free throw opponent free throw rate, uh, because it kind of tells that story definitely throughout the season here. Yeah, we were 25th on opponent free for free throw rate on the year. Uh that's uh that's not that that shows a lot in this series, especially because the fouling it has been an issue. And I think the hard part is because you watch other teams play like Oklahoma City, and it's like, okay, well, do they get called for a lot of fouls? No. Do they give up a lot of free throws? No. But like, why is that the case if they're just as physical? And I think Wolves players, I'm just like this. Is my speculation. I think that they think they get like kind of an unfair, fair whistle, and they it part of it is like how you handle it, like mentally. Like, there I think we're not great at that. That's not a skill we're great at. Finch is like a division one ref hater, he does not like refs, he has not made that like part of it is good comes from that coaching part of it. Like, if you're thinking the refs are out to get you, your players are gonna start thinking that as well, and so it's kind of like a culture thing, which it some there's some pros of that and some cons. And you saw last night was kind of a pro where it's like we were able to play physical. Our identity is we want to play physical. They're gonna let if the refing group is gonna let us play physical, that is what it is. But there's kind of like a technique thing that I've noticed with the Wolves where we're always late into trying to like be aggressive on the ball. Um, Nas Nas, I mean, he's the what we're asking him to do is kind of tough, is like guard a lot of these like smaller, faster players, and he's like 6'10 and uh traditionally kind of like a post size and has kind of trying to figure out his way defensively, but he kind of like he like goes for the ball way too late. The shot like your players already kind of in a position and you're trying to go and tip the ball, but at that point, that's like the refs easily able to like make that decision versus on the drive. And I this is what I've been trying to coach up our kids at like I at the high school level to do is on the drive, that's when you have to be active with your hands, and that that's gonna look like kind of like going for a tip, um, going for the ball on the drive as the def as the offensive players like coming into you or going into you. If you're going for that ball late, you're it's probably a 50-50 chance you get a foul, or they're just gonna make it. So I think that's one thing I've noticed with this Wolves team is that they their contests at the rim um are the kind of the reason. Because our uh sorry, I'm going on this huge soapbox with this with how we defend. We from the beginning of the year, Finch made it a point. Like, we want our point of attack defense to be like up, up, up, up. And if you notice with our guys, like even if they're not have a good matchup, they're up and just pressing because we have Rudy behind us, we're able to to be more aggressive on the perimeter. We don't want to give up a bunch of threes, uh, we don't want to give up um anything we want to kind of set the tone, but with that style, you kinda you sometimes can feel a little bit more like I have to make like more active hand plays, and it's just the timing of the whole when you go for that ball, uh, versus like when you just have to wall up at the end. Like I would love to see Nas do a little bit more of like you're so tall, you get to that point where that guard's got you in a spot, just put your hands up. Don't go for that, don't go for that tip at the late, because then that's when the arm gets tangled up. And sorry, I'm using a lot of hand motions right now. And but I don't know. That's my little selfbox of the wolves like fouling situation. But I don't know. What are your thoughts?

SPEAKER_00 38:18

Well, it's interesting, which I think that explains a lot of why there's the the um defensive rating is so different with Rudy on and off the court, because you probably get in these habits of forcing drives, funneling things to the basket, but when Rudy's not on the court, you don't have a shot block there. Now, Baron Jay, if he's the backup big next year and Rudy's playing 30 minutes and uh Joan's playing, you know, whatever, 15, 18, that might change a lot, right? Like now you still have that back end protection. Um, we actually did this. We had a kid in high school who was 6'9, and we played the same way. It was like keep them off the paint, be aggressive on the three-point line. If they get by you, fine, but just rotate and figure it out because you had six nine behind you, I could block every shot. Um, the problem is when Rudy's not on the court and you still do that, now you don't have that, and you're gonna get burned big time because guys have created this habit of playing it that way. But yeah, I mean, I I think you're right. I think we're undisciplined sometimes defensively. Like some when we rotate and like last night there was a couple possessions where we were doing it again where it's just flying around, just super active. Um, but you get against a team that could kind of do that and control and then break the paint, attack the rim. Yeah, that's when you're gonna get some fouls on you. Denver's not really that team, so that's kind of why I think we can get away with it. But um, I mean, they doubles up doubled us up on free throw attempts last night. Yeah. The fact that we won by 17 and lost the free throw battle by 16. And we didn't even shoot the three well. Like we were nine for 34, so it's like we just dominated every other aspect so much. But no, I think I think you're you're probably right. Like Nas is not the most um, you know, he's lost weight, so he could be a little quicker, but it's still tough for him to guard a 6'8 wing, um in in a lot of cases.

SPEAKER_01 40:13

So yeah, I I think Finch did Finch and the staff did a great. I don't know again, I always like this. I say Finch because he's the leader of the coaching staff, but like you sometimes don't know like who's coming up with these some of these ideas too. Um, so I don't want to like just say it's all Finch, because I'd be disservice for all these assistant coaches out there. I want to give them their flowers too, because sometimes a lot of that stuff happens behind the scenes um and doesn't get the credit, and that's that's okay. Um, but with the non-Rudy, there was a lot of like discussion at the beginning of the year with non-Rudy defensive lineups, Nas and Randall, they were like non-existent defensively, and they were still trying to do a lot of the things like going over and doing a drop coverage with like Randall or Nas. And both those two guys are not good at that drop coverage. Like they're just not like you have to be very, I hate to say this, like very instinctual, very like uh you you have to be calculated with that, and that's just kind of not really their their game, which is okay. Um and Rudy's like incredible at that. So if you're trying to keep that same identity, you have to have guys who are just like Rudy be able to do that, if that makes sense. Those two guys are not like that, and that's fine. So they made an adjustment by like, hey, we're just gonna switch, switch screens, and switch handoffs with this with this group, and so that's made a huge difference. And we've jumped from we were like pretty low-ranked defensive team in like the first couple months of the season, and then we ended up being like top five, top six at certain certain points going into the playoffs. Um, and that's part of that is just switching with that second group where you run into some problems, is where you if you do that switch, Nas not the quickest uh foot lateral speed guy. So we had if he gets matched up on like a Christian Braun, for example, he's pretty quick to the hoop, that's when you're gonna see those like situations. But obviously, there's ways you can learn to to kind of defend at a higher level at the rim there. But I think that's just our best bet with that with that group.

SPEAKER_00 42:06

But yeah. Yeah, that and that goes back to playing multiple ways, right? Like even when Kyle's been in a few times, they're they they're they're um blitzing the ball screens and like doubling, and then we got the couple steals. I think game two we had one. Yeah. And like, you know, it might be a play or two here or there, but like when you're going with the non-Rudy minutes, if you can hold serve, you know, that's a win, I think, at that point. And um so yeah, it's it's uh there's a lot of these little like nuanced coaching coaching moves that you gotta do with your personnel and not to bring it back to Denver, but like we just have more, we have more options. And you know, they might have the they have the best player in the in the series, they probably have the third best player in the series. We probably have four, five, six at this point, and and more versatility. So um anything else negative, like you said, we're you know, we're coaches, we're always looking to improve. What was that negative that you saw in the game? Because there was a lot of positives.

SPEAKER_01 43:03

Gosh. Um I think sometimes with like shot selection, obviously that's always the that's always a big like just across the NBA when especially when you give a lead, it's like that shot selection. This is the number one thing that drives coaches crazy because it's like you have this lead, you guys are doing what we're asking you to do. The game plan's working great, and now we're just gonna kind of like alright, it's my time. It's that's what the beauty of basketball is like the star, the individuality also tied in with the with the team aspect of it. And like you have guys like Ant and Randall who they need to the they need to feel value by putting up those numbers because they feel like that's that's we're leaders of the team. I gotta score a bunch. I gotta get myself going so I can help my team out. I don't feel like I'm helping them out. But the that part of it kind of just like you see those those stalled moments where if we weren't playing defensively. Such a high level that might have came back to kind of bite us in the butt a little bit. But um yeah, I would say those moments uh what are what what what stood out to you in those moments there?

SPEAKER_00 44:12

Well, I think you're right. I think the best thing that happened to the wolves in that stretch was Ant got another foul and had to go out because he came in and you could tell he was trying to get his. He started took a three or two, you know, within there. And after we had just been up and down and and it was like, oh, come on, man. Like, what are we doing? And uh he picks up another foul, and it's like, okay, back to the way we were playing before a little bit. So yeah, it is it is goofy. That's like the you know, we the wolves get the the maturity thing comes up a lot with them, and I think those are the things, but I'm not so worried if it happens a couple times, yeah. It's when it's like four or five minute stretches where they're just not figuring it out, and that's how game one went. Yeah. Um, but I think this game it seemed like, all right, let's I you know, I think he uh Finch even put Kyle in against that zone for a minute or two just to get the ball moving because he knew like Kyle can facilitate from the elbow and the free throw line and like that, just those little things like Finch didn't seem to be waiting as long. So 100% agree with you. Like every fan is like tense in those moments. You're like, what is happening? Do not blow this lead. Yeah. Um, but they I think recovered better than we've seen them do many times in the past.

SPEAKER_01 45:29

Yeah, yeah. And that that is a credit to Finch too. His his rotate, like it's not even rotations when it gets to into that, like like that third, that middle part of that game. Once everyone's kind of got their normal minutes to start the game, it's like, all right, now we need more of this, we need more of this, we need more of this, we need less of this. So we gotta grab a guy and take him out, we kind of put him in different spots, and he's done an incredible job of that. Uh, this series. And yeah, I mean, this is like where he earns his money, is the playoffs, um, in my opinion. Um, but yeah, like the good thing I would say, again, I'm going back back and forth between negatives and the positives, is from the second quarter of game two on, I've loved seeing Ant and Randall be more like decisive on that catch because that seems like our biggest like when we run into a a wall, it's they catch and stop. And um shout to I can't I can't remember the trans like transformation transforming basketball. They talk about dominoes, um, and how when you catch you wanna do you want to just go from there and then kick it out. And that's kind of the basis of our offense is a lot of like we have a struct, we have like a pick and roll, a triple handoff, and then it's read and react from there. Catch it, you're either shooting, you're catching, or you're attacking, or you're catching and passing right away. There's no like this zero-second decision. It's like you catch it and you're going. There's no like I'm gonna catch and like kind of read my matchup, jab, jab, jab. Whereas Ant and Randall, you kind of see that sometimes. Um, and you saw that in game one, and then you look at game two, uh, where they just catch and win at it. And game three, even they're catching and going at it. So that process is there, it's just more so it's tough when there's like the scoring's happening, but like I need I want to score too, but this is what I do. And so it it is that kind of like juxtaposition of like finding that balance, and I think I think they'll be fine throughout the series because there's gonna be times we need both those guys to step up big time, and that's that could be a difference in the series. Right.

SPEAKER_00 47:33

And I think that's that gets down to like crunch time, maybe end of shot clock or something, and you still have that in your bag, but what I what I get frustrated with is when it's right off the right, right across the timeline, and it's pound, pound, pound, between the legs, step back, fake, you know, like it's like six moves. It's like, no, you can get that in 10 seconds. Just let's move it, let's get it side to side, let's get it swung. Um, good to great shots. Like, not, you know, obviously Ant with almost any shots a good shot, but like um he's getting better at it. I think, but I think that is that's when it bogs down 100%. You're right. Like it's just, and I think we all see it, and you're like, what and that's that's frustrating about this team is you we all see it. We all know what they should do. They should attack the rim every time. Um, but then they're just like, eh, we're bored. Let's see if this shot can go in. Let's get this day. Like Bones hits one 30-footer, he tries another one two minutes later, you know. It's like man. Uh that that shot, the first one that went in when he had Spencer Jones on skates was absolutely awesome. I I yelled so long, my son came running downstairs. He's like, What happened?

SPEAKER_01 48:43

That was like that's one of those shots. Like, if that doesn't go in, you're probably not seeing bones for the rest of the night. And it goes in and you're like, This is why we have bones. This is it right here. No, no, I love it. I love it. I would say one like little tiny little thing is like where fans and it is the frustration is definitely warranted, and I agree with it 100%. I always try to look at like, okay, why are they playing a certain way throughout the regular season? Like, and this is why honestly, I think that they play the way they play throughout the season, is because it's kind of prepping them for the playoffs, and like how we play offense during the regular season is kind of how playoff offense works, is like you can't really run all these like elaborate sets because the teams just know everything about everybody at that point. You're locking into one opponent, you can't just run like a bunch of different actions, you're not really gonna get anything out of those. You kind of have to have your guys figure out how to get advantages and then just capitalize on those advantages. And so that sometimes looks a little slower uh with Anton Randall, and that's happens in the regular season, and that just doesn't equate to like really solid regular season basketball because it's a little bit different, I think. I don't know, but yeah.

SPEAKER_00 49:54

No, I think you're right. I think the frustrating part as fans is you invest your time, you go to a game and you kind of see them not play great. But I I have been kind of saying all year, like they've earned some equity. Yeah, you know, you go to two Western conference finals. I'm kind of like, I trust you a little bit when you say there's a switch. I trust you that you know you're gonna get it going. I trust Ant saying, you know, I watched him play defense during the regular season. I'm like, this guy could not care less about defense at this point. Yeah, and now he's blocking shots, chase down blocks. Like he's still not an amazing defender, but he's he's he's better. And you know, he's playing on one knee. So I do think they they've earned that where it's like, hey, it's time, we're gonna dial things in. We've got the right mix. I mean, as coaches, we know like during the regular season, you gotta try some things. You you try different lineups. You'd hey, we're gonna run run this set and see if it works. And if it works in a game in December, and you can get a you know, maybe maybe you miss the shot, you lose the game by one, but hey, we can go back to that and we're gonna use it later when it matters. And so I think all of that is part of it. It's it's hard. It's 82 games, man. How do you how do you stay locked in? Like none of us are perfect in our jobs with our effort, like that's just reality. And yeah, I think um if the payoff is better preparation for the playoffs, we'll all take that trade-off, right?

SPEAKER_01 51:16

Yeah, of 100%. And it's like I think of like a 26th game season for like high school basketball, and how many times it's high school boys, so it's like you're definitely not gonna have a strong level of focus night in, night out to begin with. I know that's a different, it's a contrasting thing, but like at the end of the day, in basketball is like sometimes you show up and you don't feel like you got it, and then you your your attitude might go a certain way, and it's just such a like an emotional game. Um, and we're a very emotional team, and we could be a very moody team at times here as the wolves, as I say we, I mean the wolves. But yeah, I don't know. It's interesting.

SPEAKER_00 51:54

Yeah, all right. So game four, tomorrow it's Saturday night. Uh it's 7 30, so we're not super late anymore, which is nice for that one. Um what are you expecting out of this game? Because I could see this going really either way. I think this is gonna be a really tight one.

SPEAKER_01 52:12

This is this is a throw everything at the this is an all-out for Denver. Like you have to you have to get this one. If you don't, it's uh it's gonna be really tough. So I I actually think they might come out with the zone. Um to start the game. To start the game. Because I think they just want to get us out of our flow. It kind of affected us a little bit, but we figured it out. That's their only I otherwise they're just hard. The other other thing they haven't tried is a hard trap, hard show. Um, which we've just just uh absolutely destroyed this year against when teams have done that. So it's kind of like I the only thing I can guess is just they're gonna try to throw a junk zone at us and hope that we come out cold and then play it from there. Um but yeah, it's gonna this is gonna be definitely like a like a 48 minute slug fest. Um they're gonna muck it up, I think, the best way possible and hope that they're they're if they can keep it close that their top two guys can outshine our our five guys that we have been going with. But I don't know what are you what do you think?

SPEAKER_00 53:23

Yeah, I don't know. Um my only thought was like maybe whether it's zone or if it's just how they play their man, do they just dare us to shoot threes? Like is that is that their only play? Because if they let the wolves get to the paint, they're losing. Like they just they can't we're gonna shoot a higher percentage, and or it's just like and then on the offense, I don't know what else they do because uh again, like even Aaron Gordon coming back, if he were to play tomorrow, he's got a calf stray, isn't it? Wasn't his other injury hamstring related? Like, these are not good injuries for uh for you know soft tissue, this, that. But like I just until they get some I think in the offseason they need to address another guard that can uh do something else, uh like you know, just can get to the rim. But I don't know, man. I I just I I keep watching. I'm like, I don't know what Denver's play is here. And honestly, it's maybe a good regular season game because there's there is a lot less effort on defense and you can kind of carve people up. And Murray's probably getting tons of open jumpers. I mean, he had his best year of his career, but in the playoffs, he looks like he did two years ago. He looks like physicality's just just crushing him. They're tired. Um, they only get one day of rest. Um, but I do think they're gonna bring their they like they have to, right? Like they're they championship pedigree. Like, so I I think they I think they keep it close, but I I still think I think the Wolves might might take a 3-1 lead, and I I still won't feel good. I still won't feel good in game.

SPEAKER_02 55:00

Not until it's over, not until it's over.

SPEAKER_01 55:03

Not until it's over. I think one thing too, just really quick, like with that offensive thing. I was just just popped my mind when you were going through the list of things that they could maybe do is the one thing they haven't done yet is just try to get Jokic in like an old school post-up touch, just like right outside that block and just see what happens from there. Um try to get maybe Rudy in foul trouble by just isolating them in that spot. I that's the only thing I feel like I haven't seen a large amount of that could maybe cause some uh cause some problems for us because then we'd have to then we have to double if Rudy's on the floor, because he kind of that's it's not a good spot for for us to to be, but they haven't really done a lot of that. So um right. But yeah, it's gonna be it's gonna be a fun one for sure. This next one, no matter what. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 55:53

I think you're right. I think that might be the play. Is you get if they can get Rudy in foul trouble, because uh was it game two where Jokic was like 20 points against non when Rudy wasn't on him, and he had like four when Rudy was on him, and I think that's just they gotta find a way to attack Rudy and get him in foul trouble. Um I did like what they were doing uh when they were doing like a pin down for Jokic, just getting Rudy a half step behind to start when Jokic touches it. I thought that was interesting because it's it is a little bit different look versus the Murray Jokic pick and roll, which he's kind of dialed in the defensive assignment there. So um the other thing they do sometimes that I that is interesting and has worked, but I feel like we've seen it enough is the inverted pick and roll, yeah, where they screen four Jokic. Um, but if he's gonna go two for ten from three, like that ain't gonna cut it either. He's gonna need to make five or six of them for for anything to really change with that either. So I don't know. I think the wolves just need to stay disciplined. That's yep, you know, we talk about it all year. Everybody who watches them knows this. If they get a little complacent and a little bit, you know, lackadaisical on defense, that's when these backdoor cuts and you know you you're not paying attention. Like Ant is notorious for not seeing his man off the ball, and Cam Johnson hits a couple threes and gets going, like then things can change a little bit. But they just if they stay locked in, um I think it's it's tough for Denver, but that that's a that's a serious question with this Wolves team.

SPEAKER_01 57:23

Yeah, that's a big thing. And I think this game needs to be treated. I'm sure the staff has already probably said this is like this is a game seven, this next one. Because if you get this one, it's it's you get they gotta beat you two out of three times, and um you have one of those games at home, and that's just gonna be it's gonna be pretty much game over at that point.

SPEAKER_00 57:44

I mean, the other side of it is like the maturity of being in the playoffs multiple years, you have to understand how important it is to finish a series as soon as possible. Yes, because ant needs rest, like Rudy took a few games off going into the playoffs, and look how fresh he looks. Um, Randall had some time off there. Like, if you can wrap in five, like not guaranteeing anything like that at all, but like and Portland is just battling the crap out of the Spurs, like that matters to have three extra days off. And so whether or not they have that maturity level to really just put the boot on the throat here, I don't know if they're still there yet. But um the the response last night I thought was impressive coming off the Jaden comments, and I you know maybe they've turned a corner on on that regard, like just being able to just go for the jugular here. Yeah, maybe it's an ant game, maybe it's an ant 455. I haven't had one yet. No, that would be that some rest the other night.

SPEAKER_01 58:46

That would be, and that would be a sign of this team uh maturing, and they have, I feel like, over the last couple years. But you know, in my my playoff preview, I did um the scouting report, I predicted wolves in five, and I felt insane for saying that, but I just felt in my gut just looking at both those teams. Um, so that'd be fun if that that was the case. But uh I I don't uh my brain's telling me that it might go a little bit further than that, but uh I guess that's that's why they play the games.

SPEAKER_00 59:17

I love it though. Like all the ESPN uh people predict the nuggets when like wolves are but using that in the bulletin board or whiteboard, they don't use bulletin boards, but like I mean wolves in five. Uh I you really zag. I mean, I like it. I know the fans were chanting it last night. I didn't know you were ahead of the curve on it.

SPEAKER_01 59:36

I I think I'm just a I think I'm just a little like I I always approach everything from like a super like optimistic point of view of things, and that's just like kind of my Minnesota fandom in general. Like this is definitely a zag in our in our history.

SPEAKER_00 59:50

Yeah. I mean, the last two games, it looks like a five-game series, like they just they've overwhelmed them. So yeah, we'll see. Um, Derek, this was awesome. What do you want to plug? You got the sideline vibes podcast. What anything else going on that people should know about?

SPEAKER_01 1:00:06

Otherwise, like during the series here and dur during the playoffs, I uh like I said, I do like a little what I call crunch time report, um, which is on my Twitter and or Blue Sky or Instagram. You can find me on all those at at crunch with two H's. Uh the old mascot, old crunch. That's why that's why I came up with it. It's so stupid. I don't know why I did it. But anyways, I do like a series counter report before every series. I've done this for like the last couple years, really super detailed. If you're a basketball uh sicko, uh that likes like just like the X's and O's of stuff of that, take a look at it. It's uh I put probably way too many hours into trying to write this up, but I enjoy doing it because I coach uh in my full-time job. I'm teaching a coach uh and I coach basketball and I kind of I don't do the level of like narrative stuff that I do at this camera report, but I enjoy doing this during the playoffs because it kind of keeps my skills sharp uh when I go into the actual my actual job of that. And I do some preview stuff that you might see on uh Twitter and Instagram, uh where I break it down from game to game. Other than that, uh yeah, styline vibes. I try to cut I try to cover like just the fun parts of like Minnesota sports. The goal is to change narrative of Minnesota Sports fandom um by just kind of looking at it from a coaching perspective or and just a positive perspective in general, uh, with more optimism. Because we, as Minnesota fans, probably have not felt a lot of that over the years, and that's fair to but you know, let's let's change that narrative, you know. Let's say wolves in five. Let's do it.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:42

Let's go. Wolves in five. Um, that's awesome. Yeah, we definitely need more positivity. So appreciate you bringing that those positive vibes. That's awesome. Uh well, thanks again for joining. Uh, maybe we'll talk soon. And you know what? I gotta have you back. We'll talk high school hoops next next season.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:59

It'll be fun for sure. Yeah. Awesome. Well, thanks, Derek. Yeah, thank you. I appreciate you having me on. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:07

All right, really appreciate Derek Long joining the podcast today to talk Timberwolves, really unique perspective, uh uh similar to me in that coaching style and and background. So that was really fun to have him on. Appreciate him, and make sure you give him a follow on Instagram at Crunch C-R O O N C H and on the Sideline Vibes podcast. Appreciate y'all listening. Thank you for being here. Go Wolves game four, Saturday night, target center. Appreciate you. This has been the Splash City basketball podcast.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:39

Begging in, begging him, back again. Whoa, whoa, yeah, yeah, yeah.