WallyWorld wrote:
Note to everyone... WW didn't deny it!!!

The interesting thing to me about this game is that we won it almost exclusively due to the quality play of Love, Ridnour, Tolliver, and Ellington. All of those guys were on the squad last year, yet we would NOT have won this game last year, much less in a blowout. I think that speaks highly to the major coaching improvement of Adelman > Rambis. I also think it speaks highly to the change in team culture this year, due in large part to Adelman, and I think also to Rubio. And obviously the improvements in Love's game and to a lessor extent those other 3 guys played a role in it as well. I can't say enough about the job that Ellington & Tolliver have done as solid, heady role players the last few weeks, and Ridnour all year (for the most part).

BonK wrote:
Good points about the key contributors for this game being on the team last year.

My favorite part of the game was Javale guarding Love. I was wondering if it was just got to be a lot of block shots or how much Love would struggle. But he was putting on his Bird moves with the fakes and either getting shots or fouls. Then he went to his Duncan off the glass shot. This 30-20 game was just from hitting a bunch of open 3 pointers. It was based on legitimate moves that he has added to his game inside the 3 point line.

If we got a guy who is willing to add to his game like that, we can be confident we will continue to see new wrinkles in the seasons to come.

Luke with an impressive all-around gutsy game and another nice shooting performance at Target Center.

Wayne has quietly had a pretty nice season in all reality. A consistent shooter for the most part. It's easy to roll your eyes when he checks in because we remember the Rambis days.

Him and Tolliver both have had their roles jerked around all year (for a justifiable reason, really) and they have been ready when the time for extended minutes has arisen. Wayne especially. Even if he only has one move and his shot release takes a full minute and a half, he hits shots, something no other SG/SF seems to do on this roster (other than Luke when at the 2).

Tolliver has always been a nice player who could contribute to any team in the league. One of Kahn's better signings. But what we saw with him in Feb were odd playing time patterns, along with something that Adelman tends to do that I don't agree with at all: putting him into the game for the first time during the 2nd half. Rick does that. Hard to find a rhythm or get the blood flowing...

Tod Murphy wrote:
YES. When the 2nd half started with McGee on Love I thought, uh-oh. But like you said - Didn't matter. Love's craftiness and array of moves prevailed easily.

BonK wrote:
When I was watching these last few games in spurts, Ibaka, Perkins, McGee, Faried, etc. all had those same expressions Chris Webber had when KG was killin him in the playoffs. It's complete despair and frustration. Not having ANY fun on the court. I love it. Do work Love.

College Wolf wrote:
Honestly, it's just K Love domination and the perimeter guys hitting shots. When K Love dominates and the perimeter guys fail to make shots, we lose...Probably enables us to win 1 out of 3 since we can shoot 50% one game and 30% the next. Roster is too depleted

My favorite McGee moment during this game was a really easy block he got which he slammed as hard as he could,causing the ball to spike a few feet infront of the 3 point line in what amounted to a bounce pass right back to the Wolves.

As fun as the McGee youtube's of folly are, he is a player you have to see in person to appreciate how foolish he is.

It is great to see Tolliver getting it going again. His first month was a disaster that ended with his butt on the bench. It would have been a shame to see that be his whole season. Probably would have resulted with him overseas.

I recall AT actually playing very well his first month. The period where Rubio came off the bench AT played a lot and actually was huge defensively during the Wolves' ridiculous early season schedule. He was the guy who was planted in the corner and hit (as in, actually made) the 3's on the Rubio kick outs before the opposing scouts started to notice the Wolves and adjust to that kick out play.

Then he fell out of the rotation and Adelman would drop him in randomly in 3rd quarters which made it impossible for him to find a rhythm for about 5-6 weeks.

The problem with AT is he is more earthbound than Kevin Love. The guy has like a 2 inch vertical and gives up a lot of rebounds. My only real qualm with him. Good energy guy. Great attitude. I'm all for resigning him, personally.

WallyWorld wrote:
No way Tolliver was terrible. He couldn't make a shot and he made bone head plays in crunch time. Jim Pete would go on and on with how much he wanted him to make a shot to get it going.

Just took a look at his stats to be sure I wasn't crazy. Here are his shooting %.

Dec - 25%
Jan - 38%
Feb - 28%

He was playing horribly. Thankfully he's found his sea legs again because he wasn't floundering for lack of effort.

Wow, Interesting. You're right.

Shooting percentages only though. I do recall his strong defensive impact on some of the early forward matchups, and him hitting a lot of 3's. Yeah I guess his overall shooting was pretty bad.

Good to see him step up now. This team certainly needs another performer on offense.

I just remember in that Heat game at the beginning of the season, he had a boneheaded turnover in the 4th Q that helped us lose the game.

I like Tolliver. I hope he keeps playing better and gets consistent playing time/rotation (unlike the beginning of the year.) If so, he's a plus asset for our team.

Will be interesting to see what happens after this season with him being an unrestricted free agent.

Trading D-Will for a wing would have the added benefit of carving out a consistent role for Tolliver.