Well, the ol' Canis Hoopus trip didn't disappoint. I went on over to read the post game thoughts and came away with the usual 3 thoughts: 1) lots of good everyday folk over there pointing out some nice tidbits of insight. 2) Complete bias clouding judgment such that what people want to see occur always occurs, no matter if it really does or not. 3) Moderator directed opinions. I wonder what the thread would look like if the post-game wrap was done by by someone with a different opinion of what's going on with the team. it's an impossible experiment to test because this theoretical 'somebody' doesn't have any clout, something that can only be bestowed upon one by SNP, Oceanary (smart dude), etc.
Here's my attempt to rationally judge what happened last night and over the season thus far. This will COMPLETELY fly in the face of the majority opinion on some players...me thinks.
1) Wes Sefalosha Johnson - Forget where he was drafted. Just consider how he is developing and how he's likely to develop. There is no way our proposed "ceiling" for the guy will ever be reached. He is likely going to continue to develop as a role player that has a place in the league. Contrary to what people on all Twolves' blogs would have us believe (Daddy included) he's done some fine things over the past several games that have made him look like an actual NBA player. If progress continues on the offensive end he may end up being a positive contributor by next year. Should he develop into a player who doesn't harm your team, he's fine in a role that every team needs of being that Thabo, Bowen, Tony Allen, Matt Barnes, etc...."Great take!" Some of you are saying. "Umm...No" the rest of you are saying. I tend to fall into the camp of the latter, unfortunately. What he doesn't have that the above role playing wings do is simple - an attitude conducive to the role (I call it toughness). Can he become a defensive player? Sure. But I don't know what you're watching if you think he's anything close to a defender now. His Rambis induced defense was the reason boy-shorts Jefferson got off to start. He is probably the softest player on the team. He, not once, has ever decided, "I'm going to shut this fycker down real quick" like every other role playing wing with toughness does.
So, I think it's toughness that is going to make or break him. If you think it can be learned, then maybe he can become that player. I don't think you can teach toughness and I think he's too mentally weak to ever become anything other than an end of the bench guy. I hope I'm wrong and the last handful of games would suggest he's moving toward being serviceable.
2) Darko. Along with Beasley, this man is hated on for no damn good reason. All he's done is but forth a handful of awesome and/or serviceable games over the past 20 games. half of the games have been duds, no doubt. But you do realize what he's paid, right? A dud game by Love sucks because he's paid tons of money. Darko is paid like a role playing center. Role players have dude games. Offensively he's a wreck (or should I say emotionally). Defensively he is nothing other than sound. Trying to pick apart his defense is a joke. he covers for Love all game and is bashed on the internet like he's trash. "But my analysis of advanced stats tell me..." blah, blah go fyck yourself. Those of us who actually know basketball know that advanced stats are supplementary to what actually happens on that court. They are useful but are manipulated to mean what we want them to, like all stats. Context is key. So..., yea Darko needs to become more consistent and to finish better inside. He's also not paid like a star so stop expecting more than adequate center play from him.
3) Beasley - If we are supposed to give Wes a lifetime to prove his worth how can you expect Beasley to have caught on to this team's style in ONE game back? I'll admit, I'm not optimistic. But to judge his ability to fit in after watching the ball movement for weeks isn't going to happen overnight. He had 2 assists and 4 rebounds in 20 minutes...but all I saw on canispoopus was the fact that he shot 3 - 11. Look at the shot selection chart. 3 of his shots came from Rubio passes and he shot in the lane in stride. He made 1 of them. He iso'ed and "ball-stopped" probably 3-4 times. When Pek or Love do it it's called a post up. When Beasley does it it's called a ball-stopping play. funny...I'd say that 2 assists and 4 rebounds in 20 minutes is a contribution. Half of his shots were in the flow and were "good" shots, by my estimation. In his first game back, I'll take it. Hopefully today Adleman is running tape by him to show him where he stopped the flow of the offense. But when they give him the ball on the elbow and clear out...that's the play RUBIO has just called for him...you fycking idiots. Blame Rubio for calling an iso for Beasley, not Beasley.
Defensively, the reactions on CanisPoopus were classic reactions of seeing what they wanted. I saw several comments about "That one play" when he got lost. yup. Agree. Sucked. What about that "one play" when Rubio got lost? or Love? Or Pek? Or Wes? Ha, what a joke. He rotated just fine and played just fine defense. Your basketball knowledge is complete crap if you think otherwise. Watch Love. He is out of position frequently. But he also makes sound plays as well. Rubio's gambles cost the team several times...no mention of that. He has improved dramatically under Adelman on defense. He's far from the worst player on that side of the ball. Form the eyeball test I'd take Beasley on Kobe tomorrow night over Derrick Williams, Wayne, or Wes anytime (bad example, Wes likes playing against Kobe).
4) 3 weeks ago most of the online Wolves community gave two sh*ts about Pek now he's the savior? give him some time. Remember when we all believed Beasley was destined for the all-star game last year for about two weeks? I hope he's the real deal. He seems like it. Him and Darko have given us to pause recently when contemplating positions of most glaring need.
5) Webbie is the best. From his hair to his awesome missed dunk, Webbie goes HAM. I'll be voting for him for the all star game until his back breaks again.
Anyway, some thoughts to bring people back to reality (or to at least start conversation about thinking a bit more clearly) and to stop with these judgments stemming from "evidence" we create from isolated incidents that don't even define the plays on the court.
Last second Wes bashing: Sure, I am biased against Wes and I'm too harsh on him. He didn't draft himself #4, the Wolves did. I'm a fan of toughness and I don't see him with it. Nothing over the last year has even suggested he has the work ethic to improve. He apparently did nothing over summer. He still can't dribble, move appropriately on D or shoot. 
