Yep.
The Wolves played 9 players.
Gobert was back in the starting lineup; they also started Naz Reid.
Minny, put in Garza!
- Thread starter Sett1997
- Start date
Yep.
The Wolves played 9 players.
Gobert was back in the starting lineup; they also started Naz Reid.
The Timberwolves (50-22) beat the lowly Pistons (12-61) tonight, 106-91.
The Wolves currently are the #2 seed in the West and are just 1 game behind #1 seed Denver.
The Wolves played 9 players 14 or more minutes.
Luka's Stats:
2 minutes (of 48 possible)
0-1 (0%) from 3
1-1 (100%) from 2
......................
1-2 (50%) overall shooting
0-0 (0%) FTs
2 Points
0 Rebounds
0 Steals
0 Blocks
0 Turnovers
1 Foul
The Wolves currently are the #2 seed in the West and are just 1 game behind #1 seed Denver.
The Wolves played 9 players 14 or more minutes.
Luka's Stats:
2 minutes (of 48 possible)
0-1 (0%) from 3
1-1 (100%) from 2
......................
1-2 (50%) overall shooting
0-0 (0%) FTs
2 Points
0 Rebounds
0 Steals
0 Blocks
0 Turnovers
1 Foul
The Timberwolves (53-23) beat Toronto (23-53) at home tonight, 133-85.
With 6 games to go, the Wolves currently are the #1 seed in the West and have the same record as #2 seed Denver.
The Wolves played 13 players 7 or more minutes.
Luka's Stats:
9 minutes (of 48 possible)
0-1 (0%) from 3
7-9 (78%) from 2
......................
7-10 (70%) overall shooting
2-3 (67%) FTs
16 Points
2 Rebounds (Both Offensive)
1 Assist
1 Steal
0 Blocks
0 Turnovers
1 Foul
With 6 games to go, the Wolves currently are the #1 seed in the West and have the same record as #2 seed Denver.
The Wolves played 13 players 7 or more minutes.
Luka's Stats:
9 minutes (of 48 possible)
0-1 (0%) from 3
7-9 (78%) from 2
......................
7-10 (70%) overall shooting
2-3 (67%) FTs
16 Points
2 Rebounds (Both Offensive)
1 Assist
1 Steal
0 Blocks
0 Turnovers
1 Foul
BirdistheWord
HR Heisman
Awesome news! Tireless worth ethic and patience and has a good chance to go deep in playoffs with the Wolves, go Luka! Let the Peacock fly!
I wrote the following letter to Glen Taylor and am guessing it worked.
The letter:
I demand that you put Luka on the playoff roster and pay the man his money.
Thank you.
Has anyone ever worked as hard as this guy?? He deserves everything and more
Hopefully this leads to Luka cementing himself in the league as a career backup somewhere.
If he can make the rotation on a team he will be productive.
Congrats to Luka!!
If he can make the rotation on a team he will be productive.
Congrats to Luka!!
BirdistheWord
HR Heisman
And should make some serious money. The 2 way deals are not very lucrative.
Not sure what his final earnings will end up being this season now that he's been added to the playoff roster but here's what his earnings were:
2021-2022: $925,258 (Detroit)
2022-2023: $508,891 (Minnesota)
2023-2024: $687,465 (Minnesota)
it's crazy how hard it is to stick in the NBA
BirdistheWord
HR Heisman
...and I am not saying he in a soup line or anything, but even journeymen earn millions per year and that starts to become life changing money if you can stick for a while. Just a random pull from NBA..Dwight Powell makes $4MM per year.
Suddenly, I'm thinking: "I wouldn't mind seeing a ring on Luka's finger" following the playoffs. Good job.
The Timberwolves (56-26) lost at home to Phoenix (49-33), 125-106.
With the Suns winning and New Orleans losing at home to the Lakers, the Suns got the #6 seed and avoided the dreaded play in tournament. #7 New Orleans (49-33) dropped to the play in tournament and host the #8 seed Lakers on Tuesday.
The Wolves are the #3 seed in the West and will host #6 seed Phoenix in game 1 of their series on Saturday, April 20.
In today's loss, the Wolves played 8 players 18 or more minutes.
Luka's Stats:
5 minutes (of 48 possible)
0-0 (0%) from 3
3-3 (100%) from 2
......................
3-3 (100%) overall shooting
3-3 (100%) FTs
9 Points
3 Rebounds (all Offensive)
0 Steals
0 Blocks
0 Turnovers
0 Fouls
With the Suns winning and New Orleans losing at home to the Lakers, the Suns got the #6 seed and avoided the dreaded play in tournament. #7 New Orleans (49-33) dropped to the play in tournament and host the #8 seed Lakers on Tuesday.
The Wolves are the #3 seed in the West and will host #6 seed Phoenix in game 1 of their series on Saturday, April 20.
In today's loss, the Wolves played 8 players 18 or more minutes.
Luka's Stats:
5 minutes (of 48 possible)
0-0 (0%) from 3
3-3 (100%) from 2
......................
3-3 (100%) overall shooting
3-3 (100%) FTs
9 Points
3 Rebounds (all Offensive)
0 Steals
0 Blocks
0 Turnovers
0 Fouls
BirdistheWord
HR Heisman
Microwave! That is over 81 points (per 48 min)
The Wolves took game 1 of the best of 7 series vs Phoenix, 120-95. Game 2 is Tues April 23rd on TNT.
This is the Wolves first Game 1 home win in the playoffs in 20 years. The Wolves outrebounded the Suns 52-28 and outscored them 52-34 in the paint.
The Wolves had sellouts for every home game this season for the first time since they moved into Target Center 34 years ago. They sold out again today (Attendance: 19,478).
Kevin Durant led the Suns with 31; Devin Booker had 18; Bradley Beal had 15.
Anthony Edwards led the Wolves with 33; KAT had 19; Rudy Gobert had 14 (& 16 rebounds).
How Edwards got his 33 points: 4-8 from three, 10-16 from two & 1-2 FTs.
Hit the PLAY button:
Naz Reid (12 pts in 19 min) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (18 pts in 29 min) had great games coming off the bench. The Wolves' bench had a 41-18 scoring advantage on the Suns' reserves.
Speaking of players coming off the bench:
Luka's stats:
3 minutes (of 48 possible)
1-1 from 3
1-1 from 2
....................
2-2 (100%) overall shooting
0-0 FTs
5 points
1 defensive rebound
0 turnovers
0 fouls
This is the Wolves first Game 1 home win in the playoffs in 20 years. The Wolves outrebounded the Suns 52-28 and outscored them 52-34 in the paint.
The Wolves had sellouts for every home game this season for the first time since they moved into Target Center 34 years ago. They sold out again today (Attendance: 19,478).
Kevin Durant led the Suns with 31; Devin Booker had 18; Bradley Beal had 15.
Anthony Edwards led the Wolves with 33; KAT had 19; Rudy Gobert had 14 (& 16 rebounds).
How Edwards got his 33 points: 4-8 from three, 10-16 from two & 1-2 FTs.
Hit the PLAY button:
Naz Reid (12 pts in 19 min) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (18 pts in 29 min) had great games coming off the bench. The Wolves' bench had a 41-18 scoring advantage on the Suns' reserves.
Speaking of players coming off the bench:
Luka's stats:
3 minutes (of 48 possible)
1-1 from 3
1-1 from 2
....................
2-2 (100%) overall shooting
0-0 FTs
5 points
1 defensive rebound
0 turnovers
0 fouls
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Luka gets 3 minutes, 5 points and a rebound. With Towns, Gobert, and Reed playing a head of him, man are they deep.
Is this the Wolves year, especially now that they have KAT back?
The Wolves have the #1 defensive rating at 108.4.
Other title contenders: Boston is #2 at 110.6. OKC is #4 at 111.0. Denver is #8 at 112.3.
Teams Defense | Stats | NBA.com
A table featuring defense information for each team in the league based on selected filters.
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The Wolves finally made the right draft lottery pick.
2020 NBA Draft
FIRST ROUND
1. Timberwolves draft Anthony Edwards2. Warriors draft James Wiseman
3. Hornets draft LaMelo Ball
4. Bulls draft Patrick Williams
5. Cavaliers draft Isaac Okoro
6. Hawks draft Onyeka Okongwu
7. Pistons draft Killian Hayes
8. Knicks draft Obi Toppin
9. Wizards draft Deni Avdija
10. Suns draft Jalen Smith
11. Spurs draft Devin Vassell
12. Kings draft Tyrese Haliburton
13. Pelicans draft Kira Lewis Jr.
14. Celtics draft Aaron Nesmith
15. Magic draft Cole Anthony
16. Trail Blazers draft Isaiah Stewart >> officially traded to the Pistons, after first being dealt to the Rockets
17. Timberwolves draft Aleksej Pokusevski >> officially traded to the Thunder
18. Mavericks draft Josh Green
19. Nets draft Saddiq Bey >> officially traded to the Pistons, after first being dealt to the Clippers
20. Heat draft Precious Achiuwa
21. 76ers draft Tyrese Maxey
22. Nuggets draft Zeke Nnaji
23. Knicks draft Leandro Bolmaro >> officially traded to the Timberwolves
24. Bucks draft RJ Hampton >> officially traded to the Nuggets, after first being dealt to the Pelicans
25. Thunder draft Immanuel Quickley >> officially traded to the Knicks, after first being dealt to the Timberwolves
26. Celtics draft Payton Pritchard
27. Jazz draft Udoka Azubuike
28. Lakers draft Jaden McDaniels >> officially traded to the Timberwolves, after first being dealt to the Thunder
29. Raptors draft Malachi Flynn
30. Celtics draft Desmond Bane >> officially traded to the Grizzlies
After Garza's hard work and determination, it is good he actually is getting a few minutes at least in a playoff game. And maybe more in the future.
I’m no NBA maven, but is this considered a weak draft class? Only 2 of the top 5 picks are averaging more than 10 ppg. After that, only Haliburton is a name that jumps out to me as a star player.
Initially the 2020 Class was considered to be a weak class.
Some publications re-do drafts after a few years. This one is from 5 months ago from the Sporting News. They say that 4 players from the 2020 draft will likely be perennial All-Stars and rack up All-NBA consideration (Anthony Edwards, Tyreses Haliburton, Tyrese Maxey and LaMelo Ball).
They then say that there is a drop-off after these 4, but this was still a good draft with solid starters and role players scattered throughout the top 14.
Note, too, how NBA GM's got their picks wrong.
That story:
Redrafting the 2020 NBA Draft: Warriors land Tyrese Haliburton; Hornets select Tyrese Maxey over LaMelo Ball
Scott Rafferty
Stephen Noh
11-21-2023
The 2020 NBA Draft was thought to be fairly weak when it first occurred. With a few years to evaluate these players more closely, that initial pessimism is looking largely unwarranted.
There are some very good players at the top of this draft, led by Anthony Edwards, the two Tyreses (Haliburton and Maxey) and LaMelo Ball. Those four will likely be perennial All-Stars and rack up All-NBA consideration.
There is a noticeable drop-off after that group, but this is still a good draft with solid starters and role players scattered throughout the top 14.
This draft also reflects how easy it is for NBA executives to screw up. Six of the players originally drafted in the lottery don't show up at all in our redraft, including 3 of the TOP 5 picks (James Wiseman at No. 2, Patrick Williams at No. 4 and Isaac Okoro at No. 5). And three of our top five were taken at picks No. 12 or later.
In order to see how much this draft would have changed had it been conducted today, two of our writers — Steph Noh and Scott Rafferty — put on their GM hats and redrafted the lottery. Noh won the very official coin toss for first-pick honors. Noh and Rafferty then alternated picks and made their selections based on who they thought most deserved to go in the spot rather than what the team needed most.
Got it? Great. On to the first pick...
Redrafting the 2020 NBA Draft
1. Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves
- Original pick: Anthony Edwards
- Edwards' original draft position: 1st (Timberwolves)
Edwards also has that "it" factor. He seemingly ups his game for the biggest moments in international play and the playoffs, which is made even more impressive by the fact that he's now at the top of every scouting report.
Edwards' one glaring weakness has been his defensive intensity. He's improved vastly on that end of the floor over the past two seasons. He's a legitimately terrifying on-ball defender, although he still does have some lapses away from the ball.
— Noh
2. Tyrese Haliburton, Warriors
- Original pick: James Wiseman
- Haliburton's original draft position: 12th (Kings)
Haliburton has opened the 2023-24 season with averages of 23.5 points and a league-best 11.6 assists per game. The ball never stops moving when he's on the court, he's an elite passer and funky as his shot is, it's highly effective — he's up to 40.9 percent on 5.8 3-point attempts per game for his career.
Haliburton's play has the Pacers posting the most efficient offense in the league to start the season and competing in a rather open Eastern Conference. He's quickly become one of the best leaders in all of basketball.
— Rafferty
3. Tyrese Maxey, Hornets
- Original pick: LaMelo Ball
- Maxey's original draft position: 21st (76ers)
It's Maxey's speed that makes him a truly special player. He's a one-man wrecking crew in transition. He has a lethal first step that he can use to get downhill and go to one of the best floaters in the game. Teams can't play back against him because he has turned into a deadly 3-point shooter.
He's a top scorer that is only getting better as he adjusts to a bigger role.
— Noh
MORE: Why Tyrese Maxey fell in the 2020 NBA Draft
4. LaMelo Ball, Bulls
- Original pick: Patrick Williams
- Ball's original draft position: 3rd (Hornets)
Unfortunately, Ball's third season was derailed by injuries. He's putting up big numbers to start his fourth season, but it continues to be a struggle for the Hornets. That's not all Ball's fault, of course, but his shot selection can be questionable at times, and his effort defensively comes and goes.
Here's to hoping Charlotte can turn it around sooner rather than later because Ball has shown that he can be one of the league's more electrifying players.
— Rafferty
5. Desmond Bane, Cavaliers
- Original pick: Isaac Okoro
- Bane's original draft position: 30th (Celtics)
Bane has made up for that meh wingspan by being an ultra-competitive defender who is in the right spot more often than not. And his college shooting has carried over to the league, where he's shot 42.1 percent from deep in his career.
Bane is one of the league's premier movement shooters. He possesses one of the best pump fakes in the league, earning him the nickname "Fly By King" on Grizzlies broadcasts. He has a little bit of playmaking in his bag as well. The Grizzlies deserve credit for giving him those opportunities.
— Noh
6. Jaden McDaniels, Hawks
- Original pick: Onyeka Okongwu
- McDaniels' original draft position: 28th (Lakers)
His defense alone would earn him a look here, but McDaniels continues to grow as a driver and shooter. His two-way play makes him a fit everywhere.
— Rafferty
7. Devin Vassell, Pistons
- Original pick: Killian Hayes
- Vassell's original draft position: 11th (Spurs)
Vassell has brought that defense and shooting to the NBA. He's also added some shot creation that may have come as a bit of a surprise. He was second on the Spurs in scoring at 18.5 points per game in his third year in the league, getting to a midrange shot that has been automatic.
— Noh
8. Immanuel Quickley, Knicks
- Original pick: Obi Toppin
- Quickley's original draft position: 25th (Thunder)
— Rafferty
9. Onyeka Okongwu, Wizards
- Original pick: Deni Avdija
- Okongwu's original draft position: 6th (Hawks)
There was hope that Okongwu could develop his jump shot, and it hasn't quite happened yet. He will take jumpers occasionally, but in Year Four it's still not a huge part of his game.
— Noh
10. Isaiah Stewart, Suns
- Original pick: Jalen Smith
- Stewart's original draft position: 16th (Trail Blazers)
— Rafferty
11. Josh Green, Spurs
- Original pick: Devin Vassell
- Green's original draft position: 18th (Mavericks)
The swing skill for him was going to be his shooting — he hit 36.1 percent of his shots in his one year at Arizona. He's hit 38.1 percent of his NBA 3s over his past three years and has been an athletic finisher at the rim, giving the Mavericks a nice two-way wing.
— Noh
12. Cole Anthony, Kings
- Original pick: Tyrese Haliburton
- Anthony's original draft position: 15th (Magic)
— Rafferty
13. Aaron Nesmith, Pelicans
- Original pick: Kira Lewis Jr.
- Nesmith's original draft position: 14th (Celtics)
Nesmith was traded to the Pacers at the start of his third year, and things seemed to click for him in Indiana. His shot became more stable — he's hit 37.9 percent of his 3s for the Pacers. And he's been one of their better perimeter defenders. He's turned into a good role player off the bench for them.
— Noh
14. Obi Toppin, Celtics
- Original pick: Aaron Nesmith
- Toppin's original draft position: 8th (Knicks)
— Rafferty
Best players still available: Patrick Williams, Saddiq Bey, Isaac Okoro, Precious Achiuwa, Tre Jones, Xavier Tillman, James Wiseman
Redrafting the 2020 NBA Draft: Warriors land Tyrese Haliburton; Hornets select Tyrese Maxey over LaMelo Ball | Sporting News
In order to see how much the 2020 NBA Draft would have changed had it been conducted today, two of The Sporting News' writers put on their GM hats and redrafted the lottery.
Sabonas is a huge factor in Kings ascension in the West.
I say yes.
Fox or Halliburton? ...that is a debate.
Kings were missing 2 key players in the playoffs and 1/3 of the season in Monk and Heurter. While Heurter is more of a role player Monk is huge off the bench. Halliburton trade was fine. But I will say next year is kind of a put up or shut up year for the Kings in the playoffs. Guessing Mike Brown gets another year but another exit in the play in game or first round of the playoffs and he's out.
Minny is starting to pull away and currently has a 19 point lead with 17 minutes to go!
Time to put in Garza!!!!
So far in this series:
2 minutes in Game 2 (MN won 105-93); Luka had no stats
3 min in Game 1 (MN won 120-95); Luka had 5 pts, 1 reb
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This is hilarious. Luka seems to be a big locker room guy for the Wolves. Gobert actually took Luka with him to France before the season to work out and get ready for the season together. That's super important for the Wolves because the Wolves struggled to incorporate Rudy in the locker room last season, but those problems seem to have been solved this season.
