With the trade deadline closely approaching (today at 3 PM Eastern Standard Time) I watched last nights game versus the Philly 76ers, I pondered the future of Derrick Williams. His progress as a #2 pick in the draft has been fun to watch, and it makes me feel good to seem him do better month by month. Last night he was phenomenal in the first half, hitting open jumpers getting to the rim for passes, and often overlooked, he gets back on defense when he is the off action side man in the offense.
This getting back on defense is something worth taking note of, because he does it so much better then the injured Kevin Love. The man with the broken hand is often seen trying to get a rebound or putting up shots and then looking to the ref to complain about one thing or another as the play proceeds to slide back to the other side of the court. I love the way Williams can connect with Rubio, the way he skys for his rebounds rather then pushing away his opponent at the hip with his off-hand, and I love the way he dosen't complain when he gets taken out of games despite being the most efficient scorer for the first half ( he got put back in at the end of the 4th). Sure Pekovic and Love often outrebound him in the stats. but they also like to miss at the rim and get it back a couple time before hopefully making a layup.
When Williams makes it to the rim he is either A:going to slam home a powerful dunk B: get blocked with enought contact to make Kobe go to the line C: draw a foul, or D: miss it and hustle back on defense.
Granted there are things I don't like, someone pointed out that he wastes his explosiveness to the rim on his spin move (which he uses often enough it becomes predictable), he sets picks with very little enthusiasm. I love an energetic pick from a power forward because I feel like it makes the pick more successful and also give them some spring as they roll to the rim. The second point isn't as important in Rick Adelman's offense because there is very little rolling to the basket after setting a pick. Williams if you watch him carefully, will often camp out at the elbow 3pt line and wait for the action to swing his way so he can make a pick for the guard Often this is the only movement he is given, I don't know why he does none of the slashing we see from Kerilenko, Shved, and Gelabale. But I think given his mediocre ball handling skills (something he has and will continue to improve I believe) he is best used on offense when he is on the move or hitting spot up jumpers the way Cunningham will when he get's hot.
I think we should hold onto Derrick Williams given that besides Rubio, he has shown so more progress then both Johnny Flynn and Wesley Johnson combined. But for Derrick William's sake he should be used differently in the offense then just lingering on the perimeter setting picks and shooting 3's. Let him have the flexibility that is given Kevin Love, to create his own shot, and if he misses a lot, I think that is part of the growing pains we shall continue to go through until David Kahn is fired.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Friday, February 15, 2013
Why I won't Renew my Timberwolves season Tickets
Dear Minnesota Timberwolves Front Office,
The deadline for season ticket renewal is monday Feb 18th. I will not be renewing my season tickets for next year. The timberwolves have been fun to watch for the past three years because they were young and improving, but now they seem to have plateaued. Each game is a slow wagon trip on it's way to a Oregon Trail diptheria death. Sure there are moments when J.J. Barea looks amazing and I think how his 5'11 inch frame while atrocious on defense is something miraculous to watch driving the lane. Just like how shooting 1100 lbs of bison is great too, but you still end up at the R.I.P. screen.
Kevin Love is an All-Star caliber player, he unfortunately dosen't demand a double team, isn't athletic enough to get by his man on the dribble, and you were correct in your contract decision to only sign him to 4 years.
Your decision to raise ticket prices by over 20% and then offer a 10% off of the increased price due to not making the playoffs feels disingenuous. Your ticket ads on the television and radio (yes Allen Horton you have a fan base) describe the playoff atmosphere that is back in the Target Center. This is only a dream in which Brandon Roy dosen't get injured and can contribute 10 pts a game while providing adequate size and defense while giving veteran leadership. This playoff atmosphere might happen when Derrick Williams finally figures out how to finish at the rim, or when you stop putting Luke Ridnour out on the floor to guard players with half a foot height advantage over him. Sure he shoots well and is the most consistant offensive scorer from game to game, but he is getting into the decline of his speed in a game where failing to stop point guard penetration can negate the overall effectiveness of the rest of your team.
Ricky Rubio is great, and as I watch the games from my television next year I hope to see him have a more effective jump shot, and find players streaking down the lane for a layup or an ally-oop. But I will do so without having to hear the corny and repetitive mechanical deep voice chant DE-FENSE, or EVERYBODY CLAP YOUR HANDS. I know you probably don't do this for the die hard fans. As a die hard I know my yelling has little to do to effect the game and more to do with mine and others enjoyment. But is does detract as I find myself checking my phone and finding other distractions during timeouts and free-throws. The Howl-o-meter that gets put up during free throws is defective, is the senor located on the court or in the stands? and shouldn't it be labeled correctly with proper singage such as decible increments rather then vague color scheme of green, yellow, and red?
So as the season slowly slides into getting a good draft pick, as it ultimately will for us fans despite all the good cheer that Rubio and coach Adelman bring. I wait for next year when while watching a game I can do so in the privacy of my house with my friends, with good beer that dosen't cost $9 a pint.
I wish you the best of luck and I will remain a fan, but not at the expense of my pocketbook.
The deadline for season ticket renewal is monday Feb 18th. I will not be renewing my season tickets for next year. The timberwolves have been fun to watch for the past three years because they were young and improving, but now they seem to have plateaued. Each game is a slow wagon trip on it's way to a Oregon Trail diptheria death. Sure there are moments when J.J. Barea looks amazing and I think how his 5'11 inch frame while atrocious on defense is something miraculous to watch driving the lane. Just like how shooting 1100 lbs of bison is great too, but you still end up at the R.I.P. screen.
Kevin Love is an All-Star caliber player, he unfortunately dosen't demand a double team, isn't athletic enough to get by his man on the dribble, and you were correct in your contract decision to only sign him to 4 years.
Your decision to raise ticket prices by over 20% and then offer a 10% off of the increased price due to not making the playoffs feels disingenuous. Your ticket ads on the television and radio (yes Allen Horton you have a fan base) describe the playoff atmosphere that is back in the Target Center. This is only a dream in which Brandon Roy dosen't get injured and can contribute 10 pts a game while providing adequate size and defense while giving veteran leadership. This playoff atmosphere might happen when Derrick Williams finally figures out how to finish at the rim, or when you stop putting Luke Ridnour out on the floor to guard players with half a foot height advantage over him. Sure he shoots well and is the most consistant offensive scorer from game to game, but he is getting into the decline of his speed in a game where failing to stop point guard penetration can negate the overall effectiveness of the rest of your team.
Ricky Rubio is great, and as I watch the games from my television next year I hope to see him have a more effective jump shot, and find players streaking down the lane for a layup or an ally-oop. But I will do so without having to hear the corny and repetitive mechanical deep voice chant DE-FENSE, or EVERYBODY CLAP YOUR HANDS. I know you probably don't do this for the die hard fans. As a die hard I know my yelling has little to do to effect the game and more to do with mine and others enjoyment. But is does detract as I find myself checking my phone and finding other distractions during timeouts and free-throws. The Howl-o-meter that gets put up during free throws is defective, is the senor located on the court or in the stands? and shouldn't it be labeled correctly with proper singage such as decible increments rather then vague color scheme of green, yellow, and red?
So as the season slowly slides into getting a good draft pick, as it ultimately will for us fans despite all the good cheer that Rubio and coach Adelman bring. I wait for next year when while watching a game I can do so in the privacy of my house with my friends, with good beer that dosen't cost $9 a pint.
I wish you the best of luck and I will remain a fan, but not at the expense of my pocketbook.
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