ClutchFans Game Thread: Timberwolves @ Rockets 2/21/2025

LaMelo would drive Ime crazy

 

I have the feeling that if Fred gets back and we stay healthy (knock on wood, turn around and spit thrice) we're going to go on a huge tear down the stretch. The schedule is about to get a lot softer and this team looks really good with FVV and Jabari healthy.

 

Defense is back? The help rotation in the 4th looks very good.

1Q > 4Q: 38 > 29 > 26 > 22

And welcome back Jabari. Probably a loss without him.

 

Bari is back = defense is back. Criminally underrated around here.

 

Only see us struggling with the Thunder and the Warriors the rest of the way if health is on our side.
Add a few Giannis was out of bounds with 5 seconds left, Monk 100% from threes and referees shenanigans vs Lakers for good measure.
20-7 more than doable

 

Ant killed us in crunch time last game and this time around we shut his ass down. That's the type of adjustments and progression I love to see.

That game had bad loss written all over it with how many turnovers we had and Alpi looking really bad. The defense really clamped down at the end.

Jalen, kinda sorta, resembled somewhat of a closer. Alpi, despite the ugly game, still filled up the stat sheet. Being productive on your bad nights it's a sign of a special player.

 

It wasn't until last year I learned you can hit the shooter in the hand after releasing the ball. Why did they give Conley 3 free throws. That is all it was. Dude acted like he got struck by lightning

 

Thinking back on the game last night, I was super excited to see Jabari not skip a beat. He wasn't even tired or anything. The man has kept working hard during his injury. His rebounding on the defensive was huge lift. We've missed that.

 

Glad to see the young one keeping your spirits high.

 

His dad the Richards reminds me of the Udoka. He coaches and reminds the Jimmy he is weak often and somewhat steals the show.

 

My #1 beef with this game was the officiating. Not from a homer POV, but it was called so damned tight from the beginning that it screws up getting ready for the playoffs. They can't possibly call it this tight in the playoffs (history suggests they'll do the opposite), so this was a completely misleading way to start out the post-ASG portion of the season.

 

A jester for the Lion tamer.

 

You just nailed what our defensive problem was.

 

Rockets elite defense is far from back (gave up almost 40 in Q1) but defense improved as game progressed. Looking forward to seeing real Rockets defense return now that Rockets are close to 100%. When Fred returns, no more excuses.

 

Can I just say how much of an embarrassment Toyota Center aura is on national TV broadcasts?

It feels like a Gleague game. The lighting, color scheme, crowd noise, announcer chanting "defense" with pathetic reaction. Like it's bad.



Tilman needs to look at making drastic changes. Make rocket pricing incredibly accessable for at least one season to get the arena filled up. Generate an atmosphere where people see it on broadcast and want to go to games. Then slowly ramp back up ticket prices. But you have to fill the God damn seats.

I'm more excited about road games because the atmosphere is more fun usually. Like playing a important game in OKC feels more special than playing at home.

 

Maybe this extended stretch of games without Fred is good for the long term growth of this team. Eventually Jalen, Alpi, Amen have to figure out how to manage half court offenses and close out games and I think they gained some valuable experience the past month without Fred even with the bumps and bruises to the team record.

 

Welcome back Jabari Smith.

 

What is love?
Oh, baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me, no more
Oh, baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me, no more

What is love? Yeah-yeah
(Ooh, ooh)

No, I don't know why you're not there
I give you my love, but you don't care
So what is right and what is wrong?
Give me a sign

What is love?
Oh, baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me, no more
What is love?
Oh, baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me, no more

Woah-woah-woah-woah
Oh-woah-woah, uh-huh
Woah-woah-woah-woah
Oh-woah-woah, uh-huh

Oh, I don't know, what can I do?
What else can I say? It's up to you
I know we're one, just me and you
I can't go on

What is love?
Oh, baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me, no more
What is love?
Oh, baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me, no more

Woah-woah-woah-woah
Oh-woah-woah, uh-huh
Woah-woah-woah-woah
Oh-woah-woah, uh-huh

What is love?
(Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh)
What is love?
(Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh)
What is love?
Oh, baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me, no more

Don't hurt me
Don't hurt me

I want no other, no other lover
This is our life, our time
When we are together, I need you forever
Is it love?

What is love?
Oh, baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me, no more
What is love?
Oh, baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me, no more

(Uh-huh, uh-huh)
Oh, baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more
(Uh-huh, uh-huh)
Oh, baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me, no more
What is love?

 

Positives:
- Jabari Smith on all fronts, great to see him back!
- Tari literally taking the ball - blocking - from Ant and playing some solid defense.
- Green’s 3pt shooting of which one should’ve been an AND-1 (Ant jumped and caught Green’s leg, doesn’t matter if it’s after the shot was released).

Negatives:
- Brooks getting silly with Ant again.
- Sengun is clearly not right and looking for bailouts again.
- Defensive intensity, game should not have been that close. Green not hustling back was the worst.
- Our offense, atrocious half-court sets with bad spacing, 1-on-1 that lead to fade away shots and or late in the clock passes and forced shots.
- Not using Jabari more, can Ime call some plays for him please?
- Ime showing his frustration with Sengun when he went to the bench, not a fan of that.
- Referees, for both sides, bunch of really physical fouls not called.
- Commentators, sounded like I was listening to Twolves commentary from that color guy, who the f was that?!

 

A

The half court was fine in the first quarter when Amen was initiating the offense. He gets in the lane at will and almost always makes the right read. He had like 5 assists in the first quarter, then Ime went to a Jalen centric offense and kept Holiday on ball way to long as well. I like the idea of running different guys as the initiator, but do it based on what the defense is giving you, instead of some minutes based formula Ime has cooked up. If you are dominating, don't change until the defense stops it and then adjust. Hopefully, Holiday getting so much run was just because of our depleted bench.