The Timberwolves Can't Stop This...

Double drag dominance in Dallas.

[@therocklau]

That sentence is gold : Luka has the ability to pick your poison he chooses, not the ones you feared. That's why people writing off wolves, if they are just playing bad there is still hope, but it seems that they met an unsolvable problem, Mavs can choose wolves players to give go-ahead shots, but wolves can't do the same back.

[@danielspr]

Thanks Jake, the problem is the Wolves personnel, the serious height difference when MC is at point, reason enough for a taller, quicker version…however!

[@lwrncschmchr]

Can you do one on what Rudy is doing right and wrong on defense this series? It seems sometimes he's making his own calls against the coaches' plans, and I'd like to know what he's seeing and whether it's a mistake (seems so but he's a smart dude).

[@markkrossen]

I've never heard Howls and Growls end a video so "uncertain" until now. Not good. This team has overcome so much adversity all year to get here...only to lose first two games that were winnable or apparently not? It sounds that the Mavs are unbeatable as far as Wolves are concerned according to video. Fuck me!

[@howlsandgrowlshoops]

Haha! They’re not unbeatable - the blueprint has been there in these past two games - I just don’t think the Wolves can hit the right notes with their offense while being the ELITE defense they usually are against such a fun offense. Gotta find one of those areas to excel in to win.

[@markkrossen]

@@howlsandgrowlshoops Sorry Jake! My Minnesota ptsd kicked in. These are not the same old Wolves. It's just that they have overcome so much to get where they are and I don't mean to discredit the Mavs but....first Phoenix then Denver! I was worried about the Pels or Thunder...not the Mavs! Yes, they are very good with two future HOF's. I'm wondering if that Denver series took too much out of us. Thank you for your videos and insight hell, even other Wolves pods mention you frequently...so keep educating us!

[@adriftwoodking]

The combined differential in both games has been 4 points, and the Wolves have been in the lead for the majority of both games, only losing their lead very late. So for a majority of the game the Wolves have handled them ok mostly. Both games had questionable calls but this one was particularly egregious, if the game was officiated correctly then Luka never even would've had that chance for the winning 3 (or if Ant didn't make a stupid decision and then throw it away). So it's not like the Mavs as a whole has been unstoppable, its just the Wolves 2 best players have shot horribly and have no rhythm (for Ant his 3rd game in a row). The Mavs are a great team, but they haven't shown me that they're clearly the better team yet just by eeking out 2 wins, game 3 will tell us more obviously. My biggest worry so far has been the refs, even if Luka is shooting poorly he knows the refs will give him calls, nobody on the wolves is afforded that luxury (Luka can yell and curse at Gobert all he wants, but remember when Ant got T'd up last series for looking at someone scary? I don't think either should be but you can see there's a clear difference there).

[@mugenchamplooo]

Ant has reached a wall mentally akd physically. He and his whole team are in uncharted waters, they've never been to a WCF. Meanwhile, Kyrie and Luka have only just stared to turn up their play, and are returning home. I predict the Mavs supporting cast will finally start landing their 3's at home, which will show that these games never should have been that close. Mavs in 6 imo

[@adriftwoodking]

@@mugenchamplooo I personally think that's just narrative stuff tho, them not being ready for the big moment or whatever, it's media narrative that doesn't actually translate to anything meaningful in-game. There is no tangible way to measure that stuff so I find it kinda pointless to speculate. If anything I think the wall Ants running into is Dallas' bigs lol the Mavs rookie, despite himself being in uncharted waters, looked great. It's been a fun series tho so we'll see where game 3 goes. As a wolves fan, I'm not overly concerned yet tho because they're seemingly better on the road than at home, and proved last series that they are capable of making a run. And if Ant or Kat finally start hitting shots and clean up some dumb decisions, they should be plenty capable of fighting back into this. But I'll say it again, Mavs are great, and game 3 will be fun to watch either way (also Kyrie's new shoes are hard AF)

[@rodswoodworking7151]

The Mavs already beat a better team in OKC and Luka was playing mid compared to his potential. The role players always play better in Dallas, and the Mavs always bounce back from a loss. Even if twolves win a game, they lose the next two.

[@mugenchamplooo]

@@adriftwoodking the Mavs rookie looks great because he has PLAYOFF VETERAN LEADERSHIP in Kyrie, Luka, and Jason Kid. If he was the leader of his team like Ant he would not be playing as well. You can't compare Young LEADER Ant to Young ROLE PLAYER Lively. Thats not some "baseless narrative stuff that cant be measured", it's a pretty well observed trend in at least this sport. The best players for Minnesota have never been in this far. The best players for Dallas have. It's showing. The playoffs are about matchups, thats it. Minnesota has nobody that can stop The Mavs' best players, so they will probably lose.

[@adriftwoodking]

@@mugenchamplooo Again that's more narrative stuff tho, as how do you define "leadership"? Leading and organizing the offense? That's Conley's role, defense, that's Golbert. Being a teammate? Conley did win teammate of the year, so. If it's scoring or clutch, then yea sure ig but that just falls back to hitting shots and making smart decisions. It doesn't have anything to do with the X and Os as to why they lost the game, it's a narrative you look at after the fact (And technically Conley has been this far before with Memphis). They don't turn up the lights brighter from a 2nd round series to a Conference final, the stadium crowds don't suddenly get bigger. It's narrative, the Mavs won because they were better down the stretch, it's really that simple. And yea they might lose, but even with the wolves not being able to stop their 2 best players, they were still in control throughout both games and could've won both games. With margins that thin, Ant or Kat finally getting hot could easily change that balance. But we'll see.

[@farming4g]

Wheres Jordan McLaughlin? He hasn't seen any action this post season... we know what he can bring to the table as a spark plug on both sides of the ball. Minnesota has turned into Denver in this situation - no energy and not committed while Dallas is getting stronger as the game goes on since they are playing deep in the bench with high energy players. They've been lucky with how many shots Dallas missed, this should have almost.been a blowout

[@sethmadson6592]

Mavs might win it all if my Wolves don't bring it back. I could see maybe a 7 games series, but if Dallas beats us, Celtics might have something to think about.

[@cerebralfanatic]

Lack of situational awareness & cowardice from coaching is why they lost that game Gobert ended up on an island with Joncic ok, you’re up by 2 points… you’re not telling your guys to double doncic @ all cost 😂or foul him & make him shoot 2 @ the line instead of giving you the dagger for 3 ? I really don’t get that I thought finch was a good coach but after that I don’t know about him

[@howlsandgrowlshoops]

He’s had a baaaaad series. Hasn’t hit the right adjustment in game or game to game at all so far.

[@austinconnor3611]

It's not too hard to contain, but impossible to stop. They need to let Luka be the scorer from these pick and rolls, as that is the most difficult scoring option. So many points were scored from easy assist dunks. Let Luka be the score, not the assister. The same format Wolves had against Nuggets. Let Luka score 50. The entire offense runs through him and these pick and rolls. Stop giving him the easier assists and Wolves should be fine.

[@unbiascowboy1537]

What were you going to do with kyrie though? The same thing Luka does Kyrie can do damn near on the same level so that wouldn’t work.

[@sethmadson6592]

Mavs, might be Wolves Cryptonite, their stars and role players are playing well, and it could shift if Naz Reid, and Jayden can keep up their proficiency, while ANT and KAT go back to their best. 1 Position games its not over over, but 2 losses doesn't feel the same as we played denver. Come back to win we're historic, but at this point I don't know if the woles can win this series.

[@jofieji5312]

Denver was wolves kryptonite. Wolves fouled their way to the WCF.

[@seeanthonyn]

As much as the Mavs spammed these plays, the Mavs only won by a point. You can point to the bad calls which you have no control over but Ant needs to be better. He talked big but hes showing how afraid of the moment he is. Series not over though. He just needs to show up. If he doesnt, this is over

[@Dzogrim]

I dont understand why no one of Twolves attack Luka every posession, with his bad knee. Why they try to go under the rim where Gafford made 5 blocks, and no one even trying to hunt Irving or Doncic and attack them every time.

[@texasvet2729]

Because then he’ll easily hit somebody for a dunk or wide open 3

[@Dzogrim]

@@texasvet2729 how he can do that while defending? lol

[@mugenchamplooo]

if you were the coach, the twolves would get swept bro 🤣 the only person athletic enough to guard kyrie is Ant, but hes not enough and he is clearly too gassed to score

[@JasonGood365]

Why can’t Rudy just stay home on plays like this? Dallas bigs are not a thread from more than 5 feet.

[@howlsandgrowlshoops]

If he stays home they’re relying on the on-ball defender to beat Luka/Kyrie to the spot off two screens. If he doesn’t he gets put in jail and they dominate in the mid-range. Still think he needs to show and recover to give Jaden etc another split second to get back in front.

[@Weebei]

What happened to the full court faux press we did to Murray? Since it's not Denver, are the Wolves just not trying as hard against Dallas? Friction in the back court bringing to ball up seems like the first thought.

[@tolstoyed]

luka is not murray

[@mugenchamplooo]

you and Ant are finding out that Kyrie is not Murray 🤣

[@BassYakCam]

Easier said than done against Luka and Kyrie.

[@nicktaylor1015]

U can’t press Ky. His too fast and handle is too good.

[@lv_lambo3162]

They have 2 elite ball handlers, good luck lol.

[@incognitomosquito3120]

Rudy guarding Luka on the perimeter followed up by naz shooting a 3 from 5 feet behind the line down by 1 is some of the worst situational basketball i have ever seen

[@timpeters9965]

This series is exactly why people think the nba is rigged. They have no one special at the 4 and th 5 yet they are torching the best defense in all of the nba. It just doesn't make sense.

[@underpressure07140]

Gafford and Lively are both taller than Aaron Gordon, so they get lobs way easier and Gobert won't be able to stop those

[@theotherguy2675]

Man.. Luka has broken you, guys.

[@jofieji5312]

The nba rigged it to get the wolves here. Wolves have been fouling every possession so far this playoffs yet they still shoot more free throws than the opposition every game. They’re getting exposed because they aren’t good and even with the help they can’t win

[@timpeters9965]

@theotherguy2675 Luka can't play defense. Come back when he plays more than offense. Denver broke the wolves not tge trash mavs

[@ekliptik86]

Tell me you don't know anything about the Mavericks without telling me you don't know anything about the Mavericks when you make a comment like "Luka can't play defense"

[@cloudgreenhorn452]

Wolves fine, this will end in 7.

[@benc4968]

The wolves will unfortunately face the same fate as the nuggets. Nothing to be ashamed of given the gap in experience between both teams.

[@Casey_Truman]

😂

[@cloudgreenhorn452]

@@benc4968 Don’t write them off yet. Lots of basketball to play still.

[@benc4968]

@@cloudgreenhorn452 welp.

[@cloudgreenhorn452]

@@benc4968 1 more game lol before I go down with the ship 😂