holfresh wrote:

newyorknewyork wrote:

holfresh wrote:

newyorknewyork wrote:

holfresh wrote:

newyorknewyork wrote:Wolves were projected as a 2nd round playoff team. Wiggins going into his 3rd year was supposed to take that leap and Towns building off his rookie of the year freshman season was supposed to from that Kobe-Shaq like tandem. Then you can add in Lavine who provided a 3rd option. Rubio a pure PG who plays defense and a top 5 lotto pick in Dunn.

They should at least be on par with the Jazz right now. Or best case competing with Spurs but losing out due to experience. Wiggins has turned into only a high usage scorer. I thought Thibbs would turn them into a beast defensive team with Wiggins and Towns given there talent and physical traits.

With that said maybe everything clicks for them next year. Wiggins needs to step up though.

Defense..The Jaz have defensive players..OKC became a force when Ibaka, Robertson, and Adams stepped up defensively..Bulls had Noah, Deng, and Gibson step up defensively..Projecting a team based of offense alone is useless..Tho offense is important..

Defense was apart of the projection and was the main reason. Wiggins was believed to have major defensive stopper potential. Towns has major defendive anchor potential. Thibbs a defense minded head coach. Plus they have Deing who I forgot about.

When I see Wiggins and KAT..Defense isn't the first thing that comes to mind..Shaq and Kobe is in another stratosphere

They bother were #1 picks based off their talent skill and atheltism. This is Wiggins 3rd year and Towns 2nd. They are both impressionable players who Thibbs should have been able to mold to his liking. Which I assumed would be defense. Shaq and Kobe is more of a reference towards dynamic duos big & wing. Didn't really believe they would be Shaq and Kobe level.

I have argued this point many times..Becuase a guy can score and put up numbers doesn't make him a winner..Melo has always impressed me because with the right defensive pieces around him, he knew how to win games..KLove couldn't do that in his prime..KAT and Wiggins have to,prove they have what it takes to win..Shooting threes doesn't make you a winner..

The belief was that Thibbs would be able to mold them into winners. By being the no nonsense hardass demanding coach he has built his rep on. Not to mention KG is available as a mentor. Neither Wiggins or Towns came to the NBA know as elite scorers. Wiggins was the #1 pick being compared with Kobe and Paul George for his 2-way potential. Towns for his rebound and shot blocking potential to go with a developing offensive game. Unlike Ok4 who was only about offensive potential.

meloshouldgo wrote:

Knixkik wrote:Towns is a better offensive player, but KP is more effected on defense at this stage. He is a true rim protector, Towns is not. Towns is better overall, he's the best prospect since Anthony Davis, but KP is certainly in the same category. But the ones making threads complaining about KP, would be even more concerned with Towns defensive struggles.

I think Towns is actually better on both ends by the numbers. But Towns is better Center than he is a PF, KP is a better PF than he is a Center (again by the numbers)
KP6 holds opposing PFs to 17.7 pts PER48 http://www.82games.com/1617/16NYK12.HTM
KAT holds opposing PFs to 11.7 pts PER48 http://www.82games.com/1617/16MIN14.HTM

Towns is definitely better.

All his time is at the C position where opposing players have an insane .628 EFG%

To put how horrible that is in perspective here are the highest EFG% in the NBA:

1.	DeAndre Jordan • LAC	.704
2.	Rudy Gobert • UTA	.658
3.	Clint Capela • HOU	.637
4.	Dwight Howard • ATL	.632
5.	Otto Porter • WAS	.613
6.	Nikola Jokic • DEN	.612
7.	Kevin Durant • GSW	.594
8.	LeBron James • CLE	.594
9.	Steven Adams • OKC	.579
10.	Seth Curry • DAL	.573

So again.. to put in perspective just how bad Towns has been on defense whoever plays against him goes from average to the best in the NBA. Does that mean he doesnt defend? Or alter shots? Or make plays? Or he cant stop anyone? Of course not.. anyone who watches knows he will be a good defensive player at some point, which is how I feel about KP. However the reality is that he turns other player into the NBA elite.

Towns is better than KP. If I could have one it would be Towns. My next choice would be KP. I am thrilled we drafted this kid and I expect him to grow in leaps and bounds as the years progress. He's 21. If he stays healthy what kind of player will he be at 25? 28? Sky's limit. Doesnt mean he doesnt have lumps to take or development to make. They all do.