[lakesidebenParticipant]

 The Timberwolves have three players in the top 15 for minutes per game. Thibs needs to stop playing these kids like they’re in the playoffs. The team looked great tonight with Rush filling in for Lavine, I can’t help thinking a little veteran leadership helped. I wouldn’t mind seeing a few more minutes for minutes for Jones, Payne, and Dunn regardless of their current skill level. What’s to lose? I think Tyus especially would benefit from some additional minutes as he’s looked good in the few times we’ve seen him in the last month. I think it’s time for a change in strategy. As a wolves fan I am starving for wins, but playing Towns, Wiggins, and Lavine into the ground seems a little reckless.

[ChewyParticipant]

 The Bulls let go a clearly superior coach in Tibs for a clearly inferior coach in Hoiberg. Gar/Pax wanted a coach that would A. want less front office power and B. stop running players into early retirement. I really feel like Tibs came to Minnesota at least 2-3 years too early. He is better suited to coach teams in win-now mode.

Imagine this All-Star Jimmy Butler surrounded by a healthy Rose and Noah, Plus Pau, plus a vet Luol Deng for the bench. I was literally shocked every minute Deng was on the bench for Tibs because it happened so few times. Up 20, down 15, only 4 minutes left, didn’t matter, Tibs never used his bench outside of one year where we had the best bench in the NBA with Asik, Korver, CJ Watson and a few others.

 

[HitsterParticipant]

 The pity with the T-Wolves is probably the sad passing of Flip Saunders, Flip running the front office with Thibs as coach would have been an ideal scenario. Flip coming from a coaching back ground would have had the authority to advise Thibs not to run his starters into the ground. Plus you’d have had Flip making moves and allowing Thibs to do what he does best and that is coach.

Some coaches have ran tight rosters over the years – Mike D’Antoni springs to mind and its not like Thibs won’t play the younger players and wants veterans. But I think that if he isn’t happy with his bench then Thibs has to put his Front Office hat on and make the moves to give him more depth and allow him to play his back ups more.

 

[The GoatParticipant]

 Weak AF. Players played much longer in more physical games years ago, with less care, treatments and support staff. It was the rule to play 82, not the exception. They get paid 7 and 8 figure salaries to play. When someone has been in the league 10+ years and/or have injury to recover from or health concerns, fair enough to manage minutes. But, if kids in their early 20s can’t play "long" minutes cos there is fear they will get tired, then there are serious problems.  You should not be able to drag them out of a game. 

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