The Dane Moore NBA Podcast

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Wolves beat writer Jace Frederick from the Pioneer Press to discuss Kyle Anderson and what went into the Wolves’ 21-point win in Atlanta on Monday night. Dane and Jace discuss Anderson’s second triple-double of the season and how Anderson has become an invaluable part of this Wolves team. Additional topics today include...— Does Kyle Anderson still close games once KAT is back?— No longer being able to hide bad defenders on Jaden McDaniels— The Wolves having great offense against bad defenses since the trade (and vice a versa)— Will the Wolves bring Luka Garza back next season?— The biggest issues remain: Transition defense, defensive rebounding and finishing games once they get a leadSign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Wolves beat writer Chris Hine from the Star Tribune, who is in Atlanta for Wolves-Hawks on Monday. Dane and Chris get into the Wolves’ maddening relationship with being consistently inconsistent and how it feel like that lack of consistency needs to die to salvage the opportunity for this season to not feel like a let down. As always, the specter of the return of Karl-Anthony Towns weighs in large here, so Dane and Chris give their latest thoughts on timetables and what we’ve seen from KAT of late. Topics today include:— The consistently inconsistent nature of this season’s Wolves— This week of games against Atlanta, Boston, Chicago and Toronto feeling like the Wolves’ last stand— How Ant’s play contributes to the consistency or lack there of— The idea that KAT’s return will initially slow this team down not really making sense— How much of Gobert’s better offensive play of late was coming with or without the addition of Mike Conley?Sign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Britt Robson from MinnPost to discuss Karl-Anthony Towns returning to live action at Wolves practice on Thursday and how that might impact the rest of the season. As always, Dane and Britt bounce quite a bit. But today’s show’s primary topics include...— What Chris Finch said at practice on Thursday about what KAT is able to do at practice right now— Does it make sense to have KAT come off the bench (at first) when he returns?— What will the closing lineup be once KAT is in the fold?— How will KAT’s return impact what the Wolves’ offense and defense has been of late?— What we’re most interested to see once KAT returns— Ant’s effectiveness with Rudy vs. Naz— Gobert’s offensive expansion since the trade— Why the Wolves feel like an inexperience teamSign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Wolves beat writer Jace Frederick from the Pioneer Press to discuss a Wolves offense that is desperately in need of the somewhat ambiguously absent Karl-Anthony Towns. Dane and Jace start the episode by talking about how the Wolves didn’t have the firepower to keep pace with Joel Embiid on Tuesday night before getting into KAT and his absence. Topics today include...— Not being able slow Embiid’s offense, while Embiid was able to slow the Wolves’ offense— The Wolves needing a second scoring punch, and why that punch, for now, might need to start on the defensive end— The “Spy Rudy” tactic on defense and the Wolves ability to defend stretch bigs— What should we do with the whole KAT thing?— What’s the Wolves best-case scenario in the standings?If you'd like to register for Dane's class on the evolution of sports media on March 9th, you can do so here: https://hopkins.ce.eleyo.com/course/11468/adult-winter-spring-2023/the-evolution-of-sports-mediaSign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Wolves beat writer, Chris Hine from the Star Tribune. Chris was on the road with the Wolves for the Wolves’ California road trip, so he shares some of the sights and sounds from the Wolves road trip. And then Dane and Chris get into Chris’ feature story on Jaylen Nowell and his “basketball whisperer,” Spencer Levy, who has been helping Nowell through a contract year. Topics today include...— Chris shares sights and sounds from the Wolves four-game California road trip— How Mike Conley’s role and impact has grown over the last week— Chris shares some details on Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s personality he’s gathered behind the scenes— Rudy Gobert stepping up on both sides of the ball since the All-Star break— How Jaylen Nowell has brought in a personal coach to help him through an up and down contract year in MinnesotaIf you'd like to register for Dane's class on the evolution of sports media on March 9th, you can do so here: https://hopkins.ce.eleyo.com/course/11468/adult-winter-spring-2023/the-evolution-of-sports-mediaSign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Kyle Theige from SKORNorth to discuss the Wolves beating the Kings on Saturday night to extend their recent winning streak to three games. Now eight games into the post-DLo era of the Wolves, Dane and Kyle review the trade and take a look at how the pre-trade Wolves compare to the post-trade Wolves. Topics today include...— Recapping the Wolves’ California road trip— Noting the offense has been the same pre-trade vs. post-trade— Reviewing the trade, not in only the DLo-for-Conley swap but also the value of Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s presence, in addition to the draft capital they brought back— How it seems to always take a little while to acclimate to Finch— A “clutch” time win over the Kings— What’s behind Ant’s individual numbers dipping since the trade?— The Philly matchup and Rudy vs. elite bigsIf you'd like to register for Dane's class on the evolution of sports media on March 9th, you can do so here: https://hopkins.ce.eleyo.com/course/11468/adult-winter-spring-2023/the-evolution-of-sports-mediaSign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Britt Robson from MinnPost to focus on discussing the ascension of Jaden McDaniels this season. After focusing on McDaniels for the first half of the pod, Dane and Britt get into the Mike Conley and Rudy Gobert, and how Gobert punished the Clippers for going small. Then the episode is finished off with some discussion about the NBA standings at large — from the bottom of the West to the teams that look most like true contenders. Topics today include...— Jaden McDaniels ascension this season— Looking at rookie contract extensions from 2022 (Poole, Herro, Barrett, Hunter, Johnson, Clarke) so as to estimate what McDaniels’ next contract might look like— The Wolves effectively countering the Clippers small-ball lineup against Gobert— Britt makes a Mike Conley-Tyus Jones comparison— Looking ahead to the Lakers matchup on Friday— Around the NBA, from the Western Conference play-in group to who we think the top-5 teams most likely to win a championship areIf you'd like to register for Dane's class on the evolution of sports media on March 9th, you can do so here: https://hopkins.ce.eleyo.com/course/11468/adult-winter-spring-2023/the-evolution-of-sports-mediaSign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Jace Frederick from the St. Paul Pioneer Press to discuss the Wolves bouncing back from a rough start out of the break with a win in Los Angeles over the Clippers. Topics today include...— How it’s feeling like success for this Wolves team starts with Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels, at least in this KAT-less period— Finch opting to pair all of Rudy Gobert’s minutes with Mike Conley, and thus all of the back point guard and center minutes to Naz Reid and Jordan McLaughlin— The impact of Taurean Prince— Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s case for a permanent role in the rotation— Finch honing in on an optimized rotation— How the Wolves are optimized in the clutchIf you'd like to register for Dane's class on the evolution of sports media on March 9th, you can do so here: https://hopkins.ce.eleyo.com/course/11468/adult-winter-spring-2023/the-evolution-of-sports-mediaSign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Britt Robson from MinnPost to discuss a Wolves team that is in a bit of a free fall coming out of the All-Star break. Dane and Britt dive into the factors that have contributed to the recent demise. Some of those topics include...— How much of the blame this season falls on Chris Finch and how much is unfair to put on Finch?— The Wolves youth not being an excuse but seeming to rear its head in crunchtime— Ant looking fatigued, even after a week off for the All-Star break— Who on this roster best fits with Ant?— What can this Wolves team bank on night-to-night?— What’s going on with KAT?— Naz as a starter compared to coming off the bench— Comparing the identity of this season’s team to last seasons— Will the Wolves finish better or worse than the 9 seed?Sign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today's show, Dane is joined by Dan Bowling of the Genesis Company to discuss what Wolves fans should be expecting from new Wolves owner Marc Lore.Bowling had the chance to sit down with Lore prior to the episode's recording to better understand Lore's background in business, so as to have an idea of what Lore's vision for the organization might functionally look like. Lots of discussion on the business of basketball and the value of ownership in professional sports. A big picture pivot for some All-Star break listening.Sign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Kyle Theige from SKORNorth to discuss where the Wolves sit at the All-Star break, starting the episode by taking a look at the Wolves loss to the Wizards on Thursday night and then by reflecting on the first 61 games as a whole. Topics today include...— The Wolves letting go of the rope against the Wizards, leading to a disappointing loss entering the All-Star break— What is behind the pattern of the Wolves stacking up just as many impressive wins as they do detrimental losses?— How we’re seeing offensive rhythm tie to defensive effectiveness with this Wolves team— Why Mike Conley and the Wolves as a whole need a week-long All-Star break— Acknowledging Anthony Edwards’s All-Star campaign this season by running through some of the things that have impressed us most about his performance this seasonSign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Wolves beat writer Jace Frederick from the Pioneer Press to discuss how the Wolves might close games in a post-DLo world. Dane and Jace use the Dallas matchup on Monday, and Kyle Anderson’s play specifically, to get into what late-game offense and defense might look like once the Wolves are back at full strength. Topics today include...— What stood out from Mike Conley’s introduction to the media on Tuesday afternoon— Looking into Kyle Anderson’s effectiveness in clutch time this season— Discussing how the Wolves might close games once KAT returns, and how there are seemingly different answers for offense and defense— The Wolves’ defensive numbers this season with Gobert on the floor vs off the floor— Why are the Wolves’ defensive numbers with Naz Reid on the floor far better when he starts versus when he comes off the bench?Sign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Britt Robson from MinnPost to discuss the Wolves win in Dallas on Monday night. A win that hinted at both the additional ways the Wolves can maximize Rudy Gobert and the idea that sometimes not playing him can be okay too. An array of topics in today’s show...— Gobert shows, at least for a game, that he can contribute to the Wolves’ fly-around identity— How Dallas played Gobert off the floor with a 5-out look, and how the Wolves’ adjusted— Why KAT will be a critical counter-punch to opponents going small against the Wolves— How much was Kyrie’s 4th quarter ambush about the Wolves’ defense?— Ant becoming increasingly undeniable on offense— To what extent will the Wolves miss DLo’s shooting?— What is it the Wolves want out of Conley?— The Gobert-Conley pick and roll chemistry— What to do about the Gobert post ups?— How might KAT fit with Conley compared to Russell?— The jam-packed Western Conference standingsSign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Wolves beat writer Chris Hine from the Star Tribune, who has been on the road with the Wolves since the acquisition of Mike Conley, to discuss what Chris has gathered from his interactions with Conley thus far. Dane and Chris discuss, on and off the floor, what the roster shift from D’Angelo Russell to Conley might look like. Topics include...— Initial reactions to Conley, from his debut in Memphis to how he seems to be acclimating to his new surroundings— If Conley helps, how it will likely be on the margins — which have been a critical weak point for this Wolves team this season— What has gone into the Wolves’ recent regression on defense— How Conley might fit into the Wolves’ toggling defensive schemes— What do we think the rotation will look like going forward?— Chris’ thoughts on Rihanna’s halftime performanceSign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Britt Robson from MinnPost to react to the Wolves’ activity at the trade deadline and to how the Western Conference power shifted at the deadline — for this season and beyond. Topics today include...— How the style of play might change in D’Angelo Russell’s absence, and who on the roster could benefit most from that change— If Patrick Beverley is bought out by Orlando, he would have interest in returning to Minnesota, but would he make sense on this Wolves roster?— What does inaction on Naz Reid and Jaylen Nowell suggest?— How the Wolves might fit in the greater landscape of the now new Western Conference— How does KAT fit into all of this?Sign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Kyle Theige from SKORNorth to give initial reactions to the D’Angelo Russell for Mike Conley, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and three second-round picks trade that went down Wednesday evening. Plenty of discussion on the motivations for the move. And then the Wolves also played a game Wednesday night in Utah, so Dane and Kyle got into that as well.— Detailing what the Wolves got back for DLo, outside of just Conley the player— An important difference in Conley’s offensive game, and how that could benefit Gobert— How this trade changes what the Wolves might be able to do this upcoming offseason— Does this deal make a Naz Reid extension more likely— Where does Nickeil Alexander-Walker fit in, and how does that impact Jaylen Nowell?— Going through DLo’s tenure in Minnesota— Recapping the Wolves win in Utah, highlighted by big performances from Jaylen Nowell and Josh MinottSign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Timberwolves beat writer, Jace Frederick of the Pioneer Press to discuss the Wolves’ debacle of a 34-point loss in Denver on Tuesday night. And then Dane and Jace take one more stab at the trade deadline, discussing what the team needs might be down the stretch run of the season and whether or not it is wise to invest resources to acquire that need.— What led to the Nuggets 33-to-2 run in the first quarter?— How might the Wolves weigh players returning from injury when considering trades the deadline?— Was Rudy Gobert acquired to make the Wolves a contender or to first make the franchise more relevant?— Why the Wolves could regret not giving Naz Reid and extension and why the Wolves could regret not trading Reid— Will deadline moves be about winning now or about winning years down the road?Sign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane takes a final look at the three Wolves players whose names have been most floating around the trade deadline rumor mill, in D’Angelo Russell, Naz Reid and Jaylen Nowell. Dane takes a look at what the future for those three players might look like from not only a trade standpoint but also from the standpoint of a potential contract extension.— Does keeping Nowell on the team and in the rotation make more sense now that he no longer needs to play point guard?— Nowell talks at shootaround about how playing point guard this season has been difficult and about the perspective he’s bringing into the trade deadline and free agency this summer— Why a Naz Reid contract extension is contingent upon what goes down at the deadline from a salary cap standpoint— A hypothetical D’Angelo Russell trade that (potentially!) could bring an asset back to Minnesota while also preserving the DLo salary slotSign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined in Denver by the DNVR Nuggets crew to discuss how the Wolves and Nuggets are matching up in this back-to-back and how they might matchup if they draw each other in the playoffs. But before Wolves-Nuggets talk, Dane starts solo, discussing the return of Jordan McLaughlin and how JMac being back in the rotation might change some things. Topics include...— How the Wolves fared in Jordan McLaughlin’s absence— Looking at who JMac had success with last season so as to estimate where his impact might be most felt now that he’s returned to the rotation— How much sense does it make to play JMac next to Jaylen Nowell or D’Angelo Russell?— Looking at how the Wolves and Nuggets matchup, with an eye on the postseason— Of course some Bones Hyland talk, trying to better understand Hyland’s vices and virtuesSign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Kyle Theige from SKORNorth to discuss Anthony Edwards not being chosen as a Western Conference All-Star and to get into the Wolves’ win over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night. Much of the focus from the win against the Warriors is dedicated to Naz Reid, which naturally leads to a conversation about what his future with the Wolves might be as the trade deadline looms. Other topics today include...— Anthony Edwards not being chosen for the All-Star game— The Wolves’ other core: Ant, Jaden and Naz— Naz Reid’s development story— Making the case for and against trading Naz Reid at the deadline— How would Bones Hyland fit if he were added at the deadline?— The Wolves seeming to have let go of the idea that “it’s early”Sign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Timberwolves beat writer Jace Frederick from the Pioneer Press to look at the Wolves through the lens of how they matchup against the other expected Western Conference playoff teams. Dane and Jace also get into the latest on Karl-Anthony Towns’s injury timetable and discuss the one fly in the ointment left in Anthony Edwards’s offensive game. Topics include...— Reacting to Tim Connelly’s public comments on the process of navigating KAT’s calf strain— Discussing what Rudy Gobert needs in support defensively to be the most impactful version of himself, regardless of how the opponent tries to attack them— Ranking the expected Western Conference playoff teams from who the Wolves should most want to catch in a playoff series to who they should least want to catch in the playoffs— Going through the flaws in Ant’s offensive game that he has worked through over the first 2.5 years of his career and the one element of his offensive game that still needs to be ironed outSign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Britt Robson from MinnPost to talk about how the Wolves’s defense was exposed by the Kings’s 5-out offense in overtime on Monday night, all while acknowledging that result came in the backdrop of a marvelous January. A marvelous January specifically fueled by the now-unambiguous leap of Anthony Edwards. Topics today range from...— Detailing how the Kings’s 5-out offense exposed the Wolves’s defense and what the Wolves can do to counter spread offenses going forward— Going through what playoff teams in the West might try a spread offense against the Wolves in a playoff series— Anthony Edwards’s excellent January and the growth he’s showing that isn’t fully captured by the box score— Rudy Gobert playing more in the dunker spot— What has fueled D’Angelo Russell’s greatly improved shooting this season, comparing it to the Tyler Herro role in Miami— Where the Ant-DLo-Rudy trio has improved defensively, overtime of the Kings game notwithstanding— What Chris Finch means when he says Jaden McDaniels has “shit in his blood” and the lower-key growth we’ve seen from the Wolves’s other 2020 first round pickSign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Timberwolves beat writer Chris Hine from the StarTribune to discuss the Wolves winning weekend over both Memphis and Sacramento. Dane and Chris get into some themes from the Wolves most-recent 3-game winning. Some of those topics include...— All-Star or not, Anthony Edwards’s game keeps elevating— Is the Wolves playing two bigs together more often recently something that helps them plan for Karl-Anthony Towns’s return?— Edwards and D’Angelo Russell play off of each other at a high level— Why there is no obvious path to take with or Russell or Naz Reid at the deadline— Rudy Gobert’s teammates starting to see and feel that value of Gobert more and more— How Kyle Anderson has fostered consistency in the WolvesSign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Kyle Theige from SKORNorth to take another look at Anthony Edwards’ complicated case to becoming an All Star. Then Dane and Kyle go through the rest of the current starting lineup, looking not only at the impact Gobert, Anderson, McDaniels and Russell had in the win against New Orleans but how those four players have been impacting winning of late.— Ant’s All Star case. Should he make it over De’Aaron Fox or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander? (Because that’s the question)— Can McDaniels punish opponents who hide weak defenders on him?— What might McDaniels’ contract extension look like this summer?— The chemistry and impact of the Anderson-Gobert pairing, and trying to sustain that impact once KAT returnsSign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Timberwolves beat writer Jace Frederick of the Pioneer Press to take a look at how the Wolves’ (difficult) schedule the rest of the way could tie into the trade deadline. Dane and Jace also take a look at the upcoming schedule against teams who could very well be their first round playoff opponent, and discuss which team the Wolves might matchup best against.— Vegas says the Wolves will finish with 38 or 39 wins. Why is that?— Wolves play 17 of their final 26 games on the road— The machinations of a potential Naz Reid trade. Who else on the Wolves might be involved in that type of move?— Who would be the Wolves’ ideal first round matchup between Memphis, New Orleans, Sacramento and Denver?— What did we learn defensively in the Houston loss?Sign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Britt Robson from MinnPost to take a bigger picture look at who the Wolves have been over the last few weeks. Now 28 games into KAT’s absence, the KAT-less identity has broadly been defined, so Dane and Britt try to take what they have (or have not) seen in that time and connect it to what that might look like when KAT returns. Topics include...— Might the Wolves lean more into their big identity when KAT returns than they did prior to his absence?— What do we think about this lineup: Edwards-McDaniels-Anderson-Towns-Gobert?— Needing a different type of patience with Gobert than Utah used— If the Wolves ran back the same roster next season, how would we project that team differently than we did entering this season?— What is needed from Finch to figure this thing out?Sign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Chris of the StarTribune to discuss not only Anthony Edwards 44-point performance on Saturday night but also his growing ability to set the tone as a leader. Dane and Chris describe the cascading impact, on both sides of the ball, of Ant playing more consistently here in his third season. Additional topics include...— Ant setting the tone as a leader— Edwards guarding the best isolation player in the 4th quarter and the value of sliding Jaden McDaniels off-ball situationally— Nate Knight’s performance against Houston and the Wolves’ “three-headed center” in Towns and Gobert’s absence— Attempting to clarify the question marks that have surrounded KAT’s injury timetable— A look at the Wolves’ persistent fouling issuesSign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Kyle Theige to discuss the Wolves’ back-to-back against Denver and Toronto — specifically the difference in the Wolves’ play in the fourth quarter. Topics today include...— The energy and effort in the fourth against Toronto, after having landed in Minnesota at 4am that morning— Anthony Edwards being able to slow down Pascal Siakam and the value that provided in how it allowed Jaden McDaniels to play off-ball— D’Angelo Russell’s fourth quarter shot-making— How the Wolves structured the offense in the fourth against Toronto, and did not have as much fourth quarter structure against Denver— Kyle Anderson’s “perfect fit”— How should we be feeling about the Wolves keeping their head slightly above water in KAT’s absence?Sign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Jace Frederick from the Pioneer Press to discuss the recent report of the Wolves’ interest in trading for Mike Conley, and how a Conley-for-D’Angelo Russell swap could salvage the DLo Salary Slot we’ve been talking about. Also related to Conley, Dane and Jace go through Rudy Gobert and Conley’s three years together in Utah, detailing how chemistry took a few years to develop, as illustrated by Utah’s offense steadily improving year-over-year.Additionally, Dane and Jace get into Walker Kessler, both through the lens of Kessler’s impact on Monday night against the Wolves and through the lens of how this Wolves team would be in a different place had they not traded Kessler for Gobert.Sign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane starts the show off by explaining “The DLo Salary Slot” as the trade deadline looms. Explaining the value of having five max or near-max contracts on the books — like the Warriors do — and how that value could end up being overrated given how expensive it will already be from a luxury tax standpoint to just keep Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert, Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels on the books. Some salary cap context as the trade deadline and the inevitable D’Angelo Russell trade rumors swirl.Then Dane recaps the Wolves Monday afternoon loss to Utah, focusing on the final play of the game and Walker Kessler’s impact in Utah win, before bring in Harrison Wind, who covers the Nuggets for DNVR Sports, to preview the Wolves-Nuggets matchup in Denver on Wednesday night.Sign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Chris Hine from the Star Tribune to discuss the Wolves’ back-to-back wins over the weekend against Phoenix and Cleveland. The episode focuses more on Saturday night’s win against Cleveland and what exactly transpired in the second half to come back from 14 points down to win despite no Rudy Gobert in the second half and D’Angelo Russell being benched for the final 16 minutes of the game.— The Cleveland win filled with energy, effort and continuity; the things that have plagued this team all season— How should we feel about the best game of the year happening with KAT out, Rudy getting injured and DLo benched?— Finch explains DLo’s benching in favor of Jaylen Nowell— Naz Reid and Luka Garza stepping up in a big way once Gobert got hurt, playing a different style than Gobert plays— Has the Ant hip injury become old news?Sign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Kyle Theige of SKORNorth to take a look at the landscape of the Western Conference and Anthony Edwards’ chances to make the West’s All-Star team. Additionally, some conversation on Ant’s lingering hip injury and what Karl-Anthony Towns’ injury timetable is looking like. Topics today include...— Picking Western Conference All-Stars— Who is in the mix with Ant for the final All Star spots in the West— Some conversation on Ant’s lingering hip injury and KAT’s “significant” calf strain— The Wolves having played the majority of the season without a backup point guard— Wendell Moore Jr. and Josh Minott, and why they haven’t been in the rotation this seasonSign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Britt Robson from MinnPost to discuss the consistently inconsistent Minnesota Timberwolves after their second loss to the Detroit Pistons in the last six games. Topics today include...— The Wolves’ propensity to not take “inferior” teams seriously— Why it’s hard to believe the Wolves will make the same second half push they did last year— Comparing Anthony Edwards’ bizarre hip injury to his bizarre knee injury last season— Is Ant the “most valuable” player on the Wolves’ roster?— The three guards vs. two bigs options this team has— Is Jaylen Nowell’s stay in the rotation coming to an end?— Looking ahead to Phoenix and Cleveland this weekend— Would GMs rather start a team with Anthony Edwards or Evan Mobley?Sign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Jace Frederick of The Pioneer Press to take stock of where the Wolves stack up at the halfway point of the season. Now, 41 games into the season, where do the Wolves rank on the offensive and defensive sides of the floor? Dane and Jace look at the margins of where this team could take a step forward and what areas have a chance to take a step back in the second half of the year. Topics today include...— Where the Wolves rank on the offensive side of the ball— Where the Wolves rank on the defensive side of the ball— How the return of Karl-Anthony Towns might impact how the Wolves numbers evolve in the second half of the season— A look at some individual player numbers at the halfway point— What archetype of player would be best to add at the trade deadline and/or in the buyout market?Sign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Timberwolves beat writer Chris Hine from the Star Tribune, who was on site in Houston Sunday night, to discuss the Wolves win over the Rockets. Topics today include...— The scene in Houston after the Wolves fourth consecutive win— Rudy Gobert being a tone-setter, and his teammates needing that from him— Falling down by 20 in the first half due to the same issues of rebounding, turnovers and effort, but bouncing back in the second half— What is the value of having had veterans around Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels for the entirety of their young careers? Would McDaniels or Edwards have developed differently if raised in a young environment like Houston?— Taking a look at the jam-packed Western Conference standingsSign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Kyle Theige from SKORNorth to discuss a handful of different topics that have materialized for the Wolves over the course of this now 3-game winning streak that followed the Wolves 6-game losing streak and low point of the season. Topics for this episode include...— What went into Rudy Gobert’s 25 and 21 performance against the Clippers— Comparing the time it took Conley and Gobert to find chemistry to the time it’s taking Gobert and his new teammates to find chemistry— Kyle Anderson’s near-perfect fit on this roster— Austin Rivers on what went into re-working his shot mechanics over the summer— Guarantee dates coming up for Reid, Nowell, Rivers and Knight— D’Angelo Russell’s shooting number over the past eight weeks— What’s the status of Anthony Edwards’ hip injury that kept him out of the second half on Friday night?Sign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/Dane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined at Falling Knife Brewing Company by Britt Robson of MinnPost to do a live show. The conversation begins by discussing the new level Anthony Edwards has seemed to reach over these last six weeks in the absence of Karl-Anthony Towns. Dane and Britt also get into Jaden McDaniels’ seemingly underrated value and some general takeaways from the past few games before bringing in a third mic for listeners to come ask questions.Sign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/DaneUse Code Dane25 to get 25% off- https://trylgc.com/Dane #ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Timberwolves beat writer Jace Frederick from the Pioneer Press to discuss what went into the Wolves win over Denver on Monday and what from that game could sustain going forward. Specific topics include...— What went into better ball movement against Denver and the importance of keeping that movement going forward— Nowell and the bench group of Garza/Knight/Ryan/Rivers stole important minutes. What from that group can sustain?— Putting Kyle Anderson on Nikola Jokic and playing Rudy Gobert in a spy role off a non-shooter— Can they play “Spy Rudy” when D’Angelo Russell is in the lineup?— What will Taurean Prince’s return to the rotation mean for the group?Sign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/DaneUse Code Dane25 to get 25% off- https://trylgc.com/Dane #ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Wolves beat writer Chris Hine from the Star Tribune to help paint the picture of the Wolves’ players-only meeting that followed the loss to the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night, their sixth consecutive loss. Dane and Chris describe the scene in the locker room after the game and play audio clips from the locker room from Rudy Gobert, Naz Reid and Chris Finch.— Describing the postgame scene after the loss to Detroit— Playing the audio of some of the viral quotes that surfaced from the locker room so as to provide context of tone— Finch suggesting the possibility of major role changes to shake things up— Where the Wolves go from here— If the Wolves were going to make a major move, what even are the options?Sign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/DaneUse Code Dane25 to get 25% off- https://trylgc.com/Dane #ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Kyle Theige from SKORNorth to make bold calls for the Wolves in the new year, and to recap the Wolves loss in Milwaukee on Friday night. The bold predictions segment includes recapping how our bold predictions from the preseason have fared, and then of course includes what our new bold predictions for the rest of the season will be. The conversation about the Bucks loss naturally revolves around the lack of rebounding in that game and how that remains a constant issue for this Wolves team.— Recapping our bold predictions for the season from September— New bold predictions for the 2023 portion of the season— The tale of two halves in the Bucks loss— What might be behind the Wolves defensive rebounding issues when Anthony Edwards is on the floor even though his individual rebounding numbers are way up over the last monthSign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/DaneUse Code Dane25 to get 25% off- https://trylgc.com/Dane #ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Britt Robson from MinnPost to discuss the Wolves loss in New Orleans on Wednesday night and the four-game losing streak the team currently finds itself on. Topics on the episode include...— The ways Rudy Gobert is actually the same player he was in Utah— Is the fit around Gobert proving to be corrosive?— A more impressive all around effort in New Orleans than in Miami, yet the same result— How the Wolves guarded Zion Williamson— If the roster was healthy, who would be in the rotation?— Being both a talented team and a team with little margin for error— How concerned should the Wolves be with where they are in the Western Conference standingsSign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/DaneUse Code Dane25 to get 25% off- https://trylgc.com/Dane #ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Jace Frederick of the Pioneer Press to put together a list of things we didn’t expect coming into the season. In other words, what has played out in the first 34 games that we did not have on our 2022-23 bingo cards entering the season. Some of the answers include...— Rudy Gobert’s most natural individual fit in the starting lineup being Karl-Anthony Towns— Naz Reid’s game elevating to another level when it was unclear whether or not he would even be in the rotation— Anthony Edwards showing the ability to initiate the Wolves offense at a high level as the point guard— How infrequent pick and roll has been for this team— Austin Rivers being this impactful— The defensive rebounding being worse than last seasonSign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/DaneUse Code Dane25 to get 25% off- https://trylgc.com/Dane #ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Chris Hine from the Star Tribune to discuss the Wolves’ recent losses to Boston and Miami. Dane and Chris dive into some of the season-long problems that particularly plagued the Wolves against the Celtics and Heat this week — turnovers, defensive rebounding, execution in high leverage situations. Additionally, they discuss the recent play of Naz Reid and Jaylen Nowell, two players who have been thrust into bigger roles over the last month as injuries have begun to pile up.— What is behind the Wolves’ persistent rebounding and turnover issues?— Seeing more and more of the Naz Reid and Rudy Gobert pairing on the floor together— Playing crunch time games teams that have been there before, like Dallas, Boston and Miami— Has Jaylen Nowell begun pressing in a contract year?Sign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/DaneUse Code Dane25 to get 25% off- https://trylgc.com/Dane #ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Kyle Theige from SKORNorth to discuss the Wolves loss in the rematch against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night. Rudy Gobert returned, giving the Wolves a different look, that worked but ultimately broke down. Dane and Kyle get into what worked and how Luka Doncic ultimately broke it down. Topics today include...— The defense wasn’t the only thing that broke down. Edwards, Russell and Nowell combining to shoot 0 for 16 from three— How Luka Doncic eventually broke down the Wolves defensive coverage, and how that ultimately prove to be the difference— Rudy Gobert returns and was used in a different way defensively— Why the Wolves are also missing Taurean Prince, Kyle Anderson and Jordan McLaughlin— Looking ahead to the road trip over the holidaysSign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/DaneUse Code Dane25 to get 25% off- https://trylgc.com/Dane #ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Jace Frederick from the Pioneer Press to discuss what has worked in the “one big” look alongside Anthony Edwards, and whether or not that can sustain when it is just Rudy Gobert or Karl-Anthony Towns next to Edwards. Additionally, they discuss how the defensive communication has kept the defense afloat in Gobert’s absence. And finally, what the growing impact of Austin Rivers has looked like.— Comparing the Ant-plus-one-big numbers from Reid to Towns to Gobert, and why that might be able to sustain once the main bigs return— How defensive communication has kept the defense afloat in Gobert’s absence— Austin Rivers growing impact, and specifically the value of his high quality shot selectionSign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/DaneUse Code Dane25 to get 25% off- https://trylgc.com/Dane #ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Britt Robson from MinnPost to attempt to attack the topic of what will happen when Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert return from injury. The Wolves recent play — a 3-game winning streak at the time of our recording — has been stylistically different, most notably in Anthony Edwards’ play. How the Wolves are able to reintegrate Towns and Gobert to the roll the Wolves are currently on will come to define this season, and maybe the Gobert trade as a whole. Topics include...— Why the KAT and Gobert reintegration will be equal parts tricky and critical to success— How Edwards and Russell have functioned with Naz Reid at center— Might the Wolves try playing the same schematically once KAT and Gobert return? Specifically, might they try Gobert up in coverage to maintain the fly-around mentality?— The hell of a task that Chris Finch has in front of him— Would you give D’Angelo Russell a one-year, $26M extension today?Sign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/DaneUse Code Dane25 to get 25% off- https://trylgc.com/Dane #ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Chris Hine from the Star Tribune to discuss the Wolves dropping a franchise-record 150 points against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday night, and specifically the role D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards are playing that fosters greater ball movement. Also plenty of discussion on the difference of how the bigs have been utilized in the absence of Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns.— DLo and Ant sharing playmaking duties for profit— DLo’s shooting numbers over the last month— The impact of Naz Reid and Nate Knight in the absence of Towns and Gobert— Similarities between this recent stretch to when the Wolves were decimated by COVID about this same time last seasonSign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/DaneUse Code Dane25 to get 25% off- https://trylgc.com/Dane #ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Kyle Theige from SKORNorth to discuss the state of the very-injured Minnesota Timberwolves, who enter their fifth game of a five-game road trip in Oklahoma City on Friday night. The theme of this episode is not only what has been playing out as the Wolves have taken on more and more injuries but also what else Chris Finch and crew can get to while trying to replace the available minutes that are piling up due to injury. Topics include...— Why the Wolves are underdogs against the Thunder— The Wolves’ lack of 3-point shooting hurting at least the perception of the Wolves’ defense— What we saw from “Point Ant” against the Clippers, while D’Angelo Russell and Jordan McLaughlin had to miss the game— Who is in the rotation after all these injuries? Matt Ryan? Josh Minott?Sign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/DaneUse Code Dane25 to get 25% off- https://trylgc.com/Dane #ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Jace Frederick from the St. Paul Pioneer Press to take stock of where the Wolves are three games into their five-game road trip. Much of the focus of this episode is on the inconsistency of this team right now and specifically the role Chris Finch can (or can not) be expected to bring in terms of motivation. Topics include...— How much of the Wolves sporadic effort falls on Chris Finch?— Gregg Popovich philosophy on player motivation— What type of wing defender is missing from this Wolves wing roster?— If the Wolves could add any player in the NBA not on a rookie contract who makes between $9 and $11 million, who would you choose?Sign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/DaneUse Code Dane25 to get 25% off- https://trylgc.com/Dane #ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s show, Dane is joined by Britt Robson from MinnPost to discuss Britt’s most recent column on what Kyle Anderson has brought to Minnesota in his first year with the Wolves. A conversation about Anderson naturally transitions into a conversation about who the Wolves have become in Karl-Anthony Towns’ absence, as Anderson has replaced Towns in the starting lineup. And that all ties into the Wolves last three games against Utah and twice against Portland. Topics include...— Kyle Anderson’s fit on this roster, specifically as it connects to Rudy Gobert— The role Anderson has played in D’Angelo Russell’s game leveling up of late— The things the Wolves have consistently been in consistent in this season, with KAT or without KAT— Needing more consistency from Jaden McDaniels and Anthony Edwards— And much moreSign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/DaneUse Code Dane25 to get 25% off- https://trylgc.com/Dane #ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.