The Dane Moore NBA Podcast

On today's show, Dane is joined by Chris Hine of the Star Tribune and Kyle Theige of SKORNorth after Timberwolves practice on Monday afternoon in Portland to take a look at some statistical trends forming in KAT's absence these last five games compared to the first 21 games of the season that KAT played in.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 in Portland by Kyle Theige after the Wolves loss to the Blazers on Saturday. The conversation revolves around the recent leveling up of play from Rudy Gobert and D’Angelo Russell, and how the way they have been playing has shifted in Karl-Anthony Towns’ absence. Topics include...— Running out of gas in the 4th against the Blazers— Starting to see what “unlocked” Gobert actually looks like— Wondering how KAT would mesh with this version of Gobert, Russell and Edwards— DLo’s monster 4th against Utah and his play of late— Kyle Anderson’s budding chemistry with both Gobert and Russell in KAT’s absence— Continuing to see issues with playing two bigs in the Gobert and Naz Reid minutesSign 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 to check in on some statistical trends for the season — specific to individual players and to the team as a whole. As the season rolls on, there are strengths the Wolves will need into, weaknesses they’ll need to mitigate, and in this episode we try to diagnose where those shifts need to come from. Topics include...— D’Angelo Russell’s shooting spike over the last month— Comparing Rudy Gobert’s numbers in Minnesota to his numbers in Utah— Why the Wolves offensive turnovers are hurting the Wolves defense— With the 3-point volume down, where else can the Wolves find value?— Looking ahead to two games in Portland after Friday night’s game in UtahSign 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 of MinnPost to discuss the Wolves win over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday evening and other trends that are beginning to emerge as Rudy Gobert seems to be getting increasingly comfortable in his role on this team. Topics include...— Looking back at the 4th quarter against Indiana— DLo’s late game offense and the Wolves late game defensive tweak— Wolves remaining volatile in nature— A first look at Luka Garza— The Wolves 3-point shooting volume dropping drastically this season— More talk about identity (drink!)— Looking at the Utah matchup, specifically focusing on Jarred Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley and Walker Kessler— Do the Wolves have a lower ceiling but higher floor without KAT?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, Jace Frederick of the St. Paul Pioneer Press to discuss the Wolves taking the early steps toward finding an identity in the absence of Karl-Anthony Towns. The majority of the conversation centers on the idea of which players will be instrumental in creating that identity. But before getting into all of that, Dane and Jace touch on the Wolves’ signing of former-Laker Matt Ryan to a two-way contract.— What do we make of the Matt Ryan signing? Something or a nothing-burger?— What do we think the KAT-less identity of this team will prove to be during this stretch?— What are the non-Rudy minutes going to look like in KAT’s absence?— Might Luka Garza and/or Nate Knight find their way into the rotation?— We’ve talked about Ant needing to step up as a leader in KAT’s absence. What has that leadership looked like? What might it look like going forward?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 home loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night, the second game of the KAT-less chapter for the Wolves. The focus of the episode is things that showed up in that Oklahoma City game that will be relevant over this window without Karl-Anthony Towns. Topics include...— Terrible officiating, but also poor composure amidst the poor officiating — which has been a trend all season— How Ant and DLo are stepping into a bigger leadership role in KAT’s absence— D’Angelo Russell’s improved performance over the last 10 games— Naz Reid’s role in KAT’s absence, and how Nate Knight/Luka Garza have not yet been used— Jaden McDaniels struggles with foul trouble again in his return from his 3-game absenceSign 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 to discuss the Wolves win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night — a game that begins a new chapter of the Wolves season, given the absence of Karl-Anthony Towns. Dane and Kyle try to dig for themes from the Memphis game — notably Anthony Edwards evolution — that could come to define this chapter, and potentially change how Chris Finch goes about reintegrating KAT, whenever that time comes.— Anthony Edwards becoming the main character— Hello, spread pick and roll— What went into the Wendell Moore Jr. start, and the impressive job he did defending Ja Morant— How the Wolves appear to be tweaking the defensive plan in KAT’s absenceSign 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 how this version of the Wolves is built in a way that should be able to withstand a Karl-Anthony Towns injury — at least significantly more than previous rosters have been. Dane and Jace walk through the Wolves rotation players player-by-player to discuss how they may be impacted by Towns’s absence. What players might stand to gain more freedom in a temporarily Towns-less roster? What players will be most hurt by Towns’s absence?— Why this Wolves roster is built in a way that should be able to withstand a KAT injury— What stylistic changes, outside of more pick and roll, might be enacted in KAT’s absence— Going through the roster player-by-player, discussing how KAT’s absence might impact them on an individual basis— What if things get significantly better in KAT’s absence? What then?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 the Jekyll and Hyde nature of the Wolves first quarter of the season. Plus some conversation on what life might look like in at least temporary absence of Karl-Anthony Towns. A lot of the focus of the episode is on the underlying issues that have held the Wolves back from being the best version of themselves, outside of the win over Indiana— How the compilation of players on the roster have not led to on-court chemistry— How the Wolves might function without Towns for the next few weeks— What can be developed in the “Rudy Only” lineups while Towns is out?— What schematic changes might be coming from Chris Finch, and how might those ideas be put into action quicker after the Towns injury?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 of the Star Tribune to discuss the frustrations mounting surrounding some of the issues with the Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert frontcourt pairing. For a team that is no longer in the early stages of the Towns-Gobert pairing, stamping out issues and leaning into strengths is beginning to feel like an immediate need. Related topics include...— Teams attacking KAT and Gobert’s ability to run the floor— Not only needing to get back in transition, but the importance of finding specific matchups when getting back on defense— Being able to punish opponents with size more than the size is getting taken advantage of— The team’s identity 20 games into the 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 to what went into the Wolves five-game winning streak and what snapped it in Charlotte on Friday night. While the Charlotte loss felt a lot like the beginning of the season, that doesn’t mean the five-game winning streak didn’t happen — so we look for differences. Dane and Kyle also discuss the Wolves catching their first case of the injury bug, and how the rotation might shift to react to those injuries— What was different in the five-game winning streak compared to the first 13 games of the season?— What didn’t carry-over from the winning streak to Charlotte on Friday?— What level of play can reasonably be expected going forward— How the rotation might shift in Taurean Prince’s injury absence (and Jordan McLaughlin’s, if his injury lingers)?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 Pioneer Press to discuss the Wolves 4-game winning streak and the themes from that streak that will need to carry over (or be removed) for the Wolves to continue winning at a high level. In addition to that, Dane asks Jace about the booing at Target Center and how the players publicly responded to that in the locker room postgame. Topics include...— Ant’s Big Offensive Quarters/Games Correlating With Poor Defense— Playing Against Zone D – Will This Become a Tactic To Slow The Wolves Offense?— Can Jordan McLaughlin’s Shooting Translate? Does It Need To?— Edwards and Gobert Asking Fans To Stop Booing— Needing Jaden McDaniels’ recent play to carry overSign 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 begins with a solo recap of Monday night’s 4-point Wolves win over the Miami Heat that extended the Wolves current winning streak to four games. After digging into five themes from the win over Miami, Dane is joined by Tony East who covers the Indiana Pacers for SportsIllsutrated.com to preview Wednesday night’s matchup in Indiana. Topics include...— What went in to Rudy Gobert taking zero shots from the field against Miami— The point guard play from D’Angelo Russell and Jordan McLaughlin, focusing in on Jordan McLaughlin’s 3-point shot making a bounce back— Karl-Anthony Towns propelling the Wolves in the first half and then picking up five fouls in the second half and fouling out for the third time this season— Anthony Edwards waking up in the second half and driving the Wolves comeback— Previewing the Indiana matchup, focusing on the Edwards and McDaniels against Haliburton and Mathurin matchup 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 Star Tribune to discuss the Wolves recent winning streak that has served as litmus test for optimism or pessimism, given that their opponents over the streak have not been at full strength and due to the fact that late-game execution has remained an issue. Dane and Chris all discuss the idea of sacrifice in the starting lineup, and how winning, despite some of the flaws in the wins, may be able to foster that necessary sacrifice sinking into the group.— The mood of the Wolves’ locker room after the win in Philadelphia— Glass half full: Something to be said about just getting a win— Glass half empty: The win in Philadelphia came with an “avalanche of mistakes” in the fourth quarter, said Chris Finch— The factors that fuel making sacrifice a difficult concept in the NBA— Do the recent wins coming against teams not at full strength cheapen the merit of those wins?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 for an episode that focuses on the context, for better or worse, that applies to the beginning of the Rudy Gobert experience in Minnesota. Through a Gobert lens, Dane and Kyle focus on Saturday’s matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers and Joel Embiid on Sunday, and how the Wolves now have Gobert to throw at the Embiid matchup. A portion of the episode also focuses on anecdotes from Kyle’s interview with Jim Petersen on the Flagrant Howls podcast.— How the Wolves might go about countering Embiid with Gobert— What we learned from Embiid’s 59-point performance earlier in the week that could help the Wolves in their game plan for the Sixers— Where the Wolves can best utilize Gobert offensively— Some context to the tweet about Edwards not passing to GobertSign 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 bright spots that have materialized for the Wolves over their two wins thus far this week. In that, a lot of the early focus of the episode is on Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell, who traded off having big games in the wins, and then also Rudy Gobert, who seems to slowly be finding himself. Dane and Britt also get into a few of the questions Britt answered in his mailbag column over at MinnPost.— Gobert beginning to fit in on both sides of the ball— What stood out from big performances from Ant and DLo, outside of their scoring output— Finch beginning to make some schematic changes— How the Wolves are navigating the leadership void left by Patrick Beverley— If DLo were to be traded, in what ways might that be an empty scapegoating— The job Tim Connelly has in front of himSign 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 look into the numbers behind the first 14 games of the Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert experiment. Dane and Jace look at how Towns and Gobert have thus far graded out on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball analytically, and discuss how fair those catch-all metrics have been to the still relatively small sample size. Before Jace joins, Dane starts the episode with a solo film review of Kyle Anderson’s recent play.— Kyle Anderson film review— What is going into KAT grading out as a 26th percentile defender thus far this season?— What is going into KAT grading out as a 94th percentile offensive player thus far this season?— What is going into Gobert grading out as a 65th percentile defender thus far this season?— What is going into Gobert grading out as a 66th percentile offensive player thus far this season?— What might crunch time offense look like once the Wolves start finding themselves in crunch time situationsSign 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 of the Star Tribune to discuss D’Angelo Russell and the Wolves bouncing back with a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday night. The Wolves were driven by a combined 59 points on extremely efficient scoring from Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns, which papered over some other flaws that again reared their head. Topics discussed include:— DLo bounces back, and does it by playing the way he’s most comfortable— Cleveland had no answer for KAT — from Lamar Stevens to Robin Lopez and even to Evan Mobley— Jaden McDaniels string together impressive defensive performances, but foul trouble has remained a nightly issue— Ant follows up a strong Friday performance on ESPN with an uninspiring effort in Cleveland on Sunday evening— Wolves almost let 24-point lead slip away after getting too comfortableSign 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 to discuss the Wolves continuing to falter in a loss to Memphis on Friday night and D’Angelo Russell continuing to trend in the wrong direction. Unfortunately, another episode about what isn’t working for this team — and thus, in turn, more intense conversation about something needing to change.— The numbers behind D’Angelo Russell’s continued struggles— Options for a starting lineup change, if a change is to come— Karl-Anthony Towns’ foul trouble back with a vengeance and the residual impact of that fouling— After being the worst defensive rebounding team in the league last season, the numbers say the Wolves have somehow gotten even worse at finishing possessions— Why Cleveland will be a particularly difficult test on SundaySign 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 of MinnPost to take stock of where the Wolves are 12 games into the season. The episode starts with a focus on Anthony Edwards and what has thus far seemed to have stood in the way of him taking the, expected by many, third year leap. The conversation than moves to the other key characters in the Wolves story this season, including Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert, Chris Finch and D’Angelo Russell.— Not forgetting that who and what Anthony Edwards does or does not become is the linchpin of the Wolves’ future— What has stood in the way thus far of Edwards making the Ja Morant-like 3rd year leap— Will the Wolves ever move to a more Edwards-focused offensive structure? If so, when?— Towns’ different styles through his career, and what style of KAT this Wolves roster might need— Who do the Wolves miss most between Patrick Beverley, Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley?— What could changing DLo’s role look like? Would a change, if they made one, need to come in the form of the trade?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 Herrington of The Daily Memphian to preview the Wolves playoffs rematch against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night. It’s more of a big picture episode about where the Wolves are at, so as to get an idea of what they might bring to Memphis on Friday. Dane and Chris get into a variety of topics, including...— How Karl-Anthony Towns is handling being guarded by 4s this season after struggling last season, particularly against Memphis, when he was guarded by smaller players— The fit of the Towns and Rudy Gobert pairing thus far— How the Wolves are now, on paper, the bigger and more physical team in this matchup, but haven’t played that way thus far this season— What went into Ja Morant’s third year leap that is not yet happening for Anthony Edwards in his third yearSign 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 the Wolves recent struggles that have been fueled by a lack of physicality. Dane and Jace discuss the Wolves need of letting go of some patience in the name of urgency to correct the identity this team currently has. Numerous audio clips from Rudy Gobert, Chris Finch, Naz Reid and Anthony Edwards. Topics include:— Avoiding becoming a soft team— Balancing patience against urgency— Not playing with physicality— This team not doing the little things while last year’s team did— Needing a tone-setter. Who could that be?— How much should we believe in the Wolves’ top-10 defensive rating?— How might the Wolves fare against the Suns and Grizzlies this week?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 of the Star Tribune to discuss the Wolves back-to-back over the weekend against the Milwaukee Bucks and Houston Rockets. The main focus of the conversation is how things will change, at least temporarily, while Rudy Gobert is in Health and Safety Protocols. Topics related to that include:— How did it look without Gobert on Saturday against the Rockets?— Who has KAT played best with while Gobert was on the bench through the first nine games?— D’Angelo Russell working through a shooting slump— Jordan McLaughlin adding consistency to his game— If the starting lineup were to change, what would be the most likely shift?— Kyle Anderson stepping into a bigger role since returning from early season back spasmsSign 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 for a live show at Falling Knife Brewing Company. Before taking questions from listeners in the taproom, Dane and Jace spend the beginning of the episode taking stock of the first eight games of the Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert pairing. Topics include:— The lacking effectiveness of the Towns-Gobert pairing on the offensive side of the floor— The relative effectiveness of the Towns-Gobert pairing on the defensive side of the floor— How long into the season until we can say the Wolves have “figured out” the Towns-Gobert pairing?— Listener questions— Do the Wolves need another perimeter defender outside of Jaden McDaniels— Where would the Wolves be if they never made the Gobert trade?— How can the Wolves get more out of D’Angelo Russell?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 to recap Tuesday night’s Wolves loss against the Phoenix Suns. The conversation starts by digging into why the Wolves’ second unit has been producing at a higher level than the starters thus far, and how that is indicative of where this team needs to grow. Additional topics include:— 1st unit versus 2nd unit chemistry— The funk D’Angelo Russell is currently in— Needing to involve Karl-Anthony Towns in the offense more and in different ways— What’s going on with Rudy Gobert? How healthy is he?— Anthony Edwards not having space to dunk— Naz Reid— How Phoenix attacked the Wolves defensively presents concerns about how this Wolves roster might be picked at in a playoff seriesSign 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 of MinnPost to discuss Britt’s most recent column. A column that highlights what has and has not worked in the first seven games of the season for the Wolves and offers up potential tweaks that Chris Finch may lean into in these next seven games, as the quality of opponent is likely to ramp up. Topics include...— Assessing the team through the “easy” portion of the schedule— Where there are grounds for optimism when assessing the Wolves play in October— Long-term defensive concerns despite currently ranking 4th in defensive efficiency— Adding focus to unlocking D’Angelo Russell, deemphasizing the focus on unlocking Rudy Gobert on offense— Is this Wolves team a “play up” or “play down” to their competition team?— What sort of difference would it make if the Wolves started taking and making more 3s— Looking into the Phoenix matchupSign 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 of the Star Tribune to discuss the Wolves win over the Lakers on Friday and the loss to the Spurs on Sunday night. Dane and Chris get into what early trends of the season are starting to solidify — from the Naz Reid unit consistently cooking to the defensive issues on the perimeter and on the glass remaining persistent. Topics today include...— The first unit struggling to maintain a flow throughout the course of an entire game— A lack of defensive physicality leading to half-measure, like zone and switching, becoming a staple of the Wolves early season defense— What drove KAT’s first big offensive performance— Similarities and differences between this season and when the Wolves started 4-9 a season ago— Finch feeling an over-reliance on pick and roll, even though the Wolves have not been a high volume pick and roll team thus far— Will the Wolves “play up to the competition” this week against the Suns and the Bucks?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 starts the show with a film review of Jaden McDaniels and then brings in Kyle Theige to help recap what stood out from the Wolves bounce-back win over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night. Specific topics include:— How involving McDaniels in the offensive flow seemingly improves his defensive output— Jaylen Nowell’s path from second round pick to microwave bench scorer, and having his name chanted at Target Center— Better ball movement leading to a night and day difference in offensive effectiveness— Zero offensive rebounds a “fair trade” for improved transition defense— The Lakers coming to town— Amidst a rocky start to the season, Karl-Anthony Towns’ passing has improved, specifically against double teamsSign 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 discuss the topic of the Wolves energy and effort, and how much the absences of Patrick Beverley and Jarred Vanderbilt might be contributing to the current voids in those areas— Without Pat Bev and Vando, where should that energy and effort be coming from on this roster?— Expecting the effort and engagement to change in the rematch against the Spurs and against the Lakers on Friday— Who will the juice come from in the starting lineup?— If nothing changes the rest of the week, how concerned should we be?— Kyle Anderson and Austin Rivers are functionally the Vando and Pat Bev replacements. So are we underrating their absences?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 of MinnPost to discuss Britt’s column on the Wolves’ underwhelming start to the season. The first four games of the season have left a lot to be desired from this new-look Wolves, so Dane and Britt try and dig into where those desires lie — and to try and figure out how rectifiable those issues are. Topics for today’s episode include:— How Finch has chosen to structure the Wolves, and where they might benefit from more structure— KAT’s calls to “be great” not yet being answered— A lack of effort showing up in transition defense and on the defensive glass— Where Ant and DLo could add juice to both the offense and defense— How long will it take to break bad habits?— Missing McDaniels’ glue— Gobert’s leadership role— The Wolves playing zone as a fallback plan for the defense not being executed consistentlySign 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 of the Star Tribune to discuss what has transpired through the first three games of the season for the Timberwolves, and what stood out specifically in Sunday’s win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.Before Chris joins, the episode starts with a film review of Jaylen Nowell’s first three games of the season. Nowell’s role has changed this year, and because of that we are beginning to get a better idea of where Nowell helps most.After that, extending on the Nowell conversation, Dane and Chris get into the 5-man, small-ball lineup, that included Nowell, that won the game for the Wolves in the fourth quarter against Oklahoma City. The chemistry of that group stands out juxtaposed against the chemistry of the starters — and Dane and Chris discuss why that might be, including audio from Chris Finch and a few players who give their take on what is and is not working.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 to discuss the Wolves loss to the Utah Jazz on Friday night. The conversation focuses on what popped in this game and what ultimately fell flat. Along with commentary from Dane and Kyle, you will also hear audio clips from Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert in the locker room after the game.— Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell dictate the Wolves offense— Karl-Anthony Towns continues to struggle, but begins to come through in overtime— Will Towns be able to put weight back on during the season or will he need to learn to play in this version of his body— How much will the size of opponents this season dictate whether it is KAT and Rudy game versus an Ant and DLo game?— What might transpire in Sunday’s game against the Thunder and Monday’s game against the SpursSign 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 of MinnPost to recap the Wolves season opener. They discuss what they took in at Target Center on Wednesday and play clips of sound from the locker room after the game. The conversation moves through, for the most part, player-by-player in the starting and then gets into what the rotation and the bench looked like while sprinkled in to the starter mix. Topics include:— Gobert’s singular presence immediately driving winning, though in a slightly different manner than the way he drove winning in Utah— Towns figuring out a balance offensively in a new roster construct— Analyzing the difference in the KAT + Gobert minutes versus the KAT or Gobert solo minutes— McDaniels shines, and why it didn’t feel like a flash in the pan— Edwards and Russell leading the offense from the perimeter— What the bench and rotations looked likeSign 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 discuss what they are looking for in the season opener against Oklahoma City. But to start the episode, the focus is on the often overlooked Jordan McLaughlin. Jace shares what he learned when writing his preseason feature story on McLaughlin.— The NBA moving away from traditional point guards— If DLo were to eventually depart, could McLaughlin take on a bigger role?— The stats for and against McLaughlin— How does the starting 5 look in the opener and how much do they play together?— Will the Wolves be able to punish the Thunder’s lack of size?— How we think the Thunder will try to match up with the Wolves 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 Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic live at Forgotten Star Brew Company to preview the Timberwolves season by looking at how the Wolves season might break right and how it could break wrong. And then they take listener questions.— How the season breaks right: Towns defends, DLo is Brooklyn DLo, Ant makes the leap, Gobert proves to be underutilized in Utah— How the season breaks wrong: Loaded Western Conference, Ant has too much on his shoulders, KAT and Gobert missing training camp proves costly, Gobert ruffles feathers, McDaniels continues to struggle with foul trouble— A potential DLo extension— The national media perception of the Wolves— Much more 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 join by Timberwolves beat writer Chris Hine of The Star Tribune to preview Anthony Edwards’ season by discussing the feature Chris wrote on Edwards in Sunday’s paper. From there, the conversation moves to a discussion about the first look at the Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert pairing in Friday’s final preseason game against the Brooklyn Nets.— Why Edwards wanted to add weight in the offseason— Where will Edwards’ offseason work translate to the court this season— A look at the inefficient elements of Edwards’ game a year ago— What stood out in the first look of KAT-Gobert— Why the surrounding pieces also need to adjust to the new structure of the roster, now that Gobert is in the mixSign 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 go through the Wolves bench and give a “stock up” or “stock down” grade. The roles most open for change entering training camp were on the bench, meaning a preseason that exceeded expectations or underwhelmed could have shifted the bench pecking order entering the season. Dane and Kyle dig into where those shifts may have happened. 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 of MinnPost to react to the Wolves fourth preseason win, this time again over the Los Angeles Lakers. Naz Reid! Then, Dane and Britt try to zoom out by looking at John Hollinger from The Athletic’s Timberwolves season preview — so as to parse what elements they agree with and also the parts that were maybe a little too black and white. Topics include:— Naz Reid’s serious preseason splash— Almost every player who has played in preseason consistently producing— Hollinger’s idea of the Rudy Gobert trade being a bet on Karl-Anthony Towns’s prime rather than Anthony Edwards’s prime— A no-longer-immediate reaction to the Gobert trade, and how Tim Connelly made sense of this move— The role ownership played in making the team immediately competitive, and what the motivations of that might be— Another look at how the Gobert trade boosts D’Angelo Russell’s value, on the court and with the salary cap— Disagreeing with the idea that this Wolves roster lacks depthSign 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 discuss the top of “things that could swing the Wolves season — for better or worse”. Dane and Jace each put together a list of five seemingly smaller things that could have a profound impact on how this Wolves season plays out, ranging from individual players, concept execution and even coaching. Some topics include:— The level of defender Anthony Edwards proves to be in a new concept— How health impacts a team that ran pretty well in the health category last season— Chris Finch as a tactician— Kyle Anderson’s ability to guard different types of bigs— Rudy Gobert’s ability to punish small players on switches— The impact of Bryn Forbes’ shooting— Much more 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 of The Star Tribune to discuss Karl-Anthony Towns making his preseason debut on Sunday evening against Los Angeles Clippers. KAT’s debut takes a lot of the focus, but we also get into Naz Reid stringing together a few strong preseason performances and Bryn Forbes’ shooting standing out as a clear training camp. positive.— Tweaks to KAT’s style of play we noticed in seeing him for the first time down weight— Finch switching up defensive coverages by half with KAT (drop vs. high wall)— Naz Reid making a case to be in the rotation, and standing out in what we typically think of as the Jarred Vanderbilt role on offense— Forbes really seems to fit— Have we changed our Nowell/Rivers/Forbes backup guard pecking order?— The Clippers present an interesting regular season/playoff matchup for 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 in Las Vegas by Kyle Theige. Dane and Kyle spent the day in Las Vegas watching the Wolves victory over the Los Angeles Lakers but also had the chance to watch Rudy Gobert’s fellow frenchmen, Victor Wembanyama, play in front of an American audience for the first time.This episode format is a little different than what we’ve done before. It’s an episode full of audio clips from Chris Finch and Wolves players. The goal was to try and capture how this Wolves group is coming together now two weeks into training camp. You’ll hear audio from the locker room from Rudy Gobert, Anthony Edwards, Austin Rivers and Chris Finch, along with some audio from the projected No. 1 overall pick about his relationship with 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 is joined by Jace Frederick of the St. Paul Pioneer Press to give their takeaways from the Wolves preseason opener in Miami on Tuesday night. In a game that Karl-Anthony Towns Rudy Gobert and D’Angelo Russell all sat out, what stood out from the players who did play and got the chance to take on a bigger role?— Anthony Edwards functioning as the point guard in DLo’s absence— Jaylen Nowell getting the start and looking like the most talented bench guard on the roster— Naz Reid and Nate Knight get the chance to play significant minutes in Towns and Gobert’s absence— A commitment to the “high wall” concept with Gobert not playing— Kyle Anderson and Taurean Prince showcase the skills that could make them valuable 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 live at Falling Knife Brewing Co. to discuss the Timberwolves season ahead and to take questions from the attendees of the live show. The conversation ranges from our growing understanding of the Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert dynamic to pressing questions that linger about the season ahead.— What have we learned about the KAT-Gobert dynamic in the first week of training camp in spite of the absence of Towns— Who replaces the Patrick Beverley and Jarred Vanderbilt leadership by fire role?— What player on the current roster is most likely to make a Vanderbilt-like leap from last season?— What player currently on the roster is most likely to not make the regular season roster?— Many more questions from listenersSign 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 of The Star Tribune to discuss Karl-Anthony Towns joining Timberwolves training camp on Monday after missing the first week of camp with an illness. Then, with the Wolves set to play the Miami Heat on Tuesday and the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, Dane and Chris get into what they’ll be looking for in the first week of preseason games.— Does Karl-Anthony Towns play?— Jaden McDaniels against real competition— Rotation hints— What they show schematically on defense— How does Ant gaining 10 pounds this offseason show up in his game?— MoreSign 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 give ten bold predictions for the upcoming season. Five picks each that go out on a limb, ranging from players getting traded to players setting single-season franchise records.— D’Angelo Russell contract extension?— Will Naz Reid be on the team all season?— Will the franchise’s single-season 3-point or block record be broken this year?— What are Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert’s odds of making All-NBA?— An unexpected player inserting themselves into an important bench role— Chris Finch as Coach of the Year? 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 of MinnPost to discuss takeaways from the Wolves’ first week of training — ranging from Media Day into the weekend prior to Tuesday’s preseason opener. The final practice of the week on Thursday was the most telling. So Dane and Britt focus on what Micah Nori had to say to the media about the Wolves’ defensive concept changes this season, what Kyle Anderson had to say about acclimating himself into a new roster, and what Anthony Edwards had to say about adding muscle mass this summer and his All-Defensive Team aspirations this season. A lot of discussion about the defensive concept as that comes further and further into focus, along with talk about our growing understanding of how the rotation might play out.Sign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/DaneTry out Land & Lore’s men’s skincare line at Land-Lore.com, and use the promo code “DaneNBA” for 15% off at checkout. 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 St. Paul Pioneer Press. The episode begins with Dane putting together the first breadcrumbs of what we can expect from the Timberwolves defense this season, with audio from Chris Finch and Rudy Gobert. Then, Jace joins to discuss Day Two of training camp, focusing on how the Wolves’ bench might shake out — specifically focused on Jaylen Nowell’s role. From there, Dane in Jace get into the upside of this roster, listing three key factors that would need to click for the Wolves to be a 55- to 60-win team this season. What is the Wolves’ path to taking Phoenix Suns-level leap? 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 share their immediate reactions from 2022-23 Minnesota Timberwolves Media Day. In addition to both Tim Connelly and Chris Finch, fifteen players spoke at Media Day, so Dane and Kyle parse out the most telling comments made from Monday’s media availability. Today’s topics include:— Tim Connelly’s long-term view of the current roster.— D’Angelo Russell’s role during a contract year.— Easing Rudy Gobert into his new situation.— Candid comments from a handful of new acquisitions (most notably Austin Rivers, Kyle Anderson, and Eric Paschall).Sign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/DaneTry out Land & Lore’s men’s skincare line at Land-Lore.com, and use the promo code “DaneNBA” for 15% off at checkout. 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 set the scene for Timberwolves training camp, which is set to start next Monday. Topics today include...— Running through the 20 players under contract for training camp— Discussing the potential for players to be cut/waived in favor of a player on a two-way contract or training camp deal— Players in contract years— Recapping how the Wolves’s coaching staff and front office evolved over the summer— The players we’re most excited to hear from at Media DaySign 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 of MinnPost to discuss Britt’s recent Q+A with Chris Finch. Britt and Finch hit on many, many topics in their 70-minute conversation, so Dane and Britt try to highlight telling takeaways. Essentially, this is an episode of peeling apart the layers of what Finch told Britt so as to be able to find breadcrumbs that could help forecast the season ahead. Here were a few of the major topics covered...— Finch’s hints at how the Karl-Anthony Towns Rudy Gobert fit will mesh, both on offense and defense— What is lost by letting Patrick Beverley and Jarred Vanderbilt go, and how their roles can be replicated— Finch on how the new roster construction impacts D’Angelo Russell— The ways Finch wants to further unlock Anthony Edwards— Finch’s thoughts on new roles for the role playersSign up today for a 14-day free trial of Aura’s digital security at Aura.com/DaneTry out Land & Lore’s men’s skincare line at Land-Lore.com, and use the promo code “DaneNBA” for 15% off at checkout 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.