The Dane Moore NBA Podcast

On today’s show, we react to the Wolves’ win over the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night, fueled by 39 points from Karl-Anthony Towns, and played without Anthony Edwards. The Wolves have now come out of the All Star break with three wins in four games against a tough schedule. Things are clicking into place for KAT and DLo after the break, and the bench group has effectively been waiting in the wings.— KAT goes off for 39 points in a higher usage role in Ant’s absence— DLo is getting to the rim and play his best brand of offense since the All Star break— The value of the Chris Paul rip through from DLo— Jordan McLaughlin’s evolving role and growing effectiveness as the season goes on— Malik Beasley shooting 48% from 3 over the past month on crazy volume— An Anthony Edwards injury update 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, we discuss the Wolves going into Cleveland and handling the Cavs size, unlike the last time these two teams matched up. A crunch time 3 by Karl-Anthony Towns triggered by D’Angelo Russell, Patrick Beverley guarding 7-footers, the bench kick-starting the offense and Jaden McDaniels leveling carry the conversation today.— Beating the Cavs (without Darius Garland and Caris LeVert) was going to be about managing the bigs— Patrick Beverley checking Lauri Markkanen— How KAT’s game-winner was a product of KAT and DLo slowly learning how to play together in late-game situations— The Bench Five providing a much-needed spark in the second quarter that got the starters going in the third quarter— Jaden McDaniels clearly leveling up over the past month, and how foul trouble still plagues his rhythm 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, we dig into the Wolves’ 31-point loss to the Sixers on Friday night that highlighted some concerning trends. Including the Wolves starting five plummeting over the past two months, Karl-Anthony Towns being guarded by a small with a lurking double team, and Anthony Edwards’ continued funk.— The starting five going from being the Wolves’ greatest strength in the first half of the season to a glaring weakness over these past two months— The Sixers guard KAT Utah-style, with Embiid lurking a la Gobert, and why that’s a red flag come playoffs— Jarred Vanderbilt benched in second half— Anthony Edwards’ funk continues, but some signs of life in the third quarter— Seeing Malik Beasley’s value to the second unit in his absence tonight due to a non-COVID illness 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, the Wolves come back from the All Star break with a win over a Memphis Grizzlies team that they could see again in the playoffs. It was a D’Angelo Russell takeover game, so we get into how some of the tweaks to his game this season helped fuel his 23-point fourth quarter. We also hit on the Wolves again just getting destroyed on the glass. And also touch on Anthony Edwards guarding Ja Morant tonight and Ant’s bizarre defensive evolution this season.— Why the Wolves matchup well with the Grizzlies— DLo’s 4th quarter takeover, and how he is attacking pick and roll differently this season— A Wolves roster that was built to fail on the defensive glass— Anthony Edwards guarding Ja Morant, and how he seems to be embracing on-ball defense more than off-ball defense lately 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 feature story on Chris Finch’s lead assistant in Minnesota Micah Nori, and the impact coaching has had on the Wolves exceeding expectations thus far this season. From there, Dane and Britt discuss coaching tweaks we might see from the Wolves in the post-All Star break portion of the season. Topics today include:— Micah Nori’s background as a lifer in the NBA coaching world— The Chris Finch and Nori working relationship— What coaching tweaks we might see from the Wolves in the post-All Star portion of the season— Checking in on the success of the Wolves’ previously dominant starting 5— The areas D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns have found success defensively— Looking ahead to a Memphis matchup out of the break, and to a difficult schedule that will come to define where the Wolves stand in the playoff race 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 the Timberwolves at the All Star break. Dane and Britt discuss the Wolves winding road to a 31-28 record entering the break and discuss where Chris Finch can make tweaks on the margins to re-establish the team’s identity for the final 23 games of the season. Topics today include:— Jaden McDaniels’ recent ascension and Finch’s unrelenting belief in him— The evolution of KAT’s game, and the similarities and differences to his game compared to Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo— How the Wolves dual-window timeline has reset after the Patrick Beverley extension— What type of tweaks might we see from Finch post-All Star?— Who will and will not be in the Wolves’ playoff rotation? 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, we take stock of where the Wolves sit after losing the final game before the All Star break — their bizarre path to being a top-10 offense and above-average defense 59 games into the season. We also focus this episode on the similarities between Chris Finch and Nick Nurse, and the striking likeness of the Wolves and Raptors’s statistical profiles this season.— If Chris Finch is Nick Nurse 2.0, what impact does that have on winning?— Why the Raptors might be the team most stylistically similar to the Wolves in the league right now— Why the Wolves are adding to their defensive coverage portfolio and what impact those additions might be having on the defensive drop-off this past month— The Wolves shooting woes these past few games, and wondering if there are tweaks that Beasley and McDaniels can make to their shot selection— Inconsistency from DLo and Ant of late 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, we get into Karl-Anthony Towns taking over late in the fourth quarter and overtime in a win against the Charlotte Hornets, we talk about Jaden McDaniels stepping up once Anthony Edwards went down with an ankle injury, and we break down the one-year, $13 million extension Patrick Beverley agreed to on Monday night.— KAT takes over late by getting back to firing from deep— McDaniels stepping into a bigger role once Edwards went down, and why McDaniels is becoming an ideal fit as the 6th man of the future for this Timberwolves team— The Patrick Beverley extension— How the Pat Bev extension draws a clearer line in the sand for the next windows for the Wolves— D’Angelo Russell calls out Wolves fans, and they answer with the best environment at Target Center of the season 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 Matt Moore of The Action Network to discuss where the Timberwolves stand entering the All Star break. We have a conversation about why Matt was bullish on the Wolves this season dating back to the summer. And then Matt is based in Denver, having seen the Nuggets defensive progression first-hand, we discuss how switching defensive schemes to playing Nikola Jokic at the level has made all the difference for them — and also led to annual fatigue-fueled drop-offs in the defense (similar to the Wolves current defensive swoon).— Why the Wolves over (34.5 wins) was a smart bet going back to the summer— How the Wolves have switched defensive schemes with KAT this season, similar to the shift the Nuggets made with Jokic a few years back— The need for a diversity of defensive coverages come playoffs— Will the Wolves defense bounce back?— Will the Wolves finish ahead of Dallas and/or Denver in the Western Conference by season’s end?— Do we think KAT will make All-NBA this season (making him eligible to sign a 4-year $200M extension this summer)? 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, we finally hit on the topic that his been brushed under the rug for the past month: The Wolves’ defense completely falling apart. While the Wolves have had the No. 1 offense in the NBA over the past six weeks, the dirty little secret is that the defense has been almost as bad as the offense has been good. So on today’s we dig into how the Wolves feel like they are coming to grips with that reality, and understanding it is something that needs to change.— Another brutal defensive (+ good offensive!) performance against the Bulls— Needing to find some defensive identity, even if it isn’t the old identity— The importance of having Patrick Beverley and Jarred Vanderbilt healthy to reignite the defense— The latest evolution of KAT’s offensive game, and how it’s become more reminiscent of Giannis Antetokounmpo than it is of KAT’s old self 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, Britt Robson of MinnPost joins the show to discuss the Timberwolves standing pat at the trade deadline, and the rationale for and against taking that strategy. We also look forward at the rest of the season, discussing where this Wolves might go in the final 27 games of the season. Topics today include:— The decision to stand pat, prioritizing continuity, over making tweaks to the end of the rotation— What trading for a backup center would have provided, and whether or not that can still be addressed in the buyout market— The confusing discourse surround Anthony Edwards knee injury— Jarred Vanderbilt and the Wolves running into physical fatigue in the second half of the season— The likelihood of the Wolves grabbing the 6-seed, and how Dallas’ trade deadline impacts that— The Ben Simmons for James Harden trade 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, after a Wolves loss in Sacramento, we focus on the new details that have come up regarding Anthony Edwards’ knee injury, and also get into what the Wolves’ gameplan for the Thursday trade deadline might be. With the news about the knee andthe immediate relevance of the trade deadline, we hit on the game itself less than typical postgame episodes. Topics today include:— Anthony Edwards opens up about his knee injury and provides context as to how the knee has impacted his player over the last month and a half— Edwards’ decision to not rest the knee— The differing perspectives of Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell on how to approach talking about the knee injury publicly— What needs the Wolves still have going into the deadline— Dane’s prediction for what happens at the deadline versus Dane’s opinion on what he would like to see happen 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, we react to the Wolves fifth consecutive win and 13th win in their past 18 games — a win over the short-handed Kings in the first half of a mid-week back-to-back in Sacramento. In tonight’s win, the story again was the Wolves bench leading the way. Topics today include:— Jordan McLaughlin’s massive impact since being reinserted into the Wolves’ rotation, and Finch calling him the MVP of late— The shooting 180s from Taurean Prince, Jaden McDaniels and Malik Beasley— How Beasley’s new role this season has spiked his 3-point volume to Steph Curry-level heights— Karl-Anthony Towns’ consistent play and emotions since returning from COVID— Anthony Edwards’ worst game of the season, and what is behind his recent struggles (looking at physical fatigue of the knees versus mental fatigue of a long season) 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 Brenden Nunes of The Sacramento Bee to discuss how the Timberwolves and Sacramento Kings might be able to work together as trade partners as the deadline approaches, and also how the Wolves and Kings matchup as they are set to play each other twice this week. Topics include:— What are the Kings going to do at the deadline?— Which of the Kings many bigs make the most sense for the Wolves to acquire?— Do Malik Beasley or Naz Reid intrigue Sacramento as players they might want to trade for— Previewing the two-game matchup against the Kings— How Tyrese Halliburton and Davion Mitchell have been thriving in the absence of De’Aaron Fox— Are the Kings better or worse than their 26th ranked net rating suggests?— How Sacramento might matchup with KAT, Ant and DLo 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, we react to the return of D’Angelo Russell to the lineup and the Timberwolves’ 4th win in a row. We get into the impact and ripple effect of DLo returning to a team, and specifically bench, that has been rolling lately. Topics today include:— Jaden McDaniels playing the best basketball of his career, and the tricky environment he’s developed through in Minnesota.— The return of D’Angelo Russell, and the return of an 11-man rotation for Chris Finch— Jordan McLaughlin an DLo both playing, and playing together. Eye test versus numbers.— Malik Beasley’s shooting bouncing back, and what’s gone into that over the past few weeks— Patrick Beverley sparking energy on a Sunday afternoon that desperately craved energy— The Wolves being three games over .500 for the first time since 2019 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, we react to Karl-Anthony Towns being named an All Star and the Wolves third win in a row. Outside of breaking down why this is KAT’s best season of his career, we get to Anthony Edwards ordering McDonalds, Taurean Prince’s shooting changing the Wolves trade deadline outlook, and what the return of D’Angelo Russell might entail.— The context behind the stats that make KAT a no-brainer All Star this season— How using KAT in a different way on defense this season is changing his perception as a player— Ant drops 25 and orders McDonalds— Prince up to 39% from deep on the season, and how that has changed the rotation and might change the Wolves’ priorities at the trade deadline— Ant, KAT and Pat Bev all get technicals in the first half against physical Detroit 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, Britt Robson of MinnPost joins to discuss the Timberwolves evolution in the month of January to becoming a team with an offensive identity, in addition to their previously established defensive identity. We also discuss the case for and against making moves at the trade deadline. And then finally get to the upcoming schedule — that is easier than the past month, but may feature healthier teams.— How Chris Finch has developed an offensive identity for the Wolves— Where the numbers attribute the Wolves offensive growth this month— The trade deadline and the case for the status quo (Britt’s case) and making adjustments on the margins (Dane’s case)— Britt goes off on the TNT crew— An upcoming schedule of four games against Detroit and Sacramento, who are bad, but also getting back to full-health 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, we discuss the Wolves thorough thrashing of the Denver Nuggets, led by Taurean Prince and the Wolves’ Bench 5. We also get into the changes Chris Finch has made, specifically with Jarred Vanderbilt, that have led the Wolves to have the Number One offense in the NBA over the past month. Outside of that game, we also look at how Anthony Edwards has a case to be one of the final All Stars in the Western Conference. Topics today include:— The Wolves Bench 5 Thriving Lately— How the Wolves went from the No. 26 halfcourt offense for the first two months of the season to the No. 1 halfcourt offense this past month— Anthony Edwards’ All Star Case, and how Andrew Wiggins might be in the way— The similarities and differences between the defensive changes Chris Finch installed in Minnesota and the schematic changes Michael Malone installed in Denver (audio from Malone on the topic included) 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, we react to the Wolves’ 20-point victory over the Utah Jazz on Sunday night, fueled by a Karl-Anthony Towns triple-double and season-high from Jaden McDaniels in a different role. In a game without D’Angelo Russell and Patrick Beverley for the Wolves and without Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell for the Jazz, our topics today include:— How KAT picked apart the Utah defense at all three levels, and in different ways, in a triple-double performance— McDaniels stepping into an Aaron Gordon-like role next to KAT’s Nikola Jokic— Jordan McLaughlin and Malik Beasley get the start without DLo and Pat Bev, and their roles potentially shifting after the trade deadline— How each player of the Wolves’ Big 3 is playing this year when two of the three are off the floor 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, we react to the Wolves 10-point loss in Phoenix on Friday night, and pose the question of whether the Suns or Warriors would be a better first round playoff matchup for the Wolves. We also take a look at Anthony Edwards playing point guard — as we saw Friday with both D’Angelo Russell and Patrick Beverley out of the lineup. And finally we discuss the proposition of trading Taurean Prince at the trade deadline. Topics today include:— Point Ant: discussing how Anthony Edwards faired playing point guard with DLo and Pat Bev out— The Wolves’ defense again craters made 3s— Would the Warriors or Suns be a better first round playoff matchup for the Wolves?— The pros and cons of trading Taurean Prince at the February trade deadline 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, we react to the Wolves losing D’Angelo Russell to injury and losing to the Golden State Warriors on national tv — in a game where Karl-Anthony Towns and Jarred Vanderbilt did their thing but the Wolves’ shooter did not. Topics for today’s show include:— KAT opting to use finesse rather than force in the post against Golden State, and why the hope is that the memory of this game and how KAT found success sticks with him— Losing DLo and losing the game because the 3-point shooting and 3-point defense was not there— The Malik Beasley predicament, and why there isn’t an obvious adjustment to be made at the trade deadline— Why it is not irresponsible to compare Jarred Vanderbilt’s game to Dennis Rodman’s game back in the 90s 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, Britt Robson of MinnPost joins to discuss his most-recent column on the ascension of Anthony Edwards, highlighted by Edwards’ 40-point explosion on Tuesday evening against Portland. We discuss Edwards’ growing ceiling and how the nature of his ceiling is different than Kevin Garnett’s was and different than Karl-Anthony Towns’ is, in part due to the position that Edwards plays. The list of topics today include:— Edwards reaching a new level as he further prioritizes attacking the basket while his 3-point shooting numbers also tick up drastically— KAT staring in his role of late but being a limited offensive option, and why that too needs to evolve— The upcoming Golden State, Phoenix, Utah schedule gauntlet— Chris Finch continuing to effectively tinker with both the style of play and who is playing 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, Kyle Theige of CanisHoopus joins from Portland to discuss Anthony Edwards' 40-point night against the Blazers that pushed the Wolves over-.500 for the season. Dane and Kyle discuss Edwards hitting another level, the growing chemistry between the Wolves' Big 3, both on and off the court, and what it is going to take from Karl-Anthony Towns and the rest of the Wolves to stay on this run as they face an upcoming gauntlet of a schedule. 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, after the Wolves knocked of the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday night, we discuss what has driven the Wolves to be the number one offense in the NBA over the past three weeks. We focus on what changed during that stretch of COVID protocol games and how D’Angelo Russell has been the face of this latest team-wide offensive boomlet. Topics today include:— No. 1 offense in NBA since January 3rd— How DLo’s play has been representative of the offensive burst — shooting, passing, playing with pace— Being able to have a dominant offensive performance on a slow night for Karl-Anthony Towns— How a team meeting helped lock the Wolves roster into specific roles player-by-player— Why it’s important that the defense, which has dipped lately, rejoins the party for the Wolves’ upcoming road trip 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, Britt Robson of MinnPost joins to discuss his most recent column on the chaos that transpired in Wednesday’s loss to Atlanta and how he feels Karl-Anthony Towns is unfairly being held accountable for career-long transgressions with the refs. We also move on from the Atlanta game to hit on a series of other topics, that include:— The chaotic Atlanta game, focusing on the interactions of KAT and Anthony Edwards with the refs— Amidst the chaos, the Wolves winning five of their last games (the post-COVID period)— How blended lineups, and specifically Jaylen Nowell, is lessening the burden on the Wolves’ starting 5— What Wolves rotation player is most likely to be traded at the deadline, and for what?— Patrick Beverley’s value as a leader, in which Britt compares to Kevin Garnett, and what Beverley’s future in Minnesota might look like— Looking ahead to the Brooklyn matchup— Our NBA Finals picks at the halfway point of the season 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, we breakdown the chaos in Atlanta on Wednesday that surrounded Anthony Edwards’ ejection and the weird technical foul that became a technical and a flagrant(?) on Karl-Anthony Towns. We discuss the Wolves on-going battle with referees and the role KAT plays in navigating that fine line. We also discuss Patrick Beverley’s ankle injury suffered in the first half and what his long-term future with the Wolves in Minnesota might look like. Trae Young scoring 30 in the second half also comes up.— The Ant ejection— Trying to distinguish what went into KAT not only being called for a technical but also a flagrant foul at the end of the 3rd quarter.— The Wolves on-going battle with the referees and KAT navigating what DLo called a “fine line”— Beverley’s ankle injury and a season of a few nagging ailments, and looking at the proposition of signing Beverley long-term this summer— How Trae exploited the Wolves defensive coverages in a way only he really can 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, we get into what went into the Wolves taking down the Knicks in New York without any player scoring over 21 points. Another strong performance from the bench, and specifically Jaylen Nowell, who took over the game in the 4th and set up Karl-Anthony Towns for the finishing move on Julius Randle. Topics today include:— Being the rare Wolves team that can execute a game down the stretch, and how depth and positional versatility is allowing Chris Finch to get creative with lineup combinations— Nowell, becoming the face of the Wolves bench, taking over in the 4th quarter on Tuesday, unlocking KAT for the game-winner— Looking at the heavy load of minutes that Anthony Edwards is playing next to KAT, and acknowledging how important D’Angelo Russell has been to unlocking the two franchise tentpoles 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, we dig into what fueled the Wolves 20-point win over the Golden State Warriors on Sunday night and take some time, now three years later, to take another look back at the D’Angelo Russell for Andrew Wiggins swap. It’s an episode with a heavy focus on Karl-Anthony Towns — both in his impact tonight and potential for future impact in his pairing with DLo in the pick and roll. Today’s topics include:— KAT keeps his head, shutting down the Warriors offense at the rime and driving the Wolves offense— Checking in on the KAT-DLo pick and roll pairing, asking if we might see more of that action in the second half of the season— Wolves’ bench sparks a dominant second half— Looking back at the many factors that played into the DLo-for-Wiggins trade three years ago 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, we breakdown what went wrong in the Wolves loss on the road in Memphis on Thursday night. Getting into why the Grizzlies are actually a good matchup for the Wolves, and how the Wolves took advantage of how they matchup in the first half but got away from it in the second half. Other topics today include:— How using Karl-Anthony Towns as a spacer freed up Anthony Edwards to score 25 points in the first half, and how things changed in the second half— The nature of the Wolves’ Big 3 passing the baton offensively between KAT, Ant and DLo— KAT’s overwhelming offensive foul numbers this season, and how that’s cutting into his impact on winning— DLo’s hot shooting of late, and how he has changed his mental approach to offense after starting the year slow on that end 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 that takes stock of where the Timberwolves now stand at the halfway point of the season and looks ahead to the looming trade deadline in February. Topics discussed include:— How this Wolves team has proven to be the opposite of what we expected in terms of offensive and defensive effectiveness— Reacting to what went wrong in a New Orleans game that did not effectively bring the energy or tap into the Wolves’ typical identity— KAT’s postgame commentary on needing to “not listen to the media”— Looking ahead to a critical trade deadline, making the case for specific moves and not being afraid to stand pat— How an ownership group that may want to make a splash could influence the trade deadline— The significance of the Timberwolves hiring Marquise Watts as their new Chief Experience Officer 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, we react to the Timberwolves road loss to the Pelicans on Thursday night that brought them down to 20-21 at the halfway point of the season. A game where the Wolves reminded us that while they have upside that their margin for error is thin. Topics today include:— Coming out flat in the first half in New Orleans— Running through what transpired in the five minutes that led up to the Brandon Ingram buzzer beater— Ant having a big 4th quarter (20 points) but another low-energy start to the game— How this team has the same record at the halfway point of the season as the 2018-19 Wolves team did; a team who fired their coach 40 games into the season— The importance of the upcoming stretch against Memphis, Golden State, New York and Atlanta 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, we breakdown the Timberwolves fourth consecutive win — a win on the road against the Houston, fueled by a career-high in points and rebounds for Jarred Vanderbilt, who keeps expanding his offensive game. We also discuss Karl-Anthony Towns’ biggest scoring night of the season thus far, and how it feels like the Wolves have clearly taken themselves to a level well beyond the riff-raff of the bottom of the Western Conference. Specific topics include:— Being able to bring the fire, even with Patrick Beverley out— How Jarred Vanderbilt’s 21 points tonight are the culmination of a trend that has show Vando’s offensive role grow— KAT’s 40-point night, and how the Wolves have began to position KAT in a way that fits better around Vanderbilt— How the COVID games helped lay a framework for an offense predicated on ball movement— Nowell, Beasley and Okogie contributing off the bench 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, we get into the Wolves third consecutive win — a win fueled by Anthony Edwards, D’Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns passing the torch quarter to quarter until Oklahoma City was buried. We also discuss the rare occurrence of a Wolves team that appears to have chemistry, and how that might change the way we look at the trade deadline. Topics today include:— The Big 3 combining for 70 points, sharing the load quarter by quarter— How a shooting uptick here from DLo could have a similar impact to the times we’ve seen KAT have extended stretches of good defense— A Wolves team with chemistry, and how that might change the way the trade deadline is pursued— Jaylen Nowell’s contract being guaranteed for the year, and the future contract options the Wolves have on him in terms of his upcoming free agency 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 on the Timberwolves having the most effective starting five in the NBA but still only having a record of 18-20. Dane and Britt discuss how the starting five alone can not carry the Wolves to the playoffs, and thus the need to effectively find lineups created out of bench players or blends of bench players and starters. Britt also raves about Patrick Beverley and Dane makes the case for and against Jarred Vanderbilt making an All-Defensive team. 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 pod, Dane is joined by Jace Frederick on the St. Paul Pioneer Press to discuss where the Timberwolves sit as they approach the halfway point of the season. Dane and Jace discuss:-- Is this just what this team is; a .500, up and down roller coaster squad?-- If things are to turn around in the second half, where is growth most likely to manifest?-- Raving about Jaylen Nowell-- Are you ready to build around KAT + DLo long-term? 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, we breakdown the return of Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell, and how it wasn’t there presence that drove a victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Lots of Anthony Edwards talk on this episode, comparing the second half of his rookie season to the first half of this season, and wondering what another second half surge to close the season would look like. Today’s topics include:— How the Wolves were able to win despite, as Ant said, “playing bad”— Why Ant remains the most intriguing and ambiguous variable of the second half of the season— Funky returns from KAT and DLo— Jaylen Nowell closing the game over DLo and potentially unlocking something in the halfcourt offense alongside KAT— Comparing what Nowell can do to what Malik Beasley has been doing 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, we discuss the Timberwolves drubbing of the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night, potentially the final game that the Wolves will play with players missing time due to COVID protocols. So we discuss what new variables have presented themselves while not playing at full strength, and how those pieces might fit into the Wolves rotation once Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell return.— Who should be in the 10-man rotation once KAT + DLo return?— How Anthony Edwards, Naz Reid, Jaylen Nowell and Jaden McDaniels have all shown something more these past few weeks— Patrick Beverley feeling under appreciated while he was with the Clippers, and how he has successfully added playmaking to his bag since coming to the Timberwolves— Naz Reid as a high volume pick and roll player— A winnable upcoming stretch against Oklahom City (twice), Houston and New Orleans 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 what has transpired in the two Wolves games since Christmas -- the win over the Celtics and loss to the Knicks. Dane and Britt discuss what from Jaden McDaniels recent play can sustain going forward and whether or not Jaylen Nowell and Nathan Knight are long-term pieces in the Wolves rotation. Then a conversation about what the rotation might look like once the roster is back to full strength. Jaylen Nowell vs. Malik Beasley; Nathan Knight vs. Naz Reid; etc 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, we discuss how the short-handed Timberwolves were able to knock off the Boston Celtics behind the force of Jaylen Nowell’s best game of his career and the out of nowhere presences of Greg Monroe and Nathan Knight. Topics today include:— Greg Monroe’s crazy path to Minnesota on Monday— Monroe operating as the hub of the Wolves offense in place of Karl-Anthony Towns and Naz Reid— Jaylen Nowell’s massive night, and why Nowell’s game is more similar to Anthony Edwards’ game than it is to D’Angelo Russell or Malik Beasley’s— How Nathan Knight’s jumper could unlock a spot for him in the Wolves’ long-term rotation— Jordan McLaughlin and the Wolves need for point guard play when DLo or Patrick Beverley sit— Not getting last year’s version of Malik Beasley 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, Britt Robson of MinnPost joins Dane to discuss how the Timberwolves have faired as COVID has begun to rip through the roster. Topics today include:— How disappointing of a loss was Tuesday’s game in Dallas?— Why the team’s identity falters without Patrick Beverley and Jarred Vanderbilt— Karl-Anthony Towns needing to shoot more, and specific ways they could go about utilizing him to find more shooting volume— D’Angelo Russell’s poor shooting night, and what Dallas did to make DLo’s offense harder to come by— Would you sign DLo to an extension right now? And if so, for how much?— Are there five coaches in the NBA you would rather have than Chris Finch?— Malik Beasley’s role this year, his production, and his trade value (or lack thereof) 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, we break down the Timberwolves fourth win a row and their path to a .500 record now 30 games into the season. Today’s topics inlcude:— The up and down path to the Wolves finding themselves at 15-15 30 games into the season, and wondering if this team has now installed bumpers that may prevent the bottom from falling out in other losing streaks— D’Angelo Russell calling this Wolves team one of the most dangerous in the league, and the role finding reliable to depth will play in making that a reality— A rematch against Dallas on Tuesday night (and an invitation to join Dane at the watch party for that game at Forgotten Star Brewery)— Jaylen Nowell playing the role of primary scorer in a bench role, and the freedom Chris Finch is giving Nowell to work with 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, we breakdown the Wolves second dominant performance over the Los Angeles Lakers and revel in Karl-Anthony Towns turning the corner over these last three games, following up a dominant performance over Nikola Jokic with a dominant performance over Anthony Davis. Topics today include:— Thinking about this Wolves team compared to the Jimmy-led Wolves team of 2017-18— KAT re-establishing himself as one of the league’s best big men— The difference in the Wolves offense when KAT is doubled versus when he is guarded with single coverage— Attempting to quantify the value of Jarred Vanderbilt and his similarities to Dennis Rodman— Jaylen Nowell playing a big role in the absence of Anthony Edwards— The level of respect Wolves players have for Chris Finch growing, and why establishing that common ground feels critical to Finch’s system working 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 Timberwolves back-to-back road wins against the Portland Trailblazers and Denver Nuggets, specifically how this Wolves teams is being fueled and who has been behind that fueling. Topics include:— A perhaps season-best performance against Denver on Wednesday— Anthony Edwards explodes for ten mades 3s— Why this is Britt’s favorite Wolves team since 2004— How KAT is being used from the elbow-extended midrange area more often, and how he found success there against Jokic— The Wolves starting lineups elite net-rating numbers when they all share the floor and the importance of finding a rotation that empowers the depth— How D’Angelo Russell is proving to be a leader in his own way— Ranking the Wolves best defenders this season 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 Adam Mares, Harrison Wind and Brendan Vogt of DNVR Sports to compare Nikola Jokic to Karl-Anthony Towns and to preview the Wolves-Nuggets matchup on Wednesday evening. (A different format on this episode, where Adam hosts the show and Dane serves as a guest, because this episode ran as a simulcast on the DNVR channel.) Topics include:— Jokic’s massive individual start to the season through adversity— Why teams are taking away KAT with double teams this season but haven’t been able to do the same against Jokic— How Jarred Vanderbilt and Patrick Beverley have become a perfect fit around the Wolves’ Big 3— How the Wolves have mirrored Denver’s defensive system this season— A preview of Wednesday’s matchup between the Wolves and the Nuggets 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 CanisHoopus in Portland after the Timberwolves win over the Blazers on Sunday night. Dane and Kyle discuss how the Big 3, for the first time this season, all came together down the stretch, in tandem, to pull the Wolves out of what was looking like a sixth consecutive loss. Topics include:-- The Return of DLo-- Jaylen Nowell making a mark-- Vanderbilt and Beverley clearly becoming the best fourth and fifth starters around the Big 3-- Reflecting on the season as a whole, and where they've come since the firing of the POBO right before the season began 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, we react not only to the Timberwolves 17-point loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, but also to Karl-Anthony Towns’ frustrated postgame rant about being done with losing. Topics include:— Is this Wolves team that started 11-10 different than the 2019-20 team that started that season 10-8?— Five game losing streak of not only losing but “getting spanked”— Why missed expectations are leading to frustration boiling over more than is typical— How Cleveland deployed the same tactic as the Washington Wizards for pummeling the Wolves on the interior, ripping out the soul of the Wolves defense— Why the Wolves defense keeps slipping, now out of the top-10 in defensive rating— Jordan McLaughlin and Leandro Bolmaro not providing what is needed at backup point guard, and why this might mean it’s time to elevate Jaylen Nowell in the pecking order 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, we discuss the Timberwolves 32-point loss to the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night and a flavorful postgame press conference — full of call outs of Rudy Gobert and what the Wolves need Karl-Anthony Towns to do on offense to be able to not have the offense stall out when he is double-teamed.— Anthony Edwards on why KAT needs to play more like Joel Embiid in post-up situations so as to be effective before the double-teams come— Why the lack of power forward options on the roster and floor-spacing are leading every team to guard KAT the same way— Patrick Beverley challenges Rudy Gobert— Gobert’s impact as not only a rim-protector but as someone who deters shots altogether— Beverley showcasing a complete package as an offensive player in Minnesota as not only a shooter but as a playmaker in the pick and roll 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 on what is wrong with the Timberwolves offense. Other topics include:-- The potential fit of Myles Turner if the Wolves were to trade for him-- A Patrick Beverley Extension-- Breaking the losing streak against a tough upcoming schedule-- Can the Wolves defense hold at its current level or are teams figuring out the new scheme?-- Using KAT in different/more impactful ways on offense-- Needing to find out if Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels are long-term pieces in Minnesota 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 reacts to the Atlanta Hawks scorching the short-handed Timberwolves with 25 made 3s in an 11-point victory. We talk injuries, the Hawks exploiting the Wolves defense, and the Wolves season-long epidemic of no one on the team outside of Karl-Anthony Towns being able to hit 3s at a high clip.— Playing without Patrick Beverley and D’Angelo Russell, and Leandro Bolmaro’s first career start— How Trae Young and the Hawks picked apart the Wolves defensive scheme— The Wolves season-long inability to have anyone on the roster other than KAT be able to hit 3s at a decent clip, and why they need Malik Beasley to fire up the Wolves 3-point offense— The books teams have decided on writing for how they will attack the Wolves offense and defense, and how the Wolves need to adjust 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, we react to the Timberwolves bruising at the hands of the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night. And as the Wolves cool off, we take a look at some of the underlying issues that have been brushed over during the Wolves hot run over the past few weeks. Topics include:— Why are the Wolves again a below-average 3-point shooting team? And why D’Angelo Russell’s shot coming around should open up the offense— Karl-Anthony Towns’ struggles in post-up situations this season, specifically focusing on how the Wizards dared KAT to post-up on Wednesday— How Washington found a different way to attack the Wolves aggressive defense— Jaylen Nowell finding time in the rotation and what his future in Minnesota might look like— Keeping a .500 pace as the schedule begins to get tougher 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.