Every team in the league has now suffered a losing streak this season. The Wolves were the last team to have yet to lose two games in a row. Until last night, with this setback against Zion Williamson's Pelicans which came two days after a defeat conceded at Madison Square Garden.
At the end of this meeting, which the Pelicans largely dominated in the second half, the main players were not alarmist. However, they are aware of going through their first turbulence of the season.
“ There are going to be many waves of obstacles. Adversity in the game, during the season. This is one more and we must remedy it. We haven't played with a lot of energy and determination since Sacramento. We weren't very sharp “, regrets Chris Finch, citing the pre-Christmas victory on the Kings floor. Since this match, his team has lost three times in five outings.
A good experience to take?
In last night's match, he believes that his players were not aggressive enough in defense against an opposing team who were very comfortable in their game, and without complexes. “ They went wherever they wanted with the ball. […] We talked about being more physical, about challenging (Zion) in the circle with several players and we were very reluctant to do it », Continues the coach, disappointed by this defensive treatment.
While Karl-Anthony Towns discusses a ” good experience » in progress, from which it will be necessary to take advantage, Chris Finch believes that his troupe must “ find despair » with which she played: “ We have to resolve this, find our physical dimension, our defense, our identity, which is to be more physical. »
“ We fear at the moment “, Anthony Edwards formula who, after losing six balls, says he wants to do better against two-man catches. He adds : ” We know what team we can be, we saw it at the start of the season. We have to get back to this level of play, it may take time but once we get there, it will be fine. »
Getting back to basics
And to get there, you just have to listen the list made by Rudy Gobert : “ Toughness, defense, selflessness and attention to detail. » The Wolves pivot calls for “ get back to basics. We could talk about a million things, but individually and collectively, we need to focus on the simple things we have to do. […] If we want to be a team that aims for the title, we must do it with consistency. These last few days, we haven't felt it. With success, you sometimes forget what allowed you to be there, we receive compliments from everyone, but that can soften you. »
The messages are passed within a team which retains its number one place in the West, with 24 victories for 9 defeats. But who only has a small victory ahead of the Thunder and the Nuggets.
The Pelicans themselves are not far behind them, at four games. “ They're a Top 10 team in the league, but we need to be much better “, thunders Chris Finch, who finishes: “ If we want to do something in the West, we will have to face all these teams who play very well. »
| Shots | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Bp | Int | Ct | Party | Pts |
| Anthony Edwards | 29 | 34.7 | 45.8 | 37.9 | 84.2 | 0.6 | 4.8 | 5.3 | 5.1 | 3.3 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 1.8 | 26.3 |
| Karl Anthony Towns | 31 | 32.8 | 50.9 | 41.3 | 89.5 | 1.6 | 7.5 | 9.2 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 3.5 | 21.4 |
| Rudy Gobert | 32 | 32.7 | 61.9 | 0.0 | 63.5 | 3.5 | 8.6 | 12.1 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 2.1 | 2.8 | 12.8 |
| Naz Reid | 32 | 22.1 | 50.2 | 39.7 | 91.3 | 1.0 | 3.4 | 4.4 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 2.0 | 12.6 |
| Mike Conley | 32 | 29.4 | 46.1 | 45.5 | 93.9 | 0.4 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 6.2 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 1.7 | 11.5 |
| Jaden Mcdaniels | 22 | 27.0 | 52.7 | 36.4 | 72.7 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 3.5 | 10.5 |
| Kyle Anderson | 32 | 23.2 | 46.2 | 12.5 | 68.8 | 0.7 | 2.9 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 6.7 |
| Nickeil Alexander-walker | 32 | 22.6 | 41.8 | 36.9 | 64.7 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 1.8 | 2.4 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 1.9 | 6.6 |
| Shake Milton | 27 | 14.9 | 37.8 | 25.5 | 83.7 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 1.4 | 5.3 |
| Troy Brown, Jr. | 28 | 13.1 | 45.5 | 38.2 | 86.4 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 4.8 |
| Leonard Miller | 4 | 2.7 | 80.0 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 2.3 |
| Luka Garza | 6 | 3.0 | 33.3 | 0.0 | 62.5 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.2 |
| Josh Minott | 12 | 2.6 | 53.3 | 0.0 | 66.7 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 1.7 |
| Jordan McLaughlin | 12 | 5.2 | 46.7 | 50.0 | 100.0 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.6 |
| Daishen Nix | 6 | 3.5 | 37.5 | 40.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 |
| Wendell Moore, Jr. | 7 | 2.7 | 33.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.3 |
