Wolves 124, Lakers 107: The good, the bad and the ugly of the NBA preseason

Well Wolves fans, welcome back!

Oh, how I missed NBA basketball and how glad I am that it’s coming back. The Minnesota Timberwolves squandered an early lead that they rebuilt to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 124-107.

It was a lead built quickly and effectively by the Wolves’ actual rotation before the game turned into a glorious All-Star Game performance, which should bode well for both the preseason and the upcoming regular season.

The Wolves return a week from today to play the new and improved Philadelphia 76ers on October 11th. They will look to defend their now 10-game preseason winning streak after going 5-0 last year and 4-1 the year before that.

Let’s get to the thought!

The ragu is freshly prepared

Look, new purchase Donte DiVincenzo was always the focus of this game for Wolves fans, without Randle or Edwards (i.e. Anthony), but it’s no exaggeration to say that he may be the best shooter in Wolves, nay, league history.

Donte only played a few minutes in the first quarter, but the impact was immediate. A perfect 3/3 from deep was exactly what the box score says. It felt like 13/13. DiVincenzo will be very good for this team and his ability to escape Gobert’s screens is already tantalizing.

The side effect of Donte’s entry into the Wolves’ rotation is the veritable feast of ballplayers the Wolves can now host on the field. While last year required the ability to make plays on the ball and shoot off the ball, now that may be the team’s strength.

Either way, it’s hard not to be thrilled with the Big Ragu.

No nonsense

Let’s start with the good: Rob Dillingham looked good in spurts and was more than capable of playing a one-man offense off the bench, like he was as a Kentucky Wildcat. The shooting was on display for the recent eighth overall pick, as was the electricity he carries in his step. Dillingham’s sweater should be a textbook for any plyometrics coach who needs to explain how the muscle chain works. The way he jumps his body and explodes up and down is excellent.

Now let’s get to the bad. It became clear very early on that Rob would have difficulty getting to the rim. In his first three trips to the Cup, he was beaten by Bronny James, Dalton Knecht and the rim itself. For a prospect whose size and rim presence have always been an issue, it’s a little concerning to see how far behind Dillingham is in that regard. On evenings like tonight it’s less important. If he can’t hit threes, will he still be a playmaker or will he be relegated to a passer?

The sky is the limit for the young guard, and he should get both opportunity and mentorship from the aging and oft-dormant Mike Conley. This is what rookie prep ball should be like. There are strengths and there are weaknesses.

The good news is that the strengths were definitely strong.

The peacock could run a bit

Luke Garza always lived for situations like tonight. The question remains whether Garza is a rotation player in the NBA, but given his track record in the G-League, he can certainly dominate the preseason.

With a double-double of nearly 20 points, Garza was constantly there for second chances. The physical change that Luka has made to his body – from bulky, post-ripe mass to current lean muscle and slight stature – is arguably the biggest story of his career, which could have been put on hold when he was injured by the two Pistons before years.

Given the Karl-Anthony Towns trade, the Wolves are expecting a larger role for Naz Reid, who will take up some of the minutes the nine-year veteran now has free, but there could be a real chance for Garza to become a consistent starter Players to develop backup role. That would be a big step for a player who dominated with the Iowa Wolves but remained a cameo outside of the G-League.

Joe, brother, I love you, but it’s time…

I love Joe Ingles. I loved him when he was a crotchety, grumpy old man who made fun of Donovan Mitchell. I loved him when I followed the Orlando Magic Insta account for the song last year and he made a fun little cameo. I loved him when he and Steven Adams did their own podcast called “Awl tha Smowke” (I’m so sorry).

But after 11 minutes it became clear that Ingles was here solely as a locker room guy. The foot speed no longer crumbles, it has melted away, leaving an above-average shooter and a great basketball IQ in a body that can no longer keep up.

This likely means more minutes for Memphis product Josh Minott, more than any change for Terrance Shannon Jr., who will likely spend the year in the G-League.

I will still love Ingles, but it seems like that love will have to stay in the past, just like the love for the player he once was.

Why not Minott?

It’s always hard to read about preseason basketball, especially when Josh Minott makes 9/11 shots and 4/6 threes, but it seemed important that Minott was the forward coming off the bench to replace the aforementioned Joe Ingles.

Minott had some thunderous dunks and was confident making three-pointers, a welcome sight for those still clinging to a player who has shown flashes but generally been unable to perform outside of garbage time.

With the drafting of Terrance Shannon Jr., the stage may be set for the developmental forward, but it’s nights like today that agents point to the upcoming offseason.

Or, the option all Wolves fans should be hoping for: This is Minott’s year and he becomes a true rotation piece.

Either way, pre-season is for players like Josh and he made the second half a bearable experience tonight.

My new cat doesn’t like basketball (or the Lakers)

This one will be short.

The rims were clearly not tightened properly in the Crypto.com area. In fact, they were so loud that they scared my new cat, Melo, who was sitting on my lap while she watched the game.

I now have two large scratches on my hand from a cat that was afraid of bricks.

Come on, Lakers, get your shit together!

Next

The Wolves get a week off before playing each other Philadelphia 76ers next Friday, October 11th at 6:00 p.m. CT and look to extend a 10-game preseason winning streak.