The Dane Moore NBA Podcast

Now a third of the way into the Minnesota Timberwolves’ season, Karl-Anthony Towns is back, and the season finally feels like it is beginning. Britt Robson of The Athletic joins the pod today to discuss the following topics and more: Karl-Anthony Towns is back What is ‘stealth tanking’? We’ve seen many iterations of tanking over the course of the Timberwolves’ existence. And this version — if it is, in fact, a form of tanking — is perhaps the most confounding. If they have not been prioritizing winning over all else, how did they do it, and will that change now that KAT has returned? Britt and I disagree on the potential of the KAT and D’Angelo Russell pick and roll pairing. In advance of Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball squaring off for the first time, we discuss the ways in which the two are being developed — and the environments they are being developed in. 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.

After missing 13 games over the course of 28 days in the league’s health and safety protocol, Karl-Anthony Towns returned to the lineup on Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Clippers. Does this mean we’ve entered a new window of the Timberwolves’ season? On today’s pod, topics include: KAT shares details on his experience with COVID-19 (audio included) What he went through and how he appears to be back to full health. The decision to continue playing Josh Okogie after the Clippers opted to leave him wide open How Okogie’s man not respecting him on the perimeter totally deleted the spacing in the Wolves’ offense and how the offense cratered in response. How players like Malik Beasley will need to adjust to playing next to KAT What would the Wolves’ record be if KAT had been healthy all 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 pod, we discuss how Malik Beasley represents whatever good there has been during this dismal start to the season by the Minnesota Timberwolves. In another flat Timberwolves loss in Dallas on Monday, Beasley’s 22 fourth quarter points, on seven-consecutive made shots, stood out as a lone bright spot. In addition to Beasley, today’s topics include: Beasley becoming not only the best player but the leader of the 2020-21 Wolves Josh Okogie and Ricky Rubio getting back in rhythm a bit after recent cold streaks What in the world happened to D’Angelo Russell, who only played the first six minutes of the game? Why I would use minutes played as evidence of the Wolves not chasing “marginal wins” Juancho Hernangomez returns Jaylen Nowell’s eighth-consecutive double-digit scoring night, and his continued hot shooting since entering the rotation (37% from 3, 56% from 2) Will Jarrett Culver take Nowell’s minutes when he returns? 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.

The Minnesota Timberwolves’ one-year anniversary of the D’Angelo Russell trade shaped up to be a fittingly bizarre game in Oklahoma City. On today’s pod, we work backward from Naz Reid getting the final shot to arguably the most disastrous first half in the Ryan Saunders Era. Topics include: Naz Reid deserving the final shot How Reid’s 21 second-half points put the Wolves in the position to give him the last shot. And what Naz said he saw on that play (audio included) Should the closing lineup have been: Reid, McDaniels, Layman, Beasley, Edwards My theory on why it would have been fine to close this game without a point guard. Why Jaden McDaniels needs to start if Josh Okogie doesn’t With Okogie demoted from the starting lineup to the fringe of the rotation, Anthony Edwards has become the Wolves de facto “wing stopper.” Should that role go to McDaniels? 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.

Were you expecting a nice win? On today's pod, we talk about the Wolves' "ugly" win in Oklahoma City. DLo's game-winner, and why it wasn't hero ball this time. Time to take stock of the DLo-Rubio pairing with a numbers dive. Should Rubio be closing games? And is it just time to both start and close games with Jaden McDaniels? DLo speaks glowingly of the rookie (audio included), making the case for a new starting lineup: KAT, McDaniels, Edwards, Beasley, 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 episode, we get into how in the world the Timberwolves blew a 16-point lead with 10 minutes left against the Spurs. Where the Timberwolves 4th quarter offensive execution broke down. Why Saunders said he puts some of that on him (audio included). Where the execution of what they were running cracked. And how in the world Anthony Edwards couldn't get a touch the whole quarter. The game could have also been saved on the defensive end. But DeMar DeRozan had 16 4th quarter points, as the Wolves scrambled to find answers to no avail. Should have Ricky Rubio came in for Josh Okogie? Why did Saunders prioritize offense over defense? Was that the right move? 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.

Britt Robson of The Athletic joins today's pod to discuss his most-recent column that graded Gersson Rosas' tenure as the President of Basketball Operations thus far. Rosas has now been at the helm for 82 games, so we discuss the good, bad and unlucky that has transpired. 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.

Twenty games into Anthony Edwards' rookie season seemed like a good time to do a film review of Edwards' play thus far this season. Will DeBerg (assistant Men's Coach at the University of St. Thomas) joins me on today's pod to not only review Edwards' film but also the film of Devin Vassell and Isaac Okoro -- two prospects Will and I were high on going into the draft. What have these three players shown in the first 20 games of their career and what role has the team they are playing for impacted their production and development. 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, we ask the question: Who is the Timberwolves power forward of the future? Why Jaden McDaniels is the most likely answer to that question currently on the roster. Might Larry Nance Jr. be another answer? The Wolves pursued Nance Jr. in the offseason. Might they re-engage in trade talks with Cleveland at the deadline now that the Cavs' roster has significantly changed after acquiring Jarrett Allen and Taurean Prince? What would the Wolves being willing to put on the table? Who would be used to match salaries? Would the Wolves need to include a future first-round pick? And then we take stock of the Wolves' shot selection now 20 games into the season. What are the differences from last season's "analytically-sound" shot chart? Specifically, what role have the additions of D'Angelo Russell and Ricky Rubio had on the shots the Wolves are taking? 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.

Today's pod is about Anthony Edwards' best game of the season. His 23-point, 5-board, 4-assist, 1-block, 1-steal and 0-turnover game against Cleveland. We get into how Edwards moving to the starting lineup has not only shifted who he is playing with but how he is being used. And also what Edwards' fit next to KAT might look like once he returns from the COVID list. We also note (again) how Malik Beasley has been the most consistent Wolves player this season. Specifically how his off-ball usage as a shooter is fueling his game. Plus: some shoutouts for Jaden McDaniels and Jaylen Nowell, who are making the most of their time in the 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.