Maize's Timberwolves (NBA 2K16)

[Maize08]

Following All-Star weekend, with the trade deadline looming, my interest in basketball has peaked. Even though I'm a Pistons fan, I grew up with fond memories of the T'Wolves.

One of my favorite NBA teams to date is the '03-'04 T'Wolves. It's memorable for so many reasons: Garnett's MVP season, the team brought on Latrell Sprewell, finally winning a first round playoff series, beating the Kings in seven games to advance to the Western Conference Finals. It's by far the franchise's best season. It's also the last time the franchise made the playoffs.

Currently, Minnesota has the longest post-season drought in the NBA (at 11 seasons). They feature a young core, with potential superstars in Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins. The roster is definitely unsettled, but the future looks bright thanks to the work of Flip Saunders.

Where does the team go now, without Flip at the helm? This dynasty will be a realistic look at how the Timberwolves can become a title contender. If you're familiar with my work, I write a lot. I will create stories to follow throughout the franchise, focusing on trying to keep it as realistic as possible.

First order of business will be determining the next Head Coach. This franchise picks up before the start of the 2016 NBA Playoffs. Look for a wrap-up of the season shortly. Any questions, just comment below!

The Rundown
Game: NBA 2K16 on PS4
Roster: Official 2K Roster (On February 2nd)
Difficulty: All-Star
Gameplay: 10 Minutes with Custom Sliders

[Maize08]

Re: Maize's Timberwolves (NBA 2K16)

History and Records

Retired Numbers
2

NBA Championships 0
NBA Finals Appearances 0
Conference Finals Appearances 1 ('04)
Playoff Appearances 8
Playoff Series Record: 2-8
Division Titles 1 (2003-'04)
50 Win Seasons 4 (1999-'00, '01-'02, '02-'03, '03-'04)

Minnesota Timberwolves Awards & Honors
Title	Player	Year
NBA Most Valuable Player	Kevin Garnett	2004
NBA Rookie of the Year	Andrew Wiggins	2015
NBA Most Improved Player	Kevin Love	2011
All-NBA First Team	Kevin Garnett	2000, ’03, ‘04
All-NBA Second Team	Kevin Garnett	2001, ’02, ’07
	Sam Cassell	2004
	Kevin Love	2012, ‘14
All-NBA Third Team	Kevin Garnett	1999, 2006
NBA All-Defense First	Kevin Garnett	2000-2005
NBA All-Defense Second	Kevin Garnett	2006, ‘07
NBA All-Rookie First	Pooh Richardson	1990
	Christian Laetner	1993
	Isaiah Rider	1994
	Stephon Marbury	1997
	Wally Szczerbiak	2000
	Randy Foye	2007
	Ricky Rubio	2012
	Andrew Wiggins	2015
	Karl-Anthony Towns	2016
NBA All-Rookie Second	Kevin Garnett	1996
	Craig Smith	2007
	Kevin Love	2009
	Jonny Flynn	2010
	Wesley Johnson	2011
	Derrick Williams	2012
	Gorgui Dieng	2014
	Zach LaVine	2015

[Maize08]

Re: Maize's Timberwolves (NBA 2K16)

Season Reviews

2015-16
Overall Record: 32-50
Final Standing: 12th in Western Conference, 4th in Northwest Division
Longest Streaks: 4 wins, 7 losses (twice)
Player Awards: Karl-Anthony Towns (All-Rookie 1st Team)
Team Leaders
Points: Andrew Wiggins | 19.2 PPG
Rebounds: Karl-Anthony Towns | 10.1 RPG
Assists: Ricky Rubio | 8.5 APG

2016 Off-Season
NBA Draft: Jaylen Brown, SF/SG, Cal. (6th Pick), Aleksandar Vezenkov, SF, Bulgaria (57th Pick)
Transactions: Kevin Garnett retired, Tayshaun Prince retired, Damjan Rudez waived
Free Agency: Signed Bojan Dubljevic (2 years, $4.04 million), Jerryd Bayless (2 years, $10.27 million with team option), Luc Mbah a Moute (1 year, $2.89 million)
Other Notes: Hired Tom Thibodeau as Head Coach, traded Gorgui Dieng to Chicago for Taj Gibson and two 2nd Round Draft Picks

[Maize08]

Re: Maize's Timberwolves (NBA 2K16)

Feel free to post! Season awards, playoff match-ups and final standings will be posted soon. Then, an article on Sam Mitchell's future.

[Maize08]

Re: Maize's Timberwolves (NBA 2K16)

2015-16 NBA Awards
Award	Player	Pos	Team
Most Valuable Player	Stephen Curry	PG	Golden State
Rookie of the Year	Jahlil Okafor	C	Philadelphia
Sixth Man of the Year	Jamal Crawford	SG	LA Clippers
Defensive Player of the Year	DeAndre Jordan	C	LA Clippers
Most Improved Player	C.J. McCollum	SG	Portland
Coach of the Year	Billy Donovan		Oklahoma City
All-NBA 1st Team
All-NBA 1st Team	Stephen Curry	PG	Golden State
	Russell Westbrook	PG	Oklahoma City
	Paul George	SF	Indiana
	LeBron James	SF	Cleveland
	Marc Gasol	C	Memphis
All-NBA 2nd Team
All-NBA 2nd Team	Damian Lillard	PG	Portland
	DeMar DeRozan	SG	Toronto
	Kevin Durant	SF	Oklahoma City
	Chris Bosh	PF	Miami
	DeAndre Jordan	C	LA Clippers
All-NBA 3rd Team
All-NBA 3rd Team	John Wall	PG	Washington
	James Harden	SG	Houston
	Kawhi Leonard	SF	San Antonio
	Dirk Nowitzki	PF	Dallas
	Andre Drummond	C	Detroit
All-Defensive 1st Team
All-Defensive 1st Team	John Wall	PG	Washington
	Klay Thompson	SG	Golden State
	LeBron James	SF	Cleveland
	Draymond Green	PF	Golden State
	DeAndre Jordan	C	LA Clippers
All-Defensive 2nd Team
All-Defensive 2nd Team	Patrick Beverly	PG	Houston
	Mike Conley	PG	Memphis
	Kawhi Leonard	SF	San Antonio
	Tim Duncan	PF	San Antonio
	Andre Drummond	C	Detroit
All-Rookie 1st Team
All-Rookie 1st Team	Emmanuel Mudiay	PG	Denver
	D'Angelo Russell	PG	LA Lakers
	Kristaps Porzingis	PF	New York
	Karl Anthony Towns	PF	Minnesota
	Jahlil Okafor	C	Philadelphia
All-Rookie 2nd Team
All-Rookie 2nd Team	T.J. McConnell	PG	Philadelphia
	Justise Winslow	SF	Miami
	Frank Kaminsky	PF	Charlotte
	Nikola Jokic	PF	Denver
	Willie Cauley-Stein	C	Sacramento

[Maize08]

Re: Maize's Timberwolves (NBA 2K16)

Western Conference Playoffs | First Round


#1 Golden State (66-16) vs. #8 Dallas (44-38)


#4 San Antonio (53-29) vs. #5 Oklahoma City (50-32)


#3 LA Clippers (53-29) vs. #6 Houston (49-33)


#2 Memphis (54-28) vs. #7 New Orleans (46-36)

Western Conference | Records for Non-Playoff Teams
#9 Portland (43-39)
#10 Phoenix (39-43)
#11 Denver (33-49)
#12 Minnesota (32-50)
#13 Sacramento (32-50)
#14 Utah (29-53)
#15 LA Lakers (24-58)

[Maize08]

Re: Maize's Timberwolves (NBA 2K16)

Eastern Conference Playoffs | First Round


#1 Cleveland (60-22) vs. #8 Indiana (38-44)


#4 Boston (43-39) vs. #5 Detroit (43-39)


#3 Miami (48-34) vs. #6 Washington (39-43)


#2 Chicago (48-34) vs. #7 Toronto (38-44)

Eastern Conference | Records for Non-Playoff Teams
#9 New York (37-45)
#10 Orlando (35-47)
#11 Atlanta (35-47)
#12 Milwaukee (34-48)
#13 Charlotte (33-49)
#14 Brooklyn (31-51)
#15 Philadelphia (22-60)

[Maize08]

Re: Maize's Timberwolves (NBA 2K16)

T'Wolves Fire Mitchell, Open Coaching Search
April 21, 2016

The Minnesota Timberwolves' front office was relatively quiet in the midst of rumors around their Head Coach. That was until yesterday when they released a statement relieving Sam Mitchell of his duties as Head Coach.

Expectations for the team before this season were all about player development. Head Coach Sam Mitchell took over in the middle of a tragedy, with the passing of Flip Saunders. Losing Saunders put Mitchell in a difficult position, yet expectations remained the same. The focus was still on developing the young talent that makes up the team's future. Talent like the top picks in the last two NBA Drafts: Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins. Along with former first-round picks Ricky Rubio, Shabazz Muhammad, and Zach LaVine. In the team’s Press Release yesterday, it was Mitchell’s “failure to aid in talent development” and “disagreements (between the front office and coaching staff) regarding personnel” that led to his dismissal.

Some believed the coach was doomed from the start, following the loss of Flip. Yet ‘the bar’ for Sam Mitchell was set and he failed to clear that bar. A 50-loss season was disheartening for many. Compounded on top of the team’s losses was the coach’s stubborn behavior, game management and incessant preference to veteran players. Many basketball analysts and sports writers were calling for specific changes to how Mitchell used personnel. He believed in what he was doing and had a clear vision for each player on the team. That vision was called into question and the Timberwolves have decided to move on.

It's admirable for a Head Coach to remain steadfast, even among questions about his job security. In a two-part interview with Britt Robson of MinnPost, Mitchell went into great detail about his vision for the team. To put it simply, he just wasn’t the right man for the job. But it was never his job in the first place. He will be credited for a few things that may have gone unnoticed:
- Andrew’s Wiggins progression as a perimeter defender. He seems poised to be a top defensive player in the years to come.
- Playing Karl-Anthony Towns at center and power forward, allowing him to show versatility and take advantage of mismatches.
- Veterans like Andre Miller and Kevin Garnett became player-coaches, both of whom were big supporters of Mitchell as coach. Their leadership will be helpful to a young team.

Even in controversial decisions (like continuing to use Zach LaVine at point guard) there can be positive takeaways. LaVine showed flashes of being a capable ball handler and someone who can facilitate an offense. That skill was forced upon LaVine and he rose to the challenge. It remains to be seen what will be his best role in the NBA. It will be up to a new Head Coach to pick-up where Mitchell left off.

General Manager Milt Newton told ESPN 1500 this morning, the search for the new Head Coach has already started. While he did not name specific candidates, there seems to be a few front-runners for the position.

Fred Hoiberg has been rumored to possibly leave Chicago for Minnesota. Hoiberg has the Bulls in the playoffs preparing for a first round series with Toronto. Hoiberg led the Bulls to a 48-win season, but the coach has strong ties to the Timberwolves. A former NBA player (with stints in Chicago and Minnesota), his playing career ended with the T’Wolves and he moved on to coach with Flip Saunders. Then, he joined the team’s front office and has strong relationships throughout the organization. How likely is Hoiberg to leave a good situation in Chicago?

Jeff Hornacek was fired this season as Head Coach of the Phoenix Suns. While coming off a very disappointing season in Phoenix, Hornacek is still admired in many NBA circles. His first season with the Suns was a surprising 48-win effort and he was runner-up to Greg Popovich for Coach of the Year in 2014. He has worked well with younger rosters and even handled massive changes to the team’s roster in his second and third season. Some believe Hornacek may take a season away from the sidelines. Other have reported that he may prefer a collegiate job. Does he turn down the T’Wolves, if offered the job?

The next two are former NBA Head Coaches that took a year away from the game. Tom Thibodeau and Scott Brooks both seem ready for a return to the NBA. Both men come with long resumes, good reputations and some reasons why they are not currently coaching.

Starting with Brooks, he won 62% of his games with the Thunder and made the playoffs in five straight seasons. He was fired after the Thunder’s tumultuous 2014-15 season, in which Kevin Durant missed significant time due to injury. He did help OKC reach the NBA Finals with a young squad in 2012. Brooks faced scrutiny for his use of All-Stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook and a scheme that didn’t seem to fit his team. Still, he helped develop a young roster into a perennial contender in the Western Conference. Ill-timed injuries and bad luck also mark his time in Oklahoma City. What could he do with this young team? Is he worth a second chance with the Wolves?

Finally, Tom Thibodeau has been linked to the job in reports dating back to late July. Thibodeau owns a 64%-win percentage as Head Coach, having served for five seasons at the helm of the Chicago Bulls. Before that, he was a top assistant in the NBA serving on the bench of the NBA Champion Boston Celtics in 2008. A former assistant of Doc Rivers and Jeff Van Gundy, Thibodeau is well known for his tough, defensive style and strong coaching personality. That personality can be polarizing to some and led to his firing in May of 2015.

Thibodeau is a favorite for the job, but is also linked to openings in New York, Brooklyn, Phoenix and with the Lakers. He will have his pick of top NBA jobs. Organizations are not shying away from Thibodeau; who has spent his time away from basketball visiting multiple NBA teams and working as an analyst for ESPN.

Beyond those four with NBA coaching experience, it’s uncertain at this time who else will be brought in to interview for the job. The roster makes Minnesota attractive to many, but that also puts pressure on the next Head Coach. Expectations will only rise as the team gains experience. Expectations didn’t cost Sam Mitchell his job. It was the future expectations: the need for the right coach to start building a contender. It’s those same contender-level expectations that are waiting for the next coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

[Maize08]

Re: Maize's Timberwolves (NBA 2K16)

Western Conference Playoffs | First Round Results


#1 Golden State (66-16) vs. #8 Dallas (44-38)
Golden State beats Dallas in 4 games


#4 San Antonio (53-29) vs. #5 Oklahoma City (50-32)
San Antonio beats Oklahoma City in 6 games


#3 LA Clippers (53-29) vs. #6 Houston (49-33)
Los Angeles beats Houston in 6 games


#2 Memphis (54-28) vs. #7 New Orleans (46-36)
New Orleans beats Memphis in 6 games

Western Conference Semi-Finals


#1 Golden State vs. #4 San Antonio


#3 LA Clippers vs. #7 New Orleans

[Maize08]

Re: Maize's Timberwolves (NBA 2K16)

Eastern Conference Playoffs | First Round Results


#1 Cleveland (60-22) vs. #8 Indiana (38-44)
Cleveland beats Indiana in 5 games


#4 Boston (43-39) vs. #5 Detroit (43-39)
Detroit beats Boston in 7 games


#3 Miami (48-34) vs. #6 Washington (39-43)
Miami beats Washington in 6 games


#2 Chicago (48-34) vs. #7 Toronto (38-44)
Chicago beats Toronto in 5 games

Eastern Conference Semi-Finals


#1 Cleveland vs. #5 Detroit



#2 Chicago vs. #3 Miami

[Maize08]

Re: Maize's Timberwolves (NBA 2K16)

First page is updated, including the team's awards and such. I might write an article about Rookie of the Year, because I feel Towns was robbed. If it happened in real life, with Okafor winning, I think it would be a strange and close outcome. Coaching story coming as well, along with the rest of the playoff results.

[Maize08]

Re: Maize's Timberwolves (NBA 2K16)

Kevin Garnett Announces Retirement
April 29, 2016

Kevin Garnett just finished his 21st season in the National Basketball Association. This past season, Garnett only played 24 games dealing with a nagging back injury that sidelined him for most of the season. Many media members speculated on his future in the league. He put all of that speculation to rest with a short announcement made to the media this past week.

A teary-eyed Garnett held a press conference to announce his retirement. The 15-time All-Star, 2004 Most Valuable Player had some of his best seasons as a pro in Minnesota. His move to Boston made him an NBA Champion. He would end his NBA career where it started, as a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves. One of the most decorated big men in NBA History, Garnett ends his career as one of a handful of players to average 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists for his career.

Considered one of the best competitors and defensive players of his era, his presence is credited with the best seasons in Minnesota’s franchise history. He owns every major individual franchise record: Points, Minutes, Rebounds, Assists, Steals and Blocks. Coming back to Minnesota did not do much in the way of padding those numbers, but his effect was felt in other ways.

Former Head Coach Sam Mitchell often credited Kevin Garnett as “another coach out there.” His vocal leadership and tough demeanor (especially during practice) has probably helped the likes of Karl-Anthony Towns and Gorgui Dieng. Towns took to Twitter thanking Garnett for everything he had learned from KG.

After Garnett’s statement, he mentioned that he plans on staying with the Timberwolves organization after his retirement. While his role is unknown at this time; it can be assumed that a minority ownership role, front office position or even coaching position would be available to Garnett.

Owner Glen Taylor was on hand to thank the franchise’s best player. Taylor said “He will always have a place with us. We love Kevin, we feel very lucky that he wants to be a part of this organization once his playing career is over.”

Taylor also mentioned #21 will be “off limits” for next season, and Garnett’s number will likely be retired in the near future. Garnett would not speak on the speculation around Paul Pierce’s retirement. Garnett did reflect on his “era,” and was proud that he got to see a new era of superstars take over. He knows guys like Towns and Wiggins have the potential, and he will likely be on-hand to see their development.

Garnett walks away from the game, but not from the Timberwolves. He leaves behind a legacy as one of the best, not just of his “era,” but as one of the best players of all time.

[Maize08]

Re: Maize's Timberwolves (NBA 2K16)

Western Conference Semi-Final Results


#1 Golden State vs. #4 San Antonio
Golden State beats San Antonio in 5 games


#3 LA Clippers vs. #7 New Orleans
Los Angeles beats New Orleans in 4 games

2016 Western Conference Finals


#1 Golden State vs. #3 LA Clippers

[Maize08]

Re: Maize's Timberwolves (NBA 2K16)

Eastern Conference Semi-Final Results


#1 Cleveland vs. #5 Detroit
Cleveland beats Detroit in 5 games


#2 Chicago vs. #3 Miami
Miami beats Chicago in 6 games


2016 Eastern Conference Finals


#1 Cleveland vs. #3 Miami

[trekfan]

Re: Maize's Timberwolves (NBA 2K16)

Following. I love a well-written franchise and I've liked what I've seen so far. Very curious to see who you hire as HC, as well as if you decide to change the uniforms at all.