re: How good will we do this year?

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AD at age 21 was the #3 PF in DRPM LINK KAT at 21 was dead last in DRPM at center LINK The year before AD was middle of the pack at 27.

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i get the age comp, but it's fair to point out that it is AD in year 3 playing PF v Towns in year 2 playing C. let's see what Towns does this year.

there is a lot of room for Towns to grow on defense, no doubt about it. yet he's talented, has the best defensive mind of the past decade coaching him, and more vets this year who know how to play defense. i wouldn't be so quick to bury him

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AD/DC got 17 valuable games together last season

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2 talented 21 year olds in years 2 and 3 got 82 games with Thibs. like the Pels, the results were not always great. the Wolves also added Jimmy freaking Butler

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penciling them in as the 5 seed.

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it depends on what you think the 5 seed looks like. the people that thought they would make the playoffs last year were always nuts, same with all the Bucks hype a couple years ago.

the 5 seed this year might not win more than 45 games. and the 8 seed might need 41. i think it's going to be tightly packed. and looking at the Wolves, to get to even 41 is a 10 win jump from last season. that's huge.

that said, the Wolves had the net rating of a 38 win team. they blew some games (youth) and ended up at 31. if you think they are closer to 38 than 31, the jump to the 40s isnt nearly so ridiculous