OFFICIAL DTB DISCLAIMER: What you do not see in this video is Jerryd Bayless inexplicably deciding that he gets to be the one who takes the game-winning shot attempt at the end of regulation. He pulls up for a tough, well-defended 21-footer, which clangs off the rim at he perfect angle for him to get the ball back and attempt a falling-out-of-bounds baseline jumper, which hits nothing but air. Since that sequence was anything but a highlight, you will understand my reasoning for not including the sequence in this video.
I’m struggling to understand why Bayless is suddenly playing the way he is. I understand why he’s getting the minutes he’s getting (it’s because of injuries), but I don’t understand why he’s trying to fashion himself as some kind of number-one scoring option. Either he really thinks he’s good enough to constantly dial his own number rather than getting the ball to the guy who is the real first option (Towns), or he’s seizing this opportunity to show 29 other GM’s that he’s still a viable basketball player in the NBA.
The way things were going for Bayless this season, I didn’t expect him to be playing in the NBA next season. His contract would end and he simply wouldn’t find a team that wanted to give him another one. He might be taking control of his own destiny here by scoring enough points and getting enough assists to get back on teams’ radar screens. That’s a smart move, but it’s going to drive Timberwolves fans crazy if it continues.