The Timberwolves opened the season the way plenty of modern offenses dream about: raining 3s. Minnesota launched 50 triples and buried 21 of them in a 131-106 win, a clear sign that the team’s new identity is built around volume from deep. That approach can punish defenses that pack the paint, and on Wednesday it helped carry a big night from Anthony Edwards, who scored 45 points, while LaMelo Ball was fantastic.
Even with all that perimeter firepower, the Wolves still need a different lane to keep defenses honest. That’s where Ayo Dosunmu comes in. His game gives Minnesota something it didn’t always lean on in the opener: constant pressure at the rim.
The numbers from Wednesday tell the story. According to Cleaning the Glass, Minnesota ranked in the fourth percentile for rim frequency during the game.
In other words, the Wolves barely got to the basket. Dosunmu broke that pattern.
Of his six made field goals, five came in the paint and four were at the rim. That kind of production is exactly what gives an offense another gear when the outside shot isn’t falling.
Dosunmu’s value isn’t just about one hot night near the basket, either. His rim pressure makes the Wolves harder to game plan against.
When the 3-pointers dry up, he can keep possessions from turning into empty jumpers. And after the way Minnesota lit it up from outside on opening night, it would be easy to miss how important that balance can be over the long haul.
He has plenty of help, of course. Edwards is an elite athlete, though it’s fair to expect more jump shooting from him after what opening night showed.
Jaden McDaniels and Jonathan Kuminga are both athletic finishers too. On certain nights, especially against teams that don’t protect the rim as well, there will be other chances for Minnesota’s perimeter players to get downhill.
But nobody on the roster attacks the basket with the same concentrated purpose as Dosunmu. That’s why he projects as the team’s main rim-pressure option most nights.
Last season, he ranked in the 98th percentile for rim attempts per 75 possessions according to Databallr, and he was in the 95th percentile for rim shot creation per Basketball Index. He can knock down spot-up looks, but finishing around the basket is his best calling card.
Whether he’s pushing the ball in transition or driving in the half-court, Dosunmu is always trying to get downhill. That matters for a team that wants to play fast. It also matters when the offense needs a different answer than another pull-up or another catch-and-shoot 3.
His downhill style can affect everyone around him, too. The Wolves already have some rim pressure in the mix, but Dosunmu brings a full-speed approach that’s different from the rest of the group. That kind of energy can ripple through an offense.
Put him next to LaMelo, who struggles around the rim, and he can help cover that weakness. Put him next to Edwards, who can get to the rim but also may lean more on his jumper, and the backcourt pairing becomes even more interesting. If the star guards are out, Dosunmu’s attacking style can keep the offense from falling off too hard.
Against teams with strong rim protection, he’ll help Minnesota find a way to keep pressing the paint. Against weaker interior defenses, he should have room to go to work. However the matchups shake out, Dosunmu’s urge to attack the rim gives the Timberwolves another way to keep their offense from becoming one-dimensional.
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Timberwolves Have Just One Early Rotation Concern Against Orlando
The Timberwolves head into Friday nights matchup with Orlando in decent health, which is a useful early-season sign as coaches continue sorting out roles and rotation patterns. Minnesota has only one player listed on its injury report for the 7 p.m. ET tip, giving the Wolves a cleaner setup than many teams have this time of year.
Orlando, by contrast, comes in carrying a longer list of injury concerns, including Noah Penda being ruled out with a hamstring issue. With both teams still trying to build rhythm after last seasons statistical resumes, the availability picture could matter just as much as the game plan when the ball goes up Friday. [Read more 🡒]
Anthony Edwards Faces An Early Timberwolves Test Fans Will Notice
Anthony Edwards gave the Timberwolves exactly the kind of opening-night jolt they wanted, pouring in 45 points and adding 10 rebounds in a win over the Heat. Now Minnesota turns to Orlando, and the challenge shifts from a fast, familiar start to a much different kind of test. The Magic bring more size and athleticism, which means the Wolves will have to be sharper on both ends if they want to carry that momentum forward.
For Edwards, the spotlight is obvious because Orlandos defense is built to make scoring harder and force tougher possessions. Minnesota will also need its usual defensive flexibility to hold up against the Magics bigger lineups, and the frontcourt rotation figures to matter more in a game like this. It is the kind of early-season measuring stick that can tell a team plenty, even before the schedule really settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Just Got Big Validation For Their Nuggets Formula
Last springs playoff upset over Denver already gave Minnesota reason to believe its defensive approach could travel, and Oklahoma City just added another layer of validation. The Timberwolves had spent that series making life miserable for Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, leaning on their length, discipline and size to take the Nuggets out of their usual rhythm and tilt the matchup in a way that few teams managed.
Now the broader takeaway feels even harder to ignore: Denvers offense is not untouchable when a team has the personnel to bother its stars and stay committed to the plan. The Thunder showed the same general idea in the opener, which only sharpens the case that Minnesotas formula was less a one-off hot streak and more a blueprint for teams built to defend at a high level. [Read more 🡒]