LaMelo Ball has become the clearest barometer for the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the numbers make that impossible to ignore.
When Ball is rolling, the Wolves usually are too. In wins, he’s putting up 21.2 points, 5.8 assists and 3.6 rebounds while shooting 47.4/43.4/75.
In losses, that drops to 9.7 points, 6 assists and 3.7 rebounds on 31.3/16.7/75 shooting. That split tells the story all by itself, and it matters even more with Anthony Edwards sidelined for the time being.
Monday’s win over the Milwaukee Bucks was a clean example of what Ball can do when his offense is humming. He finished with 34 points, six rebounds and three assists, and he hit six 3-pointers.
The Wolves only won by 12, which isn’t exactly a knockout against a lousy Bucks squad, but Ball was the engine. Without his shot-making, Minnesota would’ve been in trouble.
That’s been the pattern when he’s in rhythm. The season-opening win over the Miami Heat stood out, with Ball posting 21 points and six assists as the Wolves put up a 123.8 ORTG.
He followed that with 24 points and seven assists against the Los Angeles Clippers, and Minnesota’s offense surged to a 127 ORTG in that game. Those are elite, league-leading numbers.
He also had a plus-33 showing against the Toronto Raptors in just 17 minutes. When the 3-point shot is falling, Ball gives Minnesota a level of firepower that changes the whole shape of the offense.
His playmaking helps too, even when it doesn’t show up directly in the assist column. The ball moves better, the shots get cleaner, and the whole group looks more connected.
The flip side is just as obvious. Ball’s rough games have lined up with losses, and they’ve dragged the offense down with them.
In the 10/26 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, he scored 11 points on 5-for-11 shooting and the Wolves posted a 112.6 ORTG. In the 10/28 loss to the Golden State Warriors, he had eight points on 3-for-11 shooting and Minnesota’s ORTG fell to 106.5.
Then came the 10/31 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, when he finished with 10 points on 2-for-10 shooting and the team sat at a 111 ORTG.
The one exception in that stretch was the Wolves’ win over the Orlando Magic, even though Ball shot just 4-for-13. But outside of that, a bad LaMelo night has usually meant a bad Minnesota offense, which is especially understandable with Edwards out.
The Wolves need Ball’s scoring and his ability to create advantages on the perimeter. Jaden McDaniels, Ayo Dosunmu and Jonathan Kuminga can help in that area, but it isn’t their main calling card. Minnesota is leaning on Ball to supply that edge and to keep the offense flowing for everyone else.
When he’s missing shots or dealing with foul trouble, the whole operation can look messy. Two issues keep showing up: physical on-ball defense from opponents and Ball getting into foul trouble himself. He’ll need to handle both better if this offense is going to hold up.
If he does, Minnesota’s attack can still be dangerous, even with Edwards sidelined.
In Other News...
LaMelo Ball Just Showed Why The Timberwolves Needed This Trade
LaMelo Balls arrival in Minnesota already comes with the kind of upside the Timberwolves were hoping for when they made the move, even if the early returns have been uneven. Through his first stretch with the team, he has averaged 14.4 points and 6.3 assists per game while shooting 39.5% from the field, a reminder that the talent is obvious even as the fit and rhythm are still taking shape.
On Monday against the Milwaukee Bucks, Ball offered another glimpse of why Minnesota took the swing, getting hot from deep early and adding a new line to his rsum along the way. The bigger question for the Timberwolves is whether this is the start of a steadier run for a player whose recent seasons have been interrupted by injury, the same concern that helped push Charlotte to move on. [Read more 🡒]
Joan Beringer Is Giving The Wolves An Edge They Suddenly Need
Joan Beringer has given Minnesota something it has needed in a hurry: extra possessions. The 7-foot second-year big has turned limited minutes into a real edge on the glass, using his size and activity to keep plays alive and create second chances for a Timberwolves group that can use every clean look it can get.
Beringers work has mattered even more with Anthony Edwards sidelined, when scoring becomes harder to come by and every offensive rebound feels bigger. In a recent game against Milwaukee, he was a force around the rim in just a brief stint, the kind of energy play that can swing a stretch of a game even before the box score fully catches up. [Read more 🡒]
Rudy Gobert Just Gave Timberwolves Fans Another Reason To Boil
Rudy Gobert has been a lightning rod for Timberwolves fans before, and a rough sequence against Milwaukee only turned the temperature up again. In a game that had Minnesota in control, Gobert was part of a defensive breakdown that left supporters venting online, with the reaction quickly spilling into the usual mix of frustration and second-guessing that follows him whenever a play goes sideways.
Gobert still did enough in the box score to help Minnesota stay ahead, but the conversation around him has become bigger than one possession. For a player whose value is supposed to start with rim protection and defensive presence, every lapse gets magnified, and this latest one gave critics another opening while the Timberwolves kept pushing toward the finish. [Read more 🡒]