The Minnesota Timberwolves head into Sunday’s 7 p.m. ET matchup with the Utah Jazz carrying a four-player injury report, while Utah has two names listed ahead of the Nov. 8 game.
Minnesota enters at 7-3 and has been rolling on both ends of the floor. The Timberwolves are outscoring opponents by 10.7 points per game, putting up 118.4 a night to rank fifth in the league while allowing 107.7, which ranks seventh. They also own a league-best 49.2 rebounds per game, outpacing opponents by 5.2 boards a night.
The Wolves’ offensive balance shows up across the board. LaMelo Ball leads the team with 17.7 points per game, good for 53rd in the league, and also tops Minnesota with 3.3 made threes per game, which ranks 12th in the NBA.
Ayo Dosunmu is right behind him at 17.3 points per game, while Jaden McDaniels is averaging 17.1. Jonathan Kuminga has added 13.1 points per game, and Terrence Shannon Jr. has chipped in 12 across seven games.
Rudy Gobert has been the anchor on the glass, pacing Minnesota with 11.8 rebounds per game, fifth-best in the league. As a team, the Timberwolves are also hitting 14.8 threes per game, seventh-most in the NBA, while shooting 37.3% from deep, eighth-best in the league. Defensively, they’ve held opponents to 32.2% shooting from beyond the arc.
Utah comes in at 1-8 and has been on the wrong side of the scoreboard more often than not. The Jazz are being outscored by 11.3 points per game, scoring 106.9 per contest while giving up 118.2, which ranks 27th and 24th in the NBA, respectively.
Keyonte George has been Utah’s leading scorer at 21.3 points per game, which ranks 29th in the league. Lauri Markkanen is averaging 18 points and leads the Jazz with 3.6 made threes per game, seventh-best in the NBA. Darryn Peterson is putting up 13.6 points per game, Ace Bailey is averaging 12.4 points and a team-high 7.1 rebounds, and Mo Bamba has contributed 8.6 points and 6.6 rebounds in five games.
Utah is listed with Jusuf Nurkic out because of a foot injury and Jaren Jackson Jr. out with a knee injury.
The Jazz average 46 rebounds per game, ninth in the league, but their opponents are grabbing 46.7. Utah is making 12 threes per game at a 32.3% clip, while opponents are hitting 12.2 triples per game at 35.5%.
In Other News...
Timberwolves May Have Dodged A Costly Giannis Mistake
The early returns in Miami have only sharpened the debate around a blockbuster move that once hovered over Minnesota. The Heat are off to a rough start after landing Giannis Antetokounmpo, while the Timberwolves took a different path and kept their roster intact enough to bring in LaMelo Ball and Jonathan Kuminga instead. For a team built around a certain style and balance, that kind of fork in the road matters, especially when the alternative would have meant reshaping the whole rotation around a singular star.
Minnesotas decision looks even smarter when you consider how steep the price tag reportedly was on the Bucks end. The package would have forced the Wolves to part with major pieces and draft capital, and there was always a real question about whether Antetokounmpos game would mesh cleanly with the roster already in place. The fit was never going to be simple, and with Miami now living through the growing pains, the Wolves can at least feel better about the road they did not take. [Read more 🡒]
Cody Williams Suddenly Faces A Tough Timberwolves Rotation Reality
Cody Williams first real look with Minnesota was brief, and it did not do much to change the picture around the rookie wing. In limited minutes against the Bucks, he was quiet offensively and the Timberwolves were outscored with him on the floor, a reminder that even a team dealing with injuries still has to sort through who can actually crack the rotation.
The more interesting part came afterward, when Minnesota kept searching for answers on the bench and still did not turn to Williams in the next stretch of games. With other reserves getting the opportunity to soak up minutes, his path has suddenly become a tougher one to read, especially with the Wolves continuing to juggle their depth and decide which young players are ready for a larger role. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves May Be Finding A Late Game Answer Without Anthony Edwards
The Timberwolves have had their share of headaches against New Orleans, especially when Zion Williamson is available, but the latest matchup offered a small sign that they may be finding a different way to survive the late stages of games. Minnesota has been searching for steadier clutch-time answers, and this one came with a more balanced offensive feel than the Wolves have often had when Anthony Edwards is out.
A big part of that has been the backcourt mix, where the guard play has started to give Minnesota some real structure on both ends. The Wolves have seen that pairing provide a positive impact when they share the floor, and for a team that has leaned so heavily on Edwards to settle things late, any workable alternative matters. The challenge now is turning that into something repeatable when the game tightens and the margin gets thin. [Read more 🡒]