The Minnesota Timberwolves found a way through a tricky one against the New Orleans Pelicans, and the finish told the story. In a game where New Orleans had the edge in recent history with Zion Williamson on the floor, Minnesota still came away with a clutch win and a useful reminder of what this group can do when the game tightens up.
That matters because the Wolves had not exactly been a model of calm in late-game situations. Entering Friday, they sat 20th in the league in clutch time net rating at -6.8, and there was still plenty to prove about how this newer group would handle a solid opponent without Anthony Edwards. Against a Pelicans team that had won four straight, Minnesota had to answer a real test.
They did it with a play that swung the game in a hurry. With 1:50 left, Jeremiah Fears looked like he had a clean path to the basket and a chance to cut the Wolves’ lead to three.
Jaden McDaniels came flying in from nowhere and stuffed the shot against the back rim. The sequence didn’t stop there.
The ball wound up in Ayo Dosunmu’s hands, and he buried a wing three for a five-point swing.
That kind of stop is exactly why McDaniels matters in moments like this. Against Williamson, the Wolves leaned on bodies and help defense, which was the best route available. Rudy Gobert doesn’t have the foot speed for that matchup, and Jaden McDaniels doesn’t have the size, but Minnesota had enough options to crowd him and make life difficult.
The bigger late-game takeaway, though, is how the offense is starting to look when LaMelo Ball is the one steering it. Head Coach Chris Finch said after the game that the coaching staff is experimenting and trying new things around LaMelo with how efficient the offense that he creates is. Ball keeps forcing defenses into uncomfortable choices, drawing two defenders above the break or on drives into the paint, and that opens the floor for everyone else.
That’s where the Wolves’ current setup gets interesting. Ball and Dosunmu are not the same kind of guard, and that contrast is part of the appeal.
Dosunmu brings a direct, no-nonsense style, while Ball plays like a free-wheeling gunslinger who’ll take on any shot distance or passing lane he likes. It’s a pairing that looked shaky early, including a turnover-filled stretch against the Cleveland Cavaliers in an earlier season loss, but the reps are starting to matter.
With Edwards out, the crash course has accelerated. A few games in, the two guards now have a +12 net rating together.
When both are off the floor, the Wolves are at -34. That gap says plenty about how much the offense changes depending on who is initiating it.
It also helps that opponents can’t just cheat off the wrong guy anymore. Teams know where Dosunmu is, and they’re not leaving Ball alone, which creates room for others to step into the action when it counts. Trey Lyles took advantage on one of those chances, finishing a catch-and-drive dunk created by Ball and Dosunmu.
Minnesota has enough weapons now that even without Edwards, there’s no easy way to hide. In the past, teams could sometimes get away with sagging off Kyle Anderson or, later in his Wolves run, Mike Conley. That option isn’t there now, and it gives the backcourt more room to work.
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 🡒]
Timberwolves Face A Key Availability Issue Before Sunday Vs Jazz
Sundays matchup with the Jazz arrives with the Timberwolves already dealing with an injury report that deserves attention. Minnesota has four players listed, which adds another layer of uncertainty to a game that tips at 7 p.m. ET and could matter for a team trying to keep its rhythm intact as the schedule rolls on.
Utah has its own health questions to manage, with Jusuf Nurkic and Jaren Jackson Jr. both appearing on the report. Between the availability concerns on both sides and the statistical leaders and team metrics that frame this meeting, the game has the feel of one where the final rotation choices could shape how it plays out long before the opening tip. [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 🡒]