The Minnesota Timberwolves opened their season with a statement, taking down the Miami Heat 131-106 on Wednesday night. Anthony Edwards looked ready for another big year with 45 points, LaMelo Ball made an impressive debut with his new team, and Minnesota got plenty of help from the rest of its roster.
The 25-point win gave the Timberwolves a chance to get several players involved, including some who rarely see the floor. Here’s a look at how every Minnesota player who appeared in the game graded out.
Anthony Edwards: A+
Stats: 45 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 16-of-29 FG, 9-of-17 3PT
Anthony Edwards couldn’t have asked for a much better start to the season. He poured in 45 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, knocking down nine three-pointers to lead Minnesota to a comfortable win.
It’s becoming a habit for Edwards to start the year with a scoring explosion. He opened last season with 41 points against the Portland Trail Blazers, then topped that performance against Miami. His ability to score from anywhere on the floor makes him difficult to contain, and the Heat had no answer once he got going.
Edwards also helped Minnesota take control with a huge scoring burst after halftime. He finished with four turnovers, but that hardly takes away from an outstanding performance. If this is the version of Edwards Minnesota gets throughout the season, the Timberwolves will be a tough matchup for anyone.
LaMelo Ball: A-
Stats: 21 points, 6 assists, 2 rebounds, 7-of-17 FG, 5-of-13 3PT
LaMelo gave Minnesota an encouraging first look at its new backcourt combination. He scored 21 points, handed out six assists and knocked down five three-pointers in his Timberwolves debut.
His shooting wasn't efficient overall, but I think a lot of that was some unserious shots with the game well in hand. Ball can create his own shot, draw defensive attention and always find the open man when the defense shifts toward him. This should give Minnesota plenty of options offensively as the two guards get more comfortable together.
Ball also finished with just one turnover, a positive sign for a player adjusting to a new team and role. There’s still room for improvement, but Ball's first game offered plenty of reasons to love the fit.
Jaden McDaniels: A
Stats: 17 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, 8-of-11 FG
Jaden McDaniels gave a classic, efficient, impactful all-around performance scoring 17 points on a elite 8-of-11 shooting. He added on eight rebounds and three steals, making an impact without needing many touches.
His ability to contribute alongside Edwards and Ball is a big part of what makes this roster dangerous. McDaniels doesn’t have to create his own shot every possession. He can take advantage of openings, finish around the basket and use his length to disrupt opposing offenses.
He was productive on both ends against Miami, and his efficient scoring helped keep Minnesota’s offense rolling. This was an excellent start to the season for a player the Timberwolves will rely on heavily.
Jonathan Kuminga: A-
Stats: 12 points, 3 assists, 4 steals, 1 block, 5-of-10 FG
Jonathan Kuminga showed why the Wolves brought him in this offseason, finishing with 12 points and four steals. His athleticism gives Minnesota another player who can attack the basket, while his defensive activity helped the Timberwolves create extra opportunities.
The four steals were particularly impressive. Kuminga’s scoring ability is already well established, I think the defense showed in this game is the x-factor the Wolves needed; if he’s going to give you five stocks (steals + blocks) a night to go along with what McDaniels, Gobert and Edwards do on that end, this defense could be dangerous.
He didn’t do much on the glass, and there are still areas where Kuminga can become more consistent. However, his efficiency and defensive production made this a strong opening performance.
Ayo Dosunmu: A-
Stats: 16 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 6-of-13 FG
Off his big contract in the offseason Ayo Dosunmu showed why the Wolves think he can be a 6MOTY candidate, scoring 16 points in just under 29 minutes. He also added five rebounds and three assists while giving the Timberwolves another dependable scoring option.
Minnesota will need its bench to produce throughout the season, especially when Edwards and Ball aren’t on the floor. Dosunmu made a strong case for himself as a player whom Chris Finch can trust.
Rudy Gobert: B+
Stats: 5 points, 15 rebounds, 1 assist, 0-of-2 FG
Rudy Gobert’s scoring numbers weren’t impressive, but that’s always been a bonus with him, abd his work on the glass certainly was. He grabbed 15 rebounds, including five offensive boards, helping Minnesota control the glass and create additional possessions.
He didn’t make a single field goal and went 5-of-8 at the free-throw line, which keeps this from being a higher grade. Still 5 for 8 free throws you will honestly take given his struggles historically at the line and Gobert doesn’t need to score much to be effective. His rebounding and presence around the rim were important parts of Minnesota’s success.
The Timberwolves had plenty of scoring elsewhere, so Gobert’s ability to handle the less glamorous work was more than enough to make this a productive night.
Terrence Shannon Jr.: B-
Stats: 10 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 3-of-9 FG
Terrence Shannon reached double figures, but he had to work for his points. He finished 3-of-9 from the field and 2-of-7 from three, hitting some big threes to keep Minnesota afloat when the game was still close early.
Getting 10 points was still a positive for Shannon, and he showed that he can provide scoring off the bench. The issue was efficiency, particularly from the perimeter. Minnesota has several players competing for minutes, so Shannon will need to make better use of his opportunities.
He contributed enough to earn a passing grade, but there was room for a better performance.
Joan Beringer: D
Stats: 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 0 points, 0-of-2 FG
Beringer managed to grab six rebounds in just over 14 minutes. That’s a solid contribution for a young player still getting accustomed to the NBA. His defense was a problem in this game multiple times getting torched by Bam and Giannis, a tough assignment for a 19 year old who has barely gotten any action in the NBA.
He wasn’t much of a factor offensively either finishing 0-of-2 from the field, and he had one turnover. But Beringer did some useful work on the glass and gained valuable experience so don’t want to be too harsh and believe he can bounce back.
Trey Lyles: C-
Stats: 1 point, 1 rebound, 0 assists, 0-of-1 FG
Trey Lyles had a quiet night in his 13 minutes of action, scoring one point on a free throw and grabbing one rebound. He didn’t get many opportunities offensively, and his presence didn’t have much of an impact on the game.
With Minnesota getting so much production from its other players, Lyles wasn’t needed to take on a larger role. Still, there wasn’t enough in his performance to warrant a higher grade.
Bones Hyland: B
Stats: 3 points, 1 rebound, 1-of-2 FG, 1-of-2 3PT
Bones Hyland played just 3 minutes and 51 seconds, but made the most of his limited opportunity, knocking down a three-pointer and grabbing a rebound.
It’s difficult to draw much from such a short appearance, but he made a shot and contributed something in the few minutes he received. That’s about all Minnesota could have asked for in garbage time.
Jaylen Clark: C
Stats: 1 point, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 0-of-1 FG
Jaylen Clark finished with one point, one rebound and one assist in just over three minutes. He missed his only field-goal attempt and went 1-of-4 at the free-throw line.
The short appearance didn’t give him much time to make an impact, but the missed free throws kept this from being a better outing. There isn’t much else to evaluate from such a small sample.
Cody Williams: C
Stats: 0 points, 0 rebounds, 0 assists, 0-of-1 FG
Cody Williams played just over three minutes and missed his only shot attempt. He didn’t record another statistic, so there wasn’t much to evaluate.
It’s hard to judge a player based on such limited action, especially in a game that was already decided. He gets a neutral grade because he didn’t have enough time to make much of an impression.
Isaiah Evans: C
Stats: 0 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist
Isaiah Evans played for just over two minutes and didn’t attempt a shot. He did manage to grab a rebound and record an assist, giving him a couple of small contributions in limited time.
There wasn’t enough time to expect much more from him, but he did get on the floor and contribute to the box score. Like Williams, this was too small of an appearance to draw any major conclusions.
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