The Minnesota Timberwolves are off to an amazing start to the regular season, and Friday's win over the Orlando Magic showed how dangerous this team can really be when the supporting cast steps up.
Minnesota picked up a 115-93 road victory despite an inefficient shooting night from Anthony Edwards. The Timberwolves controlled the glass, played solid defense and got several strong performances off the bench to improve to 2-0.
Here are the grades for every Timberwolves player who saw the floor against Orlando.
Anthony Edwards: C
Stats: 15 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals
This was not clearly Edwards' best night offensively as a scorer. He finished 5-of-23 from the field and 2-of-9 from three-point range, struggling to find his rhythm throughout the game and getting some tough bounces off the rim.
He still found ways to contribute elsewhere, recording four steals and finishing with a team-best plus-19. Minnesota did not need him to have a huge scoring night to win comfortably, which is an encouraging sign.
Jaden McDaniels: A
Stats: 15 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks
JAden McDaniels put together one of his better all-around performances, contributing on both ends of the floor. He shot 6-of-14 from the field, knocked down two threes and recorded two blocks. He also finished without a turnover. McDaniels continues to be an important piece of Minnesota's defense, and nights like this show how much he can offer offensively, too.
Rudy Gobert: A-
Stats: 14 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist
Rudy Gobert was great Friday night, making six of his eight field goal attempts. He helped Minnesota establish its presence inside and came close to a double-double. The Timberwolves had a significant advantage on the glass, and Gobert's work around the basket played a part in that. Three turnovers and two missed free throws keep him just below an A.
LaMelo Ball: B-
Stats: 12 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals
LaMelo Ball had a solid all-around game but struggled with his shot making as well. He made four of 13 shots, including two of eight from beyond the arc.
His five assists and two steals helped make up for some of those struggles, and he continued to give Minnesota another creator who can make things happen with the ball in his hands. The stat sheet doesn’t show how much Ball changed how the Wolves moved the ball on offense, leading to the easy win despite his and Edwards' struggles.
Jonathan Kuminga: A-
Stats: 11 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal
Jonathan Kuminga, like Gobert, also nearly recorded a double-double and contributed as a rebounder and playmaker. He shot 3-of-7 from the field and made two threes, but his struggles at the free-throw line were noticeable as he converted only three of eight attempts. That's something he can still work on, but nine rebounds and five assists are encouraging contributions from a player Minnesota needs to impact the game in multiple ways.
Ayo Dosunmu: A+
Stats: 14 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 steal
Ayo Dosunmu in my eyes was arguably Minnesota's most impressive performer. He scored 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting and nearly finished with a double-double, coming just one assist short. Even better, he did not commit a turnover in 27 minutes.
Dosunmu gave the Wolves a steady presence off the bench and helped keep the offense flowing. His ability to create for others while remaining efficient made a big difference.
Terrence Shannon Jr.: A
Stats: 13 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block
Terrence Shannon provided an efficient scoring boost, making four of six shots and two of four three-pointers. He also converted three of his four free throws and added a block. Minnesota benefited from having another bench player capable of scoring without needing a high volume of shots. Shannon made the most of his opportunities and gave the Wolves valuable minutes.
Joan Beringer: A-
Stats: 9 points, 9 rebounds
Joan Beringer was excellent on the glass in his limited action, getting nine rebounds in just 15 minutes. Seven of those came on the offensive end, giving Minnesota extra opportunities to score. He also shot 4-of-8 from the field. Two turnovers and a missed free throw keep this from being a perfect outing, but his energy and offensive rebounding were major positives.
Trey Lyles: B+
Stats: 9 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists
Trey Lyles delivered a productive performance in 17 minutes, scoring nine points and making two three-pointers. He also grabbed five rebounds and recorded two assists without committing a turnover. His ability to space the floor helped Minnesota maintain its offensive rhythm when the starters rested.
Bones Hyland: B
Stats: 3 points, 1 rebound
Bones Hyland played eight minutes and made his only field goal attempt, a three-pointer. He did not have a large role in the game, but he made the most of his limited scoring opportunity. His two fouls in that short stretch were a minor blemish on an otherwise decent appearance.
Jaylen Clark: B-
Stats: 2 rebounds, 1 assist
Jaylen Clark did not attempt a shot in his three minutes on the floor, but he still contributed two rebounds and an assist. There is only so much to evaluate from such a short appearance, though he made a small contribution during the closing minutes.
Cody Williams: C
Stats: No points, rebounds or assists in 3 minutes
Williams had a quiet appearance off the bench and did not record a statistic in his three minutes. With such limited playing time, there is not much to take away from his performance. This was more of a brief opportunity to get on the floor than a meaningful test.
Isaiah Evans: B-
Stats: 1 assist in 2 minutes
Evans played only two minutes but managed to record an assist. There was little time for him to make a bigger impact, so this grade reflects a brief, largely uneventful appearance.
Team Grade: A
Minnesota won by 22 points on the road despite Edwards struggling to find his shot. The Timberwolves outrebounded Orlando 60-43 and grabbed 21 offensive rebounds, giving themselves plenty of extra possessions. Dosunmu led a productive bench effort, while McDaniels and Gobert helped establish the team's presence on both ends.
The most encouraging part of the win was that Minnesota did not need a spectacular performance from its best player to take control. If the supporting cast continues to provide this kind of production, the Timberwolves could be a difficult team to deal with throughout the season.
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