The regular season is finally here, and the Minnesota Timberwolves are off to an outstanding start, rolling through Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Miami Heat down on South Beach opening night.
There were countless storylines discussed during the preseason about the Timberwolves' reoriented roster, including how it would look against different types of opponents. Both the Wolves' biggest positive and their largest negative were on full display in the team's first regular-season matchup.
A Three-Point Barrage from Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball
The Timberwolves' new-look backcourt looked sensational next to each other against the Heat. LaMelo Ball was in complete control of the Wolves' offense while relieving defensive pressure on Anthony Edwards.
Edwards torched the Heat for 45 points, just five points shy of the opening night record set by Kyrie Irving in a loss to the Timberwolves back in 2019. The Wolves' superstar appears primed for an incredible season, one that could end with a scoring title and so much more.
Within the scoring flurry, Edwards drained nine three-pointers, with Ball adding five of his own. The shooting duo of Edwards and Ball will be the team's greatest strength this season and was so to an emphatic degree, to open the season.
Edwards has been one of the league's best shooters for many years running, including leading the NBA in three-pointers made two seasons ago. Edwards becomes even more of a weapon from behind the arc next to Ball, who himself is one of the best tough-shot makers in the NBA.
Edwards and Ball also make things easier for McDaniels, who is set to face the worst defender in an opponent's starting lineup as they try to slow down the Wolves' backcourt. Against the Heat, it was 36-year-old Klay Thompson, and McDaniels had 17 points on 8-11 shooting.
The Heat do not project to be a bad defensive team. Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo are a formidable defensive pairing down low, and Davion Mitchell is one of the best guard defenders in the NBA. It didn't matter Wednesday night, as Edwards and the rest of the Timberwolves carved the Heat up to the tune of 131 total points.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Thrives Against Wolves' Small Frontcourt
By trading Julius Randle and Naz Reid and replacing them with Jonathan Kuminga in the starting lineup this offseason, the Wolves' frontcourt is a lot smaller this season than at any time since the team traded for Rudy Gobert four years ago.
The immediate question for the Timberwolves is how they would match up against bigger and more physical offensive players. Against the Heat, that weakness was immediately tested with Antetokounmpo driving through the Wolves' defense over and over.
Antetokounmpo finished with 35 points on 11-19 shooting from the field, while getting to the line 14 times, making nine of those free throws. The Timberwolves tried Kuminga on Antetokounmpo in the starting lineup and eventually rotated in Trey Lyles off the bench but neither provided little resistence.
An important aspect to point out is that Antetokounmpo is one of the best players in the history of the sport. He can have a fantastic night against even the best NBA defenses. The Wolves also did well adjusting in the second half, allowing only 14 points after Antetokounmpo scored 21 in the first half.
The Wolves also did really well to limit Adebayo, who scored only 15 points. Adebayo drove past Joan Beringer a few times for points at the rim, but when guarded by Gobert, he had little offensive production. From the point of view of the Heat, the pairing of Adebayo and Antetokounmpo felt clunky, the opposite of the debut for Edwards and Ball.
In the end, the Timberwolves had far more answers to slow down Antetokounmpo and Adebayo than the Heat had for Ball and Edwards, which led to the lopsided score. If that holds true all season, the Wolves are in for a spectacular season.
Additionally, if the Timberwolves find a player who can slow down bigger opponents one-on-one defensively and cover up the Wolves' primary weakness in the process, Minnesota might have a championship-caliber team, even in a conference that includes the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs
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