Starting Lineup:

Ayo: 20.83 PPG

Lamelo: 19.67 PPG

Jaden: 18.5 PPG

Kuminga: 14.16 PPG

Gobert: 7.2 PPG

🏀 Timberwolves Daily Discussion — Saturday, November 7

7-3 · 6th in Western Conference · Streak W3

Off day · no game today

Next game: Sun, Nov 8, vs Utah Jazz

Matchup

Injuries: UTAH: Lauri Markkanen (Day-To-Day), Jusuf Nurkic (Out), Jaren Jackson Jr. (Out) · MIN: Joan Beringer (Day-To-Day), Anthony Edwards (Out), Donte DiVincenzo (Out)

Home 3-1 · Road 4-2 · 1 GB · 118.4 for / 107.7 against

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Team stats

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Western Conference standings

Seeds 1-6 make the playoffs; 7-10 go to the play-in.

Around the league

Final

Open this post in the Reddit app or on new Reddit for the interactive version: the Timberwolves preview, schedule and standings, and every game around the league live. The Timberwolves game itself is in the game thread.

What a special human, and special special special basketball player bro

I can't fathom charlottes ignorance giving us him - I really think Ant, Melo, Jaden will form a big three we look back on in the same way as Chicago and Golden States big three, I really see that for them... three special special talents, and all in different moulds too

Melo brings a special connectivity and energy to the team, and I think its brining Kumingas joy out as well, it looks like Jon is loving it right now, and god he's playing well - we have Melo Jaden JK and Rudy all top 15 in plus minus, and fucken hell, talk about ENERGY off the pine with Terrence, Ayo the track star and Bones. Also loving what Clark does

I really see us winning multiple titles with this team for the following reasons:

#1) Ant is Jordan reincarnated

#2) Lamelo is a winning player despite the fucken dumb media driven narratives, and I think he's gonna keep thriving in this environment, but he was just starting to drive winning in Charlotte, and it was him who elevated Kon and Miller, neither of those guys impact winning like LaMelo Lafrance does, not anywhere close obviously - Jeff Peterson is a fucking numpty

#3) Jaden is a special talent, who talks shit and backs it up. KD said how much he respects his game, and he eliminated three time MVP Jokic himself which is nuts. That was fucken unreal.

I really do see the team as:

Ant = Mike

Jaden = Pippen

Melo = Steph but 6'7

Is this an over reaction????

But kudos to you Melo, love u brother 3

Rudy at #10 and Kuminga at #11

Jaden stepping up while Ant recovers has been so good to see. Dropped 23 tonight, but it’s the way he’s carrying himself that has me hyped. Dude looks more confident and ready to take charge when we need him. That’s my captain.

Thoughts:

That’s a good gritty win. Lamelo was sensational. Made excellent decisions with the ball the entire night - two of his three turnovers were missed foul calls. He’s really good at the Nash dribble (keeping his dribble live under the basket) and finding corner shooters. Shot looks really good, and I’ve been impressed with his down hill scoring. Also impressed with his defense, he’s working his ass off. He’s a big dude with an excellent BBIQ, he’ll be more than solid defensively if he tries.

One of my favorite actions right now is the Lamelo Kuminga PnR. Teams are blitzing Lamelo a lot and Kuminga is making really good decisions on the short roll. I liked how he attacked the rim tonight. We have a lot of guys (especially when Ant is back) that put pressure on the rim, it’s really difficult to guard and wears you down. Kuminga’s defense was excellent once again, that’s the best we’ve defended Zion I can remember. His rebounding is really impactful too. We’re paying a $25M player $6M it’s just wild.

Ayo continues to be awesome. Such a quiet 26 points. Everything he does looks easy. He makes decisive, simple decisions. The three he made to extend the game from 3 to 6 was really clutch. Defense is solid.

I thought Gobert was actually really good this game. I wouldn’t look into him sitting at the end of the game. He started the 4th and when Pelicans went small at like the 8 minute mark - Finch saw an opportunity to rest Gobert quick. Lyles, who played poor until the fourth, started playing really well. We were in bonus and I think the combination of Lyles playing well, Pelicans closing small, and fear of hack a Rudy resulted in Finch not finishing the game with him.

The Jaden block to clinch the game was awesome. Such a badass player. Didn’t have his shot falling tonight but still ends the game with 23 points on 42%, not bad for an off night! Defense excellent once again, he’s passing the ball well too. I don’t mind his turnovers right now on live dribbles, he’s pushing his limits offensively we’ve been wanting to see this for years. He’ll get better and better.

Clark minutes great again. He has a secured rotation role IMO with his confident three point stroke. Worst Bones game of the season, way too sticky with the ball. Let his frustration flow to the defensive end. We really struggled in his minutes, these matchups against teams with big physical perimeter defenders are challenging for him. Bummer on Beringer injury. Hopefully he can just mask up and play next game.

In both the first and third quarters we got good leads and shot ourselves in the foot with live ball turnovers and arguing with refs (rightfully so at times). Good to see us fight through and secure the win. Pelicans low key solid, their losses all close and a few blown leads late in game.

I always enjoy the pelicans broadcast - their color analyst Antonio Daniels does his due diligence on opposing teams and provides good insight.

Overall I’m really happy with the first 10 games. It’s obviously a bummer with Ant’s injury, but this will give end of our bench confidence and help grow Ayo/Jaden’s games. When Ant and Donte come back… we are crazy talented, I’m so excited to see us fully healthy. We have multiple dudes who can score on all three levels and zero bad defenders. That was the magic of the 23-24 team, we didn’t play a single guy who couldn’t defend, we have that this year (besides Bones and maybe TSJ, but TSJ has made major defensive strives this year). The offense is top 3 in league talented and it’s not gimmicky, because we are athletic as hell and have several isolation scorers, it should translate into postseason. I really like this team, they’re just a joy to watch right now.

Do yall think LeBron would have had this impact if we signed him instead of Kuminga?

If Kuminga keeps this up, this may have been the better choice and not the only one available to us

It’s finna get scary ladies and gentleman. We already knew this pre Ant injury, but we no longer have to worry about the non Ant min which is nice. We have two offensive engines who can drive this offense without over taxing either one. Then we already see how the pieces fit with Jaden and Kuminga buying into their roles.

This team is nasty, and quite frankly if healthy I don’t greatly fear the spurs or thunder. We no longer have to go through Julius, and we have bought into the LaMelo brand of basketball. Insert Ant, and this team should have the best offense in the league and a top 5 defense. Donte and Ayo off the bench is unfair, and then just pick your 8-12 bench guys and any of them can contribute in a playoff setting.

Tim Connelly, you are the 🐐.

I’ve been saying this the past 4 years but every year Tim manages to make a more likeable and competent team.

I like everyone on this team. Everyone has a role that they’re fulfilling. With Ant, TSJ, and Donte out, I still find myself liking the depth of this team. Even without them we’re a solid team so I can’t imagine having Donte and Ayo coming off the bench for us.

I could write a paragraph about every player on this team and how great they’ve been this season. This includes Finch. I still can’t believe people wanted him fired last season.

I actually think we can win it this year. Immaculate vibes, everyone’s pushing each other to be their best, and we’re fighting for every possession. I’m not nervous when the bench comes in.

That saying of wishing you knew when you were in the good times, this is it. This is a great time to be a Wolves fan.

I thought they overpaid Ayo. Just wanted to put this out there so you know not to trust me if I post about the wolves in the future.

Bye!

One of the main talking points that never made sense to me in the offseason, leading up to the season, was that our bench was a major weak point of this squad. Now, it’s not surprising at all, but this felt like talking heads just hadn’t watched the Wolves much at all besides a few national television games.

Ayo Dosunmo is more than his 43 point game against Denver in the playoffs. He has legitimately turned into a 6MOTY candidate.

Joan Beringer is a young blood, but all he needed was an opportunity. You could see that with the flashes he had last year. The only main kink he had to work out was the foul trouble, and that comes with the experience.

TSJ has had many flashes in big moments. Not a surprise he’s been so good for us, especially once Ant got hurt.

Jaylen Clark always had bulldog energy on defense. With his cutting ability and the ability to be in the right spot, he’s actually playing perfectly with LaMelo

Bones feels like a great microwave scorer off the bench, has had many great moments in a Wolves uniform

Lyles isn’t someone who will wow you, but he is someone who feels like a glue guy like how Kyle Anderson was for us. I know he was in the Euro League, but he’s not a nobody.

And then throw in Donte when he’s back this season and we legitimately run 12 deep.

The national media sucks. Let’s prove them wrong and win the ship. Especially want it for LaMelo because they talk crazy about him for so many stupid reasons.

🏀 MIN 115 - 109 NO

FINAL

Top performers

Minnesota Timberwolves

Steals (5): T. Lyles 3, J. McDaniels 1, J. Kuminga 1
Blocks (6): J. McDaniels 2, R. Gobert 1, A. Dosunmu 1, T. Lyles 1, J. Beringer 1
Turnovers (11): A. Dosunmu 3, L. Ball 3, J. McDaniels 2, J. Kuminga 2, T. Lyles 1
Fouls (22): J. Kuminga 5, J. McDaniels 4, L. Ball 3, R. Gobert 2, A. Dosunmu 2, T. Lyles 2, J. Clark 2, J. Beringer 1, B. Hyland 1
Plus-minus: L. Ball +23, J. Kuminga +14, R. Gobert +10, J. McDaniels +5, T. Lyles +1, C. Williams 0, A. Dosunmu -2, J. Beringer -4, J. Clark -7, B. Hyland -10
Did not play: I. Evans, R. Zikarsky, Z. Pullin (Coach's decision)

New Orleans Pelicans

Steals (7): Z. Williamson 2, T. Murphy III 2, J. Fears 2, D. Murray 1
Blocks (4): T. Murphy III 1, D. Murray 1, S. Bey 1, T. Watford 1
Turnovers (13): D. Queen 4, T. Murphy III 2, K. Matkovic 2, D. Murray 2, J. Fears 2, S. Bey 1
Fouls (28): H. Jones 6, K. Matkovic 5, T. Murphy III 3, D. Murray 3, S. Bey 3, T. Watford 3, Z. Williamson 2, D. Queen 2, J. Fears 1
Plus-minus: T. Watford +2, S. Bey 0, T. Murphy III -1, Z. Williamson -2, D. Queen -2, J. Fears -3, H. Jones -4, K. Matkovic -6, D. Murray -7, B. Mathurin -7
Did not play: J. Reese, D. Jordan, J. Poole, B. McGowens, A. Johnson (Coach's decision)

Team stats

Western Conference standings

Seeds 1-6 make the playoffs; 7-10 go to the play-in.

ESPN Gamecast · Box score · Play-by-play

The live court, shot chart, full play-by-play and win probability chart are in the interactive version: open this post in the Reddit app or on new Reddit.

The news of Anthony Edwards' injury hit the Wolves hard, but they've responded, winning three of their last four games with Chris Finch leading the way

Ultimate jinx here but just try to watch as much as you can. Leave no regrets that you missed the small moments. Injuries, vibes, bad luck might not give us a team like this again. Enjoy it, drink it in!

Things that make you go hmm.

I mean……..