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The Minnesota Timberwolves ushered in the LaMelo Ball era with a 116-97 preseason win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday. Although the final score carries little weight, the Wolves' dominance while resting their starters for the entire second half was noteworthy.
Here are five key observations from the game.
1: Defense Remains Stifling
Minnesota demonstrated the potential to be an elite defensive unit, limiting Milwaukee to 29% shooting in the first half. Even when the Bucks kept their starters in for much of the third quarter, their efficiency barely improved against the Wolves' reserves. They finished the game shooting just 33% from the field. Ayo Dosunmu and Jaylen Clark came off the bench and took turns harassing Tyler Herro, Milwaukee's top offensive threat, holding him to 3-of-9 shooting and forcing four turnovers. While the Bucks are still searching for proven scorers after trading Giannis Antetokounmpo in the offseason, this was a promising defensive start for the Wolves.
2: Up-tempo Offense on Display
The fast-paced offense that Timberwolves fans envisioned when the team acquired Ball materialized immediately, as Minnesota outscored Milwaukee 26-9 in fast break points. Ironically, the most exciting fast break sequence didn't directly involve Ball. In the second quarter, the Wolves ran for back-to-back alley-oops: backup point guard Bones Hyland got a steal and lobbed it to newcomer Jonathan Kuminga for the first, and then Anthony Edwards found Rudy Gobert for the second. Ball's presence has shifted the team's mindset, and the Wolves are ready to run.
3: Ten-Deep Rotation
This may be the deepest roster the Timberwolves have ever had, and it showed on Monday. Coach Chris Finch used a regular rotation of 10 players, starting Ball, Edwards, Gobert, Kuminga, and Jaden McDaniels, with Hyland, Dosunmu, Terrence Shannon Jr., Trey Lyles, and Joan Beringer coming off the bench first. Based on minutes, Finch treated Dosunmu almost like a sixth starter, while Hyland received slightly less time. Despite his defensive prowess, Clark didn't enter until the second half. He may end up as more of a situational player than a regular rotation piece, as Dosunmu offers similar defense with more offense. Rookie Isaiah Evans also didn't play until late and struggled with his shot, finishing 0-for-6. Evans has the physical tools—a long wingspan and smooth handle—but if he can't find his shot, earning minutes will be tough.
4: Size Matters
There were some concerns coming out of the preseason opener. At one point in the first half, Milwaukee went big with Myles Turner (6-foot-11, 250 pounds) and Kelel Ware (7-foot, 230 pounds) on the floor together for an extended stretch. Gobert held his own against Turner, but Kuminga struggled to guard Ware in the paint and keep him off the boards—understandable given Kuminga is only 6-foot-7. Ware finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds. The Wolves knew that adding Kuminga at power forward would leave them undersized some nights. Monday showed there may be times when they need to sacrifice Kuminga's dynamism for the interior presence of Lyles or Beringer.
5: Beringer's a Rollercoaster
Speaking of Beringer, the teenager showed exciting flashes on Monday, scoring 12 points on a variety of dunks, grabbing seven rebounds, and altering shots defensively. However, he also committed four fouls in his first nine minutes. Not all fouls are equal. On one play, Beringer fouled Jericho Sims to prevent a dunk; Sims, a career 60% free-throw shooter, missed both. That's a smart foul. But too many of Beringer's whistles come from being overly aggressive—a natural trait for a young player, but the Wolves need him on the floor, especially if Gobert ever gets injured.
The Last Word
Milwaukee is not a good team, but the Timberwolves' preseason opener was a promising start. Ball had 11 points and three assists in 17 minutes and helped push the pace. If he was a defensive liability, it didn't show, as the Wolves locked down the Bucks. There are bigger challenges ahead, but for now, Wolves fans have reason for optimism.
Originally reported by yahoo.