NFL
By: Courtney Byrd
The Minnesota Timberwolves have started the regular season with plenty of offensive firepower. Minnesota won its first three games against the Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, and Orlando Magic before its undefeated run ended Monday night in Cleveland. The Timberwolves fell 127–125 in overtime despite a career-defining performance from Anthony Edwards, leaving them 3–1 after their first four games.
Minnesota opened the season with a 131–106 win over Miami, led by Edwards’ 45 points. LaMelo Ball added 21 points and six assists, while Jaden McDaniels contributed 17 points and eight rebounds. The Timberwolves also received a strong lift from the bench, with Ayo Dosunmu scoring 16 points. As a team, Minnesota made 21 three-pointers and shot 42 percent from beyond the arc, setting the tone for an offense that looked capable of putting pressure on opponents from multiple spots.
The Timberwolves carried that momentum into their matchup with Toronto, winning 117–94. Edwards scored 26 points, while Ball finished with 15 points and eight assists. McDaniels and Terrence Shannon Jr. each added 15 points, and Minnesota shot 56 percent from the field. Scoring was spread throughout the lineup, and Gobert controlled the paint with 13 rebounds. After relying on a huge night from Edwards in the opener, Minnesota showed it could still win comfortably with several players contributing.
Minnesota notched its third straight win with a 115–93 victory over Orlando. The Timberwolves held the Magic under 100 points and finished with 61 rebounds, their best total of the young season. McDaniels led the starters with 15 points, while Gobert recorded 14 points and nine rebounds. Ball and Edwards each scored 12, and Dosunmu helped organize the offense with 10 assists. The win gave Minnesota a 3–0 start and showed its depth, with the team finding ways to score and create opportunities even when Edwards wasn’t leading the way.
The winning streak ended against Cleveland, but Edwards delivered Minnesota’s biggest individual performance of the first week. He couldn’t have scored 47 points on 19-of-34 shooting and added four rebounds and four assists as the Timberwolves pushed the Cavaliers into overtime. Gobert grabbed 20 rebounds, while Shannon scored 14 points off the bench. Ball added 11 points and six assists, but Minnesota couldn’t find enough offense to finish the job in overtime.
The narrow loss also gave the Timberwolves a few areas to address. They shot 48 percent from the field. They also made only 13 of 40 three-point attempts and committed 17 turnovers. Those missed opportunities mattered in a two-point game. Edwards kept Minnesota in position to win. However, the team will need to protect the ball better and get more consistent perimeter production as the schedule continues.
Minnesota leaves its first four games with a 3–1 record and an early sense of its potential. But Edwards is now expected to undergo an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee. He could miss up to two months, according to reports. His potential absence gives the Timberwolves a major challenge as they try to build on their promising start.
