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Ayo Dosunmu Reveals His Message to Timberwolves After Win vs Rockets
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- Ayo Dosunmu Reveals His Message to Timberwolves After Win vs Rockets
The Minnesota Timberwolves recorded a statement win Wednesday night, taking down the Western Conference-topping Houston Rockets 117-107 on the road, continuing to ascend without superstar Anthony Edwards.
The Wolves notched their second straight win, improving to 6-3 after outscoring their hosts 35-23 in the fourth quarter.
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Several Minnesota players turned in important performances, but LaMelo Ball (20) and Ayo Dosunmu (21) led the charge, combining for 41 points.
Picking Up Steam
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The Timberwolves have plenty of talent beyond Edwards to not only stay afloat but also remain competitive in his absence.
They are starting to show that now, with the likes of Dosunmu and Jonathan Kuminga stepping up big time to fill Edwards' sizable shoes.
Dosunmu is averaging 20 points, six rebounds, and five assists over the last five games, shooting 53 percent from the field and 36 percent from three, adding two steals per tilt. And it was his voice that rallied the Timberwolves to stun the Rockets in their home confines.
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"It's hard to win in this league," Dosunmu said postgame . "So, anytime you have a chance to win, I try to preach to the guys to keep going. We don't want to have regrets; we don't want to think about what we could have done after the game. It was all about just giving our all."
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Dosunmu went 10-for-20 shooting in the win, attempting the most field goals of all Timberwolves. His aggression set the table for Ball and Kuminga to take over down the stretch.
The duo combined for 20 fourth-quarter points on perfect 7-for-7 shooting (4-for-4 3PT). They scored or assisted on 25 of the Wolves' final 26 points while on the floor, with Ball responsible for scoring 12, including a couple of huge makes from deep.
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Kuminga finished with 16 points, eight rebounds, and five assists, going 4-for-7 from beyond the arc. His impact has been significant on both ends as he continues to grow as a secondary playmaker while crashing the glass and finding his rhythm as a scorer.
Doing It By Committee
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The Timberwolves don't get this win without everyone chipping in.
Ball added two rebounds, six assists, and four stocks (three steals, one block) to his tally — working through the seven turnovers he committed. Dosunmu dished out six dimes and had two steals.
Jaden McDaniels posted 14 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. Rudy Gobert rediscovered his scoring touch with eight points to go with 11 rebounds, and four blocks. Bones Hyland poured in 19 huge points in 16 minutes off the bench (4-for-7 3PT).
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Don't look now, but the Timberwolves may really be starting to figure it out without Edwards.
'Antman' returning and elevating Minnesota into an immediate championship contender is a real, plausible scenario if this is only the beginning.
