Anthony Edwards' injury put the Minnesota Timberwolves' bench under the microscope. With Ayo Dosunmu sliding into the starting lineup, the Wolves' lack of reliable bench scoring was a clear concern. Thankfully, the Wolves have shut down these concerns, as they've ranked 12th in bench points over the past five games. And Bones Hyland has been key to the Wolves' bench success.
During the past five games, Hyland has averaged 13.4 points and 4.2 assists on 52/41.4/75 shooting splits. When the Wolves' offense dries up, they can count on Hyland to create for himself. All the same, Hyland thrives playing off the ball, which allows him to function alongside more established players.
It's impressive that the Wolves are 3-2 without Edwards, especially since they beat the Houston Rockets earlier this week, and Hyland has been a big part of this success.
Bones Hyland has uplifted the Timberwolves
In addition to Edwards' absence, Terrence Shannon Jr. has been sidelined for the past two games. As such, Hyland has become even more important to the Wolves' success during these past two games. Hyland's 19-point outing against the Rockets was his best showing of the season, and he helped the Wolves' offense thrive against a really tough Houston defense.
Simply put, Hyland has given the Wolves exactly what they need with Edwards out.
Earlier in the season, Hyland was out of the rotation. This was understandable given the Wolves' suddenly deep guard room. As noted, Edwards' injury created a need for more perimeter scoring, but with how Hyland is playing, his skill set will be valuable in any version of the Wolves.
Hyland is slight of frame at 170 pounds. Fortunately, he deals with physicality well, due to his shiftiness and smooth handles. He's not a traditional floor general, but his ball-handling abilities allow him to thrive with the ball in his hands, and he's been super efficient as a playmaker, posting a 3.13 assist-to-turnover ratio. This element gives Hyland some extra versatility, so he's not simply a one-dimensional scorer.
Hyland's ability to push the pace is super valuable to the Wolves as well. He thrives at getting out in transition, leading to easy scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates. In the half-court, Hyland helps get the Timberwolves into their actions quickly and helps them make quick decisions.
Of course, Hyland's ability to score in bunches is the primary way that he's provided the Timberwolves with a spark lately. Nevertheless, he brings other valuable skills that have helped the Wolves.
There's still a good amount of time until Edwards returns, but Hyland's offensive skill set will help keep the Timberwolves afloat, and they should be thankful to have a player like him off the bench.
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