I'm not sure anyone could have predicted the Minnesota Timberwolves would be this good without Anthony Edwards. They're currently on a five-game winning streak, and they haven't lost a game by more than 10 points the entire season. While the entire roster has stepped up, LaMelo Ball has been an incredible number one option with Edwards sidelined.
It shouldn't be surprising: for the first six years of his career, Ball was far and away the best player on his team and was expected to carry a heavy burden offensively. However, there were plenty of questions and doubters about Ball's ability to do the same in games with more stakes in a more competitive environment.
So far, he's absolutely silenced his doubters and is putting together an All-Star-caliber season to not only keep the Wolves afloat, but push them to a 9-3 record and the third seed in the Western Conference so far.
LaMelo Ball is one of the best second options in the league
When it comes to the second-best player on a team, there aren't many who have been more effective than Ball this season. His ability to scale up into the main scoring option and simultaneously make sure the offense is still running smoothly around him is an incredibly rare trait. He played phenomenally in a complementary role when Edwards was healthy, and now with more responsibility, his play has only improved.
In Thursday's beatdown of the Dallas Mavericks, who have been playing well this season, Ball dropped a season high in 3-pointers made with six and a season high in assists with nine. You have to think that his first Wolves double-double is just around the corner, with the way he's been passing the ball. It would likely have been that game, but he only needed to play 25 minutes in the blowout.
There are a few reasons why his game is able to scale up or down so well, and it's because he's able to bury teams in a variety of ways. If his shot isn't falling on a given night, he's able to completely dismantle teams with his passing ability, getting everyone else around him wide open looks all game.
Then, of course, if the shot is falling, there's not much you can do as a defense. He has a 3-point range that rivals Steph Curry and Damian Lillard, and he has the capability to hit some of the most absurdly difficult shots. He's the type of shot maker that completely demoralizes defenses, because you can play perfect defense on him, and sometimes it won't matter at all.
The Wolves are so fortunate to have a player like Ball on their team. Few players would be able to keep a team's spirit and confidence this high after losing their superstar, and his ability to take on more responsibility as the de facto number-one option is priming the Wolves for a big second-half surge once everyone gets healthy.
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