Heading into the season, the Minnesota Timberwolves' bench was a clear question mark, as Ayo Dosunmu was their only established bench player. While the Wolves' bench silenced some of these concerns early in the season, Anthony Edwards' injury caused these questions to re-emerge.
Following Edwards' injury, Dosunmu slid into the starting lineup. How would Terrence Shannon Jr. perform? Could Bones Hyland handle a bigger role? Would the frontcourt duo of Joan Beringer and Trey Lyles be able to build on the start of their season? These were all valid questions after Edwards' injury.
And while it's only been two games, these concerns have been nonexistent. In fact, the Timberwolves' bench has been flat-out dominant. So far, the Wolves' bench is averaging 50 points (!!) without Edwards, which ranks second in the league over the past two games. This continues a season-long trend in which the Wolves' bench ranks seventh in bench points at 43 per game.
The Timberwolves have to navigate life without Edwards for roughly two months, and if the bench keeps it up, they'll be able to stay afloat without him.
The Timberwolves' bench has been amazing
In their two games without Edwards, the Wolves have run a 10-man rotation.
During their loss to the Golden State Warriors, Minnesota's bench helped the team fight back. A 51-point outburst from the bench helped the Wolves blow out the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday.
Shannon and Hyland have been key to Minnesota's bench success, particularly from a scoring standpoint. Hyland is averaging 16 points while Shannon is averaging 15 points. As such, this duo is accounting for just over 60 percent of the Wolves' bench scoring in the next two games.
Shannon thrives at getting downhill and has a knack for drawing fouls. Minnesota needs this skill set without Edwards. Hyland doesn't offer the same level of rim pressure, but he plays at a breakneck speed and is a skilled perimeter creator. The speed that both players operate at is perfect for the Wolves' fast-paced identity.
Without a doubt, having two high-level bench scorers and comfortable creators is a massive boon to the Wolves as they operate without Edwards.
While Shannon and Hyland have been the two main stories of Minnesota's bench, the contributions of Joan Beringer, Trey Lyles, and Jaylen Clark shouldn't be ignored.
Beringer has been a high-end backup, catching lobs, setting screens, and crashing the glass. Lyles gives the team some nice stability—his stats don't jump off the page, but he's always in the right spot making the right play. Furthermore, he gives the Wolves a nice floor spacing element. Clark gives the Timberwolves an energy boost with his tenacious defense.
The combination of the creation that Shannon and Hyland provide, and the specific roles that the other three can provide, makes this Wolves' bench dangerous. There's still plenty of work to do without Edwards, and the bench must remain consistent for them to stay afloat.
Regardless, the Wolves' bench is off to a strong start without Edwards. If they keep playing like this, the Timberwolves will quickly prove to be one of the league's deepest teams. With the talent of their starting five, that's a tantalizing thought.
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