Timberwolves
Wolves Bully Bucks in the Paint, Win Preseason Opener 116-97
Minnesota beat Milwaukee 116-97 at Fiserv Forum behind a 31-20 first quarter it never let go of, outscoring the Bucks 56-26 in the paint and 68-58 off the bench. Both teams are 0-0 in a preseason game, so the result carries no standings weight, but it's an early look at Minnesota's depth and Milwaukee's shooting touch.
By the Hoops Nightly Desk · updated 16 d ago01The story of the nightA First Quarter Milwaukee Never AnsweredMinnesota opened the game on a 31-20 run and the margin never got closer than two points the rest of the way.
Minnesota opened the game on a 31-20 run and the margin never got closer than two points the rest of the way. The Wolves led 60-48 at half and 81-76 after three, then closed the door with a 35-21 fourth. Milwaukee had four lead changes early but its biggest lead all night was two points, while Minnesota's biggest lead reached 21. The Bucks matched Minnesota's pace in the second and third quarters, scoring 28 both times, but a sluggish 20-point first and a 21-point fourth were the difference in a game decided well before the final horn.
02Bench Scoring Carried Both RostersAnthony Edwards led Minnesota with 14 points on 4-of-13 shooting, but the bulk of the Wolves' offense came from…
Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 14 points on 4-of-13 shooting, but the bulk of the Wolves' offense came from reserves: Joan Beringer added 12 points and 7 rebounds on 5-of-8 shooting, Antonio Reeves went 5-of-5 from the floor and 2-of-2 from three for 12, and Zyon Pullin chipped in 10. LaMelo Ball added 11 with 3 assists. For Milwaukee, Ryan Rollins topped all scorers with 15, Kel'el Ware posted 14 points and 12 rebounds off the bench, and Gary Trent Jr. and Tyler Herro each scored 11.
03Won in the Paint and at the Free-Throw LineMinnesota outscored Milwaukee 56-26 in the paint and 26-9 on the fast break, the two numbers that explain the final…
Minnesota outscored Milwaukee 56-26 in the paint and 26-9 on the fast break, the two numbers that explain the final margin more than the shooting lines. The Wolves shot 46.0% from the field to Milwaukee's 33.0%, and while the Bucks actually out-attempted them from three (47 to 35) and made more (16 to 9), Minnesota made up the gap by going 27-of-34 at the free-throw line to Milwaukee's 21-of-28. Turnovers were also decisive: the Bucks gave the ball away 17 times against 11 Minnesota steals, and the Wolves turned those giveaways into 20 points off turnovers compared to Milwaukee's 11.
04What It Means for Each TeamIt's preseason, so the loss doesn't cost Milwaukee anything in the standings, but the 33.0% shooting night and 17…
It's preseason, so the loss doesn't cost Milwaukee anything in the standings, but the 33.0% shooting night and 17 turnovers are the kind of sloppy performance the Bucks will want cleaned up before the games count. Minnesota gets more encouraging signs: Edwards, Ball and McDaniels all got efficient minutes, and the bench group of Beringer, Reeves and Pullin combined for 34 points on a combined 14-of-18 shooting. With both teams still at 0-0, the result is more about building habits than banking a win, but Minnesota's depth and defense (9 steals, 7 blocks) stood out.
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