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What stood out from Timberwolves' preseason victory over the 76ers

Anthony Edwards looked ready to roll in his preseason debut Friday night.

Nolan O'Hara

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo defends Philadelphia 76ers forward Caleb Martin (16) at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, on Oct. 11, 2024.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo defends Philadelphia 76ers forward Caleb Martin (16) at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, on Oct. 11, 2024. / Reese Strickland-Imagn Images
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Anthony Edwards made his preseason debut, and the Timberwolves got one step closer to the regular season after Friday night's 121-111 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa.

While Edwards was making his preseason debut, that was not the case for Julius Randle, who's yet to make his Wolves debut while he continues to work his way back from last season's shoulder surgery. But Wolves coach Chris Finch said he looks ready and that he'll make his preseason debut next week. Meanwhile, the Wolves were also without Rudy Gobert, who was a gametime decision but ruled out just before tipoff Friday night. That allowed for some interesting lineups.

Friday night's game did not go off without a hitch as the stream on NBA League Pass, the only method of watching the game, had technical difficulties, and we here were not immune. But in between the "technical difficulties" banners and the stream cutting in and out, here is what stood out from the Timberwolves' preseason victory Friday night:

Small-ball starting lineup

With Randle and Gobert ruled out, the Timberwolves turned to a smaller than typical starting lineup featuring Mike Conley, Donte DiVincenzo, Edwards, Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid. It's a lineup combination that you'd have to imagine Finch will turn to at times during the regular season. Finch even told reporters pregame that using McDaniels at the four might be something he'll "have" to do at times this year. That lineup certainly allows the Timberwolves to play faster.

Finch at times last season voiced his desire for the Wolves to get out in transition and find more easy baskets, which wasn't always easy with a two-big lineup that generally played slower. But with a lineup like Friday night's starting five, the Wolves can play significantly faster. Reid is a faster and more mobile big than Gobert, and with four wings around him, there are certainly those opportunities to get out and run. The Timberwolves were also able to take advantage of that lineup offensively, scoring 70 points in the first half, including this buzzer beater below from McDaniels.

This could be a second-unit lineup that Finch features frequently this season when he feels the Wolves need to move faster.

Reid scored a team-high 19 points on 7-for-12 shooting and had four boards and four assists while starting Friday.

No Wolves started played more than 24 minutes. Conley played the fewest minutes of the group at 14.

Edwards' debut

Late in the second quarter, Timberwolves fans saw exactly what they were expecting to see from Edwards when he scored four straight baskets with Minnesota building a sizeable first-half lead. Welcome back Wolves basketball.

Overall, Edwards finished with 16 points on 7-for-14 shooting, including 2 of 8 from 3-point range. He also had four rebounds, three assists and a steal, and also did a good job taking care of the ball, recording just one turnover.

Edwards looks as though he's plenty ready for the regular season.

Third-quarter issues

It was a rough start to the second half for the Timberwolves, beginning with three straight turnovers.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker committed two of those, and Reid was responsible for the other. The 76ers opened the quarter with a 13-2 run to cut their deficit to single digits and force a Timberwolves timeout. Minnesota was able to settle down from there, but by then, Philadelphia had already gotten itself back in the game, and it went down to the wire. Turnovers were a problem for the Wolves Friday night as they committed 15, and Alexander-Walker had four of those turnovers.

The Wolves, who were shooting lights out in the first half, also opened the second half shooting 1 for 5.

Young guys

Whether one of the young Timberwolves players can make their way into the rotation this season will be an interesting storyline to follow. There's first-round draft picks Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr., who've both shown flashes and bring different things to the table, and there's Josh Minott, who Finch has praised for all his work this summer.

All three of those players got plenty of run Friday night as did Luka Garza, who was back in the state where he's beloved. Dillingham played the most among the group, logging 22 minutes, and while he shot just 2 for 8 from the field, he did a lot of little things and made the types of hustle plays the Wolves would ask of him if he were to get a chance in the rotation.

Dillingham finished with seven points, nine assists, four rebounds and three steals, demonstrating his playmaking abilities in full force. Late in the game, Dillingham saved a loose ball and threw it off the 76ers' Adem Bona to allow the Wolves to retain possession. Those are the types of plays that can earn a young player time on the court.

Garza played 17 minutes and continued to demonstrate his scoring prowess, finishing with 14 points on 5-for-7 shooting, including 2 of 3 from long range. Minott was also effective in his 17 minutes, scoring 12 points on 4-for-7 shooting.

Shannon attempted just two shots, missing both, and hit a pair of free throws to finish with two points in 16 minutes.

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Nolan O'Hara
NOLAN O'HARA

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