Final Score: Timberwolves: 131, Cavaliers: 123
Timberwolves:
- What a night at Target Center. It was an electric atmosphere inside, but also awkward. The night started with Jimmy Butler and Tom Thibodeau being HEAVILY booed. However, those boos quickly became cheers for Butler as he dominated every facet of the game.
- Wolves get bench production. The Wolves got 42 points from their bench unit, a huge boost. Tolliver was 3-7 from three, after not attempting any deep balls in the season opener on Wednesday. The Timberwolves also got a productive Derrick Rose, who recorded 12 points, 8 assists, and 4 rebounds.
- Karl-Anthony Towns is looking very active on defense. KAT may still not be the most physically talented defender, but the effort seems to be coming around. Towns racked up 4 blocks tonight, including a crucial stuff at the end of the game.
- Andrew Wiggins is looking energetic. Maybe it was because the Cavaliers were in town, but Wiggins has been playing with more energy and effort in the two games so far this season. If that keeps up for the remainder of the year, it will be a big step forward for Wiggins.
- Jeff Teague didn’t play his best game. Teague was aggressive in Minnesota’s opener against the Spurs, but he struggled tonight. Teague had some nice passes, recording 7 assists, but the aggression wasn’t there.
Cavaliers:
- Kevin Love will fill the stat sheet. With LeBron out of town, it’s Kevin Love’s turn to put up numbers for Cleveland. While it may not result in wins, similar to his days with the Timberwolves, Love will put up numbers. Tonight’s 25 points, 19 rebounds, and 7 assists proved that.
- Collin Sexton is fun to watch. Sexton plays with a ton of heart. His energy on the court is noticeable. With 14 points on 6-9 shooting from the field, Sexton showed flashes of why the Cavaliers used their top pick on the Alabama product.
- It appears Cedi Osman could have a breakout season. After working out with LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard over the summer, it appears to be paying off for Osman early in the season. With 22 points and 8 rebounds, Osman was the Cavaliers’ second-highest scorer, behind Love.
- Although the Cavaliers’ bench produced 45 points, every bench player was a negative plus/minus. For the Cavaliers to be successful this season, they will need to gain leads on teams with their bench, since their starting lineup isn’t full of firepower.
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