The Minnesota Timberwolves just absolutely dismantled the Dallas Mavericks, 133-94, pushing their record to a stunning 9-3 and locking down third place in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, on the same night, the Charlotte Hornets limped to a desultory 101-96 defeat against the Phoenix Suns, a team with the league’s fourth-worst defense, sliding Charlotte to a brutal 4-8 record, tied for tenth in the East. You know what’s wild? It’s getting harder and harder to ignore the player wearing No. 1 who seems to be *the* difference maker.
The Wolves Are Flying High, Even Without Their Superstar
Let’s talk about Minnesota for a second. These guys are on fire. They’ve clinched five wins in a row, and they’ve gone 6-2 since superstar Anthony Edwards went out with knee surgery. Think about that: losing your top option, and your team gets *better*. They boast the NBA’s best net rating, and their point differential is insane. The Wolves have outscored their opponents by a total of 161 points this season, which, according to Justin Kubatko of Statitudes, is the largest point differential through 12 games in franchise history. It’s not just a record, it’s a record by a whopping 50 points. You saw LaMelo Ball out there, slinging nine of the Wolves’ 33 assists against the Mavs, bringing that effusive, elevating effect he’s known for right to the Twin Cities.
The Hornets Are Absolutely Crashing, And It Looks Painful
Now, pivot to Charlotte. It’s a completely different story. After dropping their game in Phoenix, they’re tied for tenth in the East with that brutal 4-8 record and the NBA’s No. 26 net rating. They’ve lost seven of their last eight games. This offense is a mess, too. The Hornets have logged more turnovers than assists four times in their 12 games this season, and they’ve already failed to crack 100 points six times. Six times! That’s as many times as they finished south of the century mark all of last season. Ouch.
Yeah, injuries are a factor, big time. Their offense was supposed to rely on growth from Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, and Coby White, with some veteran spark from Dennis Schröder. But White has only played a total of 97 minutes, on a restriction coming back from a left calf strain. Knueppel is out for several weeks with a balky left hamstring. Schröder is also sidelined with a hamstring strain. And Brandon Miller, their leading scorer, has missed the last two games with a groin injury. Any team would struggle to score without that kind of perimeter firepower and shot creation. But it has to be absolutely galling to be stuck in this offensive black hole mere months after *consciously choosing* to say goodbye to LaMelo Ball. He was the player the eye test and the numbers screamed was the rising tide that lifted Charlotte’s offense last season. Now he’s doing exactly that for Minnesota.
This early in the season, you can’t ignore these kinds of trends. Minnesota is showing they are absolutely a force to be reckoned with, riding high on Ball’s impact. Charlotte, on the other hand, is deep in the struggle, battling injuries and clearly missing the player they chose to let walk. It’s a tale of two teams, and LaMelo No. 1 is front and center in the narrative for both.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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