LaMelo Ball Scores Season-High 34 as Timberwolves Beat Bucks 112-100, Becomes Fastest to 1,000 3s

LaMelo Ball played through a sore wrist and still carried the Minnesota Timberwolves. He scored a season-high 34 points, hit six 3-pointers and became the fastest player in NBA history to reach 1,000 career 3s as Minnesota beat the Milwaukee Bucks 112-100 on Monday night in Minneapolis.

The win moved the Timberwolves to 5-3. Milwaukee fell to 1-6 and has lost six of its first seven games.

Bucks vs. Timberwolves: final score by quarter

How the game was won

Minnesota jumped out to a 29-18 lead after one quarter, then let Milwaukee back in it. According to the Associated Press, the Timberwolves did not lead by double digits again until early in the fourth quarter.

That came on an 11-3 run to open the final period, started by six points from Jaden McDaniels, which pushed the lead to 91-79. Ball’s sixth 3-pointer midway through the quarter made it 96-81, and the Bucks never got close again.

It wasn’t a pretty night for Minnesota’s offense. The AP noted that the Timberwolves set season lows in points and shooting percentage (42.7%). Each of their four earlier wins had come by more than 20 points.

LaMelo Ball’s record night

Ball was listed as questionable with a right wrist contusion, the AP reported, but he scored 13 of Minnesota’s first 17 points. His 24 first-half points matched his previous season high for a full game.

His third 3-pointer of the night made him the fastest player in NBA history to 1,000 career 3s. He reached the mark in 311 games, per the AP.

Ball finished 12-of-21 from the field and 6-of-13 from deep, with six rebounds and three assists, according to the box score.

Milwaukee Bucks vs. Minnesota Timberwolves match player stats

Timberwolves

• LaMelo Ball: 34 points, 12-of-21 FG, 6-of-13 3PT, 6 rebounds
• Ayo Dosunmu: 19 points, season-high 12 rebounds, 8 assists
• Jaden McDaniels: 13 points, 6 rebounds
• Trey Lyles: 12 points off the bench
• Rudy Gobert: 10 points, 10 rebounds
• Bones Hyland: 10 points

Bucks

• Tyler Herro: 21 points, 4-of-11 3PT
• Jaime Jaquez Jr.: 19 points, 8 rebounds
• AJ Green: 13 points, four 3-pointers
• Myles Turner: 13 points, 5 blocks
• Ryan Rollins: 10 points
• Brayden Burries: 9 points on 4-of-15 shooting in his first start

Six Timberwolves scored in double figures. Minnesota won the rebounding battle 59-53, per the box score, but went just 14-of-26 at the free-throw line.

Bucks’ slow start continues

Milwaukee shot a season-worst 38.4% from the field, the AP said, and went 15-of-49 from 3-point range. There was one small positive: it was the first loss this season in which the Bucks did not give up at least 127 points.

Brayden Burries, the 10th overall pick in this year’s draft, made his first NBA start. He struggled with his shot but grabbed nine rebounds.

Injuries: Edwards and Shannon out

Minnesota is still without Anthony Edwards, who had knee surgery and could be out for possibly a couple more months, according to the AP. Guard Terrence Shannon Jr. also missed the game with a left hip contusion. That puts more on Ball, Dosunmu and McDaniels in the backcourt while Edwards recovers.

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