Folks, you know the movie The Polar Express? The silver bells are ringing, and even though I doubted the summer would ever end, I can hear the sleigh arriving.
The good news? Basketball is back. The bad news? Tonight can barely be considered basketball. Both the Minnesota Timberwolves and Milwaukee Bucks were, at best, rusty. The teams shot a combined 70/178 from the field and 25/82 from deep. That’s 39% and 30%, respectively.
Still, there was so much to keep track of in the first game of the season.
While it may not be a game that will matter or even count toward stats, but it does count towards vibes. The team is back, the season is on, and there are so many clips worth staring at. Before we get to that, before we get to the numbers and box scores, let’s take a deep breath and really embrace this moment.
From now until the start of summer, we will have basketball. As bad as the days get, as hard as work or school or life may be, there will be time to watch a game.
Personally, I will be spending this season trying to get my partner to enjoy an introduction to the MWNBA, and I will be sharing some of those stories here.
This is a season of new beginnings, but also one of fresh air. Welcome to the ride, welcome to opportunity and optimism.
Welcome to the 2026-27 season.
The LaMelo Ball Show gets going
Fans have been chomping at the bit to see what LaMelo could do ever since the Minnesota Timberwolves traded Naz Reid and a first-round pick (along with a handful of fake assets) to bring in the enigmatic point guard. They got their taste of it today.
Take a look at this pass. When was the last time the Wolves had someone do this?
Well, if tonight was any indication, the ball will be moving with this Minnesota squad. It wasn’t just drive and kicks, which was what we were told was the focus of head coach Chris Finch’s offense; it was toss aheads and returns, loops and loops of running around each other.
The main bit of film study that was highlighted in the trade was the guard to guard pick and rolls that Ball used to run with Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel. That popped off the screen in just the two quarters that Ball and Anthony Edwards played together.
Funny enough, it was Edwards who made the biggest changes. He has improved his screen setting and was willing to really make contact and then roll to the rim, even when LaMelo was already making his way to another read.
There was also clearly a prioritization of pick-and-rolls in general. Both Rudy Gobert and Joan Beringer figure to be a big part of the rotation as the current and future cornerstones of the team’s frontcourt, and the Wolves got them easy shots early.
But that brings us to our next topic.
Joan Beringer is a foal
Did someone say Joan?
The second year Wolves big man is still just as raw as he is intriguing, but there are continued signs of growth and creation to be found.
Beringer was seemingly the only player to avoid the same rust that everyone on both teams was playing with, scoring 12 points on 5/8 shooting with seven rebounds in just 15 minutes. He looked far less sea-legged than he did eight months ago, instead moving with intentionality both on offense and on defense.
He does still have a penchant for fouling a lot, but that is a problem for most young centers that they grow out of. While that still needs work, Joan’s on-ball game is already rapidly reaching some level of DEFCON for Project Giannis in Minnesota (do not take this seriously).
Beringer will ultimately be the deciding factor in whether the Wolves can transition to a full retool as Rudy Gobert ages out of being a useful player. If Joan can become the starter and can anchor the defense as a Clint Capela type, the Wolves would have four of their five starters locked in going forward, all under the age of 27.
That still leaves the ever present power forward question, but there’s something we all need to take a closer look at in regards to that.
Who wants to talk about Jonathan Kuminga?
Do you, dear reader, want to know how Jonathan Kuminga played? Are you excited to learn about the biggest question mark the Timberwolves have had since they took Derrick Williams in the draft and shrugged their shoulders at his development? How much do you like variance in seasonal outcomes as decided by one player?
Well, I’m sorry, but those are questions that need to wait for the regular season. The Wolves had fun tonight. They played fast and loose. They gave up 14 offensive rebounds and turned the ball over 11 times.
They also looked like a team that loved how they were playing. Kuminga scored just eight points tonight, but his most thunderous basket was the one that embodied the way Minnesota was playing.
It was just plain enjoyable. And for a player like Kuminga, who has had his career defined by how little he is allowed to enjoy himself, that may be worth its weight in gold.
Good night, Wolves fans. Enjoy this dunk and enjoy this moment.
Please remember that we all asked for this, and that we should enjoy this season as much as we can, no matter what happens.
It what Ricky would do.
