LaMelo Ball and Giannis Antetokounmpo shine in debuts as Timberwolves outlast Heat
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LaMelo Ball’s tenure with the Minnesota Timberwolves began with a 3-pointer from near the edge of the midcourt logo in Miami. Giannis Antetokounmpo started receiving MVP chants from his new Heat fans before the first television timeout.
Both had dazzling debuts. But it was Ball and the Timberwolves who left happy after a 131-106 victory.
Ball had 21 points, six assists and two blocks in his first official game with Minnesota, more than enough to help the Timberwolves survive a 35-point, six-rebound Heat debut from Antetokounmpo, who had 21 in the first half before fouling out in the fourth.
“It felt great being with the brothers,” Ball said, "and obviously we won, so great night.”
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Antetokounmpo wasn't nearly as thrilled after his debut.
The two-time MVP made the plays that showed why the Heat were willing to give up so much to bring him to Miami, but it wasn't enough to overcome a loaded Timberwolves squad that saw four of five starters finish in double figures.
Among Antetokounmpo's most electric plays were a two-handed dunk in the second quarter that he followed with a couple animated gestures toward Minnesota's Anthony Edwards, as well as a Euro-step dunk on guard Ayo Dosunmu that Antetokounmpo finished after throwing the ball up to himself in transition.
“I feel good when the team plays good," Antetokounmpo said, “When things are clicking. When we play with rhythm. When we play with great pace. That's when I feel good.”
Edwards finished with 45 points and nine 3-pointers, a potential sign of what's to come with the addition of Ball, who the Wolves hope can create more offensive opportunities for the superstar guard.
“At this point, me and him are going to be like best friends," Edwards said in an on-court interview after the game, before Ball approached and the two shared a handshake and a hug.
Completing a complicated four-team trade with Brooklyn, Charlotte and Chicago, Minnesota acquired Ball and guard Josh Green and sent fan favorite Naz Reid and a package of draft picks — a 2033 unprotected first-rounder, first-round swaps in 2028, 2029 and 2030, and second-rounders in 2029, 2032 and 2033 — to the Hornets.
Ball played in only 43 percent of the games over a three-year stretch from 2022-25 before a promising 2025-26 season that helped propel Charlotte into the play-in. In Minnesota, he has a stronger team around him than he's ever had.
“He can generate good looks for your team as well as anybody in this league," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "He’s unselfish. He can deliver every pass that you need him to make. He also can just get off the ball. He just has a great feel for when to get off the ball, when to make a play, and he can also go get you 30 if the game calls for it. So he’s going to unlock some things that I think they are excited about.”
Minnesota coach Chris Finch said he wants Ball to find a balance between being an aggressive scorer and distributing the ball.
Edwards wants Ball to score every chance he gets.
“We need him to be ultra aggressive at all times because every team knows that he can pass the ball,” Edwards said, “so if they know you can pass, they're expecting pass. So we need him to go score every time. ... To me, he’s the best point guard in the NBA, so it’s like get him the ball and let him create for others.”
