The Minnesota Timberwolves had to work for this one in New Orleans Friday night.

After leading early, Minnesota found itself in a back-and-forth game with the New Orleans Pelicans that eventually came down to execution late. The Wolves were without Anthony Edwards, Donte DiVincenzo and Terrence Shannon Jr., leaving LaMelo Ball, Ayo Dosunmu and the rest of the starting lineup with plenty of responsibility.

Minnesota eventually pulled away for the win, but there were plenty of moments where New Orleans looked capable of taking control. Here are the grades for Minnesota's rotation.

LaMelo Ball: A

LaMelo Ball had another game where his value showed up all over the court in many areas. He was aggressive from the opening minutes, knocking down a step-back three and then attacking the basket for a pair of early buckets. He also found Jonathan Kuminga for a three in the first quarter.

More importantly, Ball was at his best when the game got tight.

With Minnesota trailing late in the third quarter, Ball started taking over possessions. He scored on a driving finger roll to tie the game at 89 before knocking down a three with just over six minutes remaining to put Minnesota ahead. He then added a technical free throw after New Orleans was hit with a delay-of-game technical.

That stretch was exactly what Minnesota needed from him without Edwards. Ball wasn't perfect, including a few turnovers and some questionable shots, but he was the guy the Wolves could turn to when the game stopped being comfortable.

Ayo Dosunmu: A+

Ayo Dosunmu continued his hot streak and showed why Minnesota has trusted him with a much larger role since Edwards went down.

He helped get the Wolves going early, knocking down a three off a Ball assist and later finishing a driving layup. He also made one of the more important defensive plays of the game when he blocked Herbert Jones at the rim.

Dosunmu led the Wolves in scoring with 26 points on just 14 shots and 4-for-6 from three. His ability to contribute on both ends has become a major part of this team.

Jonathan Kuminga: B+

Kuminga made an impact without needing the ball in his hands all night.

He opened the game by drilling a three and later followed up a missed shot with a putback dunk. Those plays are a good example of what has made his fit in Minnesota work. He doesn't need to dominate possessions to influence the game.

Kuminga also grabbed some important offensive rebounds, drew a foul on Zion Williamson and picked up a steal in the second half. His defense on Williamson was key in helping stop the Pelicans offense. He definitely has to clean up his free throw shooting 6-12 and 52% on the season isn’t good enough.

The Wolves do need him to make free throws because he is too valuable to the team; he provides exactly that kind of versatility they have been looking for.

Jaden McDaniels: B

McDaniels had one of those games where his defensive work was more noticeable than his offense.

He made several plays around the rim, including a block on Dejounte Murray and another sequence where he came up with an offensive rebound before helping Minnesota keep the possession alive. He also finished a couple of dunks, including one in the second quarter that helped Minnesota stay within striking distance.

There were some frustrating offensive stretches, though. McDaniels missed several jumpers and had trouble consistently creating against New Orleans' defense.

His defense and length mattered, particularly in a game where the Pelicans had multiple players capable of attacking the rim.

Rudy Gobert: B-

Rudy gave Minnesota some production around the rim which at this point you take any you can get, including a tip dunk and one off a smooth feed from Ball in the 3rd quarter. His rebounding remained important against a New Orleans team that was good at getting second chances. He also blocked a Jeremiah Fears shot in the second quarter.

But there were some rough moments as typical for the big man this season. Gobert picked up a technical foul and missed both free throws during an important time in the fourth quarter. Those mistakes could have become costly in a game that stayed close.

He still provided enough defensively and on the glass to help Minnesota survive, but this wasn't one of his cleaner performances.

Trey Lyles: B+

Trey Lyles quietly made some huge plays on Friday.

He gave the Wolves 13 huge rebounds and four combined steals + blocks on the night. He also maybe had the play of the night up six in the fourth quarter when he pump faked in the corner the defender flew bye and he threw down a vicious jam.

😭😭😭???

pic.twitter.com/c0wBi1GE35 https://t.co/45EhRiQgVT

— 🐜 (@FeelLikeZion) November 7, 2026

It was the kind of play that doesn’t show up in the box score but really snacthed the heart from New Orleans. 

Lyles continues to give the Wolves another veteran who can make winning plays without needing a designed play called for him.

Jaylen Clark: B

Jaylen Clark didn't have a huge offensive role, but he made a couple of timely contributions.

He scored on a cutting layup in the fourth quarter and knocked down a free throw, while also staying active defensively. His assist to the play that put Minnesota ahead came from simply making the right decision with the ball.

Clark isn't going to be asked to carry the offense, but his energy and willingness to make plays around the edges were useful in a game like this.

Joan Beringer: C

Joan Beringer's night ended much earlier than Minnesota would have wanted. He was pretty active early, including coming up with a couple defensive rebounds and a block, and he helped Minnesota's second unit with his physicality. Unfortunately, he suffered a broken nose in the first half and did not return after halftime.

That made his game tonight difficult to fully evaluate or critique in any way, but his early minutes were decent before the injury.

Bones Hyland: D+

Bones Hyland didn't have the same offensive impact off the bench he has had in some of Minnesota's recent games, but he did knock down an early three that helped the Wolves settle into the game.

New Orleans made it difficult for him to find much rhythm after that, and Minnesota ultimately leaned more heavily on its starters and other rotation pieces late.

It wasn't a bad performance, but it wasn't the kind of night where Hyland changed the game.

Overall Team Grade: B

Minnesota did what it came to New Orleans to do, but this was far from a perfect performance.

The Timberwolves struggled to find a consistent offensive rhythm for much of the night and particularly in the 3rd quarter they allowed New Orleans to erase its lead with a 12-0 run in the third quarter. The Pelicans entered the fourth with a 79-77 lead, putting Minnesota in a position where they could drop a game they had no business losing.

To the Wolves' credit, they did exactly that. Minnesota outscored New Orleans 38-30 in the fourth, with Ayo Dosunmu, Jaden McDaniels and LaMelo Ball providing enough offense to regain control. The Wolves also got important contributions from Rudy Gobert and Jonathan Kuminga late, including a Gobert-to-Trey Lyles dunk that capped a 15-4 run and gave Minnesota some breathing room.

There were enough mistakes and poor stretches to keep this from being an A-level performance, especially with the Wolves missing 10 free throws, shooting 43.2% from the field and 30.1% from three. But winning on the road against a Pelicans team that had won four straight, while missing several key players, still deserves credit.

Minnesota didn't dominate this game. It simply made the biggest plays when it mattered most, and that was enough to leave New Orleans with another win.