Timberwolves Beat Bucks 112-100 Behind LaMelo Ball’s 34 Points

The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 112-100 on Monday, November 2, 2026, at Target Center, with LaMelo Ball leading all scorers with 34 points. Ayo Dosunmu added 12 rebounds and eight assists as Minnesota turned a one-point halftime advantage into a comfortable home victory.

Quarter-by-Quarter Breakdown

First Quarter: Timberwolves Build an Early Advantage

Minnesota opened with a 29-18 first quarter, establishing an 11-point lead. Milwaukee’s 18 points represented its lowest-scoring period of the night, giving the Timberwolves an early cushion in front of 16,893 fans in Minneapolis.

Second Quarter: Bucks Close the Gap

The Bucks responded by outscoring Minnesota 29-19 in the second quarter. That 10-point advantage nearly erased the opening-period deficit, leaving the Timberwolves ahead just 48-47 at halftime.

Third Quarter: Minnesota Creates Separation

Both offenses improved after the break, but Minnesota had the better third quarter, outscoring Milwaukee 32-29. The Timberwolves entered the fourth with an 80-76 lead, keeping the game within reach for the visitors.

Fourth Quarter: Timberwolves Pull Away

Minnesota repeated its 32-point output in the final period while holding Milwaukee to 24. The resulting eight-point edge extended the margin to 12 at the finish. Overall, the Timberwolves outscored the Bucks 64-53 in the second half.

Key Performers

• LaMelo Ball, Timberwolves: Led all scorers with 34 points and collected six rebounds, providing Minnesota’s top individual performance.
• Ayo Dosunmu, Timberwolves: Led the home team in both rebounds, with 12, and assists, with eight.
• Tyler Herro, Bucks: Paced Milwaukee with 21 points while adding six rebounds and three steals.
• Brayden Burries, Bucks: Collected a team-high nine rebounds.
• Kasparas Jakucionis, Bucks: Finished with a team-leading six assists.

NerdSports Stat: Minnesota’s 16 made three-pointers produced 48 points—exactly matching the Timberwolves’ entire first-half scoring total.

Game Analysis: Better Shooting and Rebounding Lift Minnesota

Minnesota’s shooting advantage helped separate the teams. The Timberwolves made 41 of 96 field-goal attempts, shooting 42.7%, while Milwaukee finished 38-for-99 at 38.4%. Neither team reached 45%, but Minnesota converted more often despite taking three fewer shots.

From three-point range, the Timberwolves went 16-for-45, or 35.6%, compared with Milwaukee’s 15-for-49, or 30.6%. The Bucks attempted four more threes but made one fewer, leaving Minnesota with the better return from the perimeter.

The Timberwolves also held a 59-53 rebounding advantage, with Dosunmu leading that effort. Both teams recorded 23 assists, so the difference was less about the final assist count than Minnesota’s stronger shooting results and rebounding total.

Free-throw shooting remained an area for improvement for the winners. Minnesota went 14-for-26 at the line, just 53.8%, while Milwaukee made nine of 12 attempts for 75.0%. Even with 12 missed free throws, the Timberwolves gained five points at the line because they earned substantially more attempts.

The quarter-by-quarter pattern also mattered: after Milwaukee narrowed the deficit to one at halftime, Minnesota won both remaining periods. Its 64-point second half provided enough offense to turn a close matchup into a double-digit win.

Closing Context: Minnesota Moves to 5-3

The victory moved Minnesota to 5-3 overall and 3-1 at home in the Western Conference regular-season race. Milwaukee fell to 1-6 overall and remained winless on the road at 0-3. Both teams return to action Wednesday, November 4: the Timberwolves host the Houston Rockets at 5:30 p.m. PST, while the Bucks host the Boston Celtics at 4:30 p.m. PST.

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