November 5, 2026 at 6:53 AM UTC
Pregame AnalysisShort-handed Timberwolves Look to Lean on Ball and Dosunmu in New Orleans
Minnesota has found ways to win without Anthony Edwards, and that may be enough against a Pelicans team still searching for footing.
This page is the pregame analysis. The box score is the main page for the game, and the matchup history collects every meeting between these teams.
The biggest storyline in New Orleans is who isn't in Minnesota's lineup. Anthony Edwards, who averaged 33.3 points through four games, has been out since Oct. 27 after right knee arthroscopy and could miss up to two months. Losing that much scoring would normally sink a team's outlook, yet the Timberwolves are 5-3 and have kept winning without him.
The reason is the backcourt. LaMelo Ball scored 34 in the home win over Milwaukee, and Ayo Dosunmu filled the stat sheet with 19 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists. That kind of shared playmaking gives Minnesota a workable script against the Pelicans: Ball creates and scores, Dosunmu handles the connective work, and the offense runs through them rather than waiting on one star. Depth is the concern. Terrence Shannon Jr., a 12.0-point scorer off the bench, was ruled out with a left hip contusion on Nov. 4, and his status here needs a recheck. Donte DiVincenzo is still rehabbing from Achilles tendon repair surgery, so Minnesota's guard rotation stays thin.
New Orleans is 3-4 and was coming off a close early-season game with a Utah team that had just one win, which is not the profile of a team in control. Zion Williamson was warming up before that Nov. 4 game, a sign he was available, but his status for this one is unconfirmed. If he plays, the Pelicans have the best individual weapon on the floor and home court to lean on.
I still give a slight edge to the team that has proved it can win through adversity. Minnesota's two lead guards should generate enough quality looks to grind out a close road win.