If you wanted to watch the Minnesota Timberwolves’ first round pick Joan Beringer play NBA competition, you got that for a small portion of this game. That’s about all I can report.
Former NBA journeyman Frank Kaminsky, a starting member of the Guangzhou Loong-Lions and coming off of a team-leading 22 point game against the San Antonio Spurs, posed a solid matchup for Beringer on a floor full of matchups that otherwise did not do so for other members of the Wolves (Victor Oladipo also plays for the Loong-Lions, and saw a lot of Terrence Shannon Jr.).
For whatever all of the above is worth, early returns on the matchup proved to be positive for the Wolves. Beringer made his impact all over the floor. In the first five minutes, the French rookie posted 4 points, 1 block, and an offensive rebound. At half, he was up to 6 points to pair with 5 rebounds and a team-high +23.
An unassuming point total with a high plus-minus. Remind you of anyone?
Monday also provided the opportunity for second year point guard Rob Dillingham to right the ship from a rollercoaster of a preseason against an inferior opponent. Throughout the preseason, the juggling of Dillingham and Bones Hyland for the supplemental guard role seemed ambiguous with little separation between the two (solely based on on-court performance).
If Monday night was any sort of a finger-to-the-wind indicator, Dillingham surely planted his flag.
Aggressive all game, Dillingham did an excellent job of passing and moving off of the ball, getting open, repositioning himself, and was fantastic in initiating and navigating pick and rolls. He finished with 27 points and 9 assists on 10-14 shooting.
The goal tonight was to look like he DIDN’T belong, and he accomplished that.
Hyland ended the night with scoreless; he was 0-5 from the field, and the lone member of the starting five that didn’t get on the board. While he was likely not going to be ahead of Dillingham either way on the guard depth chart, it’s fair to say that Monday likely cemented that (even if it was an inconsequential 60-point win).
Oladipo and Kamisky were the only two members of the starting five for Gunagzhou that finished in double digits; Kaminsky with 10 and Oladipo with 14.
While not much else notably went on on the floor, the Wolves still had the pieces to run some base offensive things that they’ll likely want to get to this season, whether it was a lead guard in Dillingham or Shannon initiating the action, using Beringer for gravity, and working options off of it. The usage of the spread pick and roll was notable, effective, and can serve as a lethal preview of what could be expected when the regular season tips off.