Hyland loves the nickname with Ayo Dosunmu as Minnesota stays afloat without Anthony Edwards.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are four games into life without Anthony Edwards, and somehow they keep winning.
A lot of that has to do with the backcourt pairing of Bones Hyland and Ayo Dosunmu, two guys who have gone from complementary bench pieces to carrying this team while its best player sits with right knee inflammation.
At Tuesday's practice, Hyland was asked about the "Turbo Twins" nickname that fans and media have attached to him and Dosunmu lately, and he was all the way in on it.
"Yeah that's official, there's got to be merch coming out, that's a hardass nickname," Hyland said. "I'm rocking with it I ain't gonna lie."
Where the Name Came From
The whole thing started because of how Hyland and Dosunmu look when they share the floor.
They play fast, they play aggressive, and the energy changes the second both of them check in together.
It really took off after last Sunday's game in Boston, when the two of them sparked a 14-4 run in the second quarter to dig Minnesota out of a 15-point hole against the Celtics.
In 15 shared minutes that night, the Wolves outscored Boston 46-26 while shooting 56.7 percent from the floor.
And the Timberwolves' official social media ran with it too, posting a graphic after the win dubbing them the Turbo Twins.
So it went from a fun locker room thing to something that actually has legs now.
What They've Done Without Ant
Edwards has been out since March 15, and head coach Chris Finch said Tuesday that a return is not close.
So Minnesota is going to keep leaning on these two, and honestly, neither one has blinked.
Hyland has averaged 20 points per game in the four games without Edwards while shooting 52.9 percent from the field and 44.8 percent from three.
Dosunmu has been right there with him, putting up 19 points, 8 rebounds and 5.5 assists on 50% shooting and 47.4 percent from deep since sliding into the starting lineup.
Together they have combined for 39 points a night, and the Wolves have gone 3-1, including that 102-92 win at TD Garden that snapped an 18-game losing streak in Boston dating all the way back to 2005.
The full-season numbers tell a different story for both guys, with Dosunmu averaging 14.2 points on 51.1 percent shooting across 56 games between Chicago and Minnesota, and Hyland sitting at 8.0 points in 63 games off the bench.
But the overall numbers almost don't matter right now.
What's Next
The Timberwolves are 44-28 and holding down a playoff spot in the West heading into Wednesday night's game against the Houston Rockets at Target Center.
Houston is only a half-game ahead of them in the standings, so this one matters.
And look, if the Turbo Twins keep doing what they've been doing, Minnesota might not skip a beat without Edwards.