The Minnesota Timberwolves are off to a strong start at 8-3 after 11 games, including a four-game winning streak in November.

Minnesota has been elite on both ends of the floor. The team is averaging 118.1 points per game and allowing 107 points, both sixth-best in the league.

LaMelo Ball, Ayo Dosunmu and Jonathan Kuminga have supercharged the offense. Ball is a walking highlight reel, shooting one-legged 3-pointers and creating quality shots for his teammates; Dosunmu has been uber efficient, and Kuminga is a springy, athletic forward who feasts on backdoor cuts.

Rudy Gobert anchors the backline and Jaden McDaniel locks down the perimeter. They are key to the Timberwolves ranking first in defensive rating after four straight games allowing fewer than 110 points.

Losing Anthony Edwards for up to two months is a big blow to the offense. He's penciled in for over 25 points a night on nearly 40% from three in back-to-back seasons.

Ball has stepped back into the No. 1 option role he played with the Charlotte Hornets. The 6-foot-6 guard is averaging 25 points on 52.2/44.7/86/7 splits.

Ayo Dosunmu entered the starting lineup with Edwards sidelined. He's scored 20-plus points in four of his last five games, including back-to-back 26-point games against the Utah Jazz and the New Orleans Pelicans.

Minnesota's backcourt was not this potent last season. Julius Randle and Jaden McDaniels would step up as the first and second options when Edwards missed time.

Minnesota averaged 25.6 assists per game, 20th in the league and 0.4 more than the Chicago Bulls and the Milwaukee Bucks. It's surprising with Ball as the main playmaker.

He's averaged over seven assists in the past five seasons, including a career-high 8.4 in 2022-23. Ball hasn't dished out double-digit assists yet, which is rare, considering he's recorded 10-plus assists in the first 11 games over the past five seasons.

Part of it is returning to No. 1 option responsibilities and having a non-offensive threat roller in Gobert. The 7-foot-1 Frenchman is averaging 7.8 points on 50% shooting on 5.6 attempts.

Gobert's touch around the rim is horrendous, which takes away a read from Ball. Defenses often blitz Minnesota's pick-and-roll since Ball is an aggressive downhill threat and can ignore the big man in the short roll.

The Timberwolves' assist struggles are more predicated on the lack of a pick-and-roll threat, but their offense is still elite despite a glaring weakness.