The Minnesota Timberwolves suffered a significant loss when Anthony Edwards underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee and is expected to miss up to two months.

Edwards is their No. 1 scoring option who's scored over 40 points twice this season. And when it matters most, he can lock in on defense.

Minnesota made the perfect trade, pairing LaMelo Ball with its franchise star this offseason. Ball is a high-level playmaker who bends the defense with his blazing speed to create advantages.

He was expected to lean more into that role next to Edwards. Now, he's shouldering the scoring and playmaking responsibilities as he did with the Charlotte Hornets.

The Timberwolves are 4-1 since the Edward news, and Ball should receive his flowers for upscaling his production.

Minnesota's star playmaker is averaging 22 points, 5.6 assists and 4.4 rebounds in the last five games. He exploded for 34 points in a 112-100 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday and scored 12 points in the fourth quarter to power a 117-107 win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.

Ball is commanding the offense and helping it average 116.4 points per game. His chemistry with his teammates grows stronger every game.

He and Gobert are figuring out how to make their pick-and-roll action lethal, especially in late-game scenarios. They showed flashes in Wednesday's win, with Gobert's screen assists setting Ball up for clutch buckets.

Ball isn't known as a high-level defender, but just like Edwards, his effort rises when the moment calls for it.

This season, his defensive activity is much more consistent throughout 48 minutes. He's averaging 1.8 steals in the last five games, using his long wingspan to disrupt the passing lane and generate turnovers.

It helps that Gobert is his backline defender and Jaden McDaniels guards the opposing team's best perimeter scorer. Ball has to be a good team defender, and he's proving that in the Timberwolves' three-game winning streak.

Minnesota can survive without Edwards with Ball at the helm. It's all the team can ask for in a competitive Western Conference without its star likely until January.

Now is the perfect time for Ball and the Timberwolves to run the table over the next few weeks. They start an eight-game home stand on Sunday against the Utah Jazz and end against the Brooklyn Nets on Nov. 23, welcoming Julius Randle back for the first time since they traded him in June.