Ayo Dosunmu has been with the Minnesota Timberwolves for 45 days and has already realized that his new teammate, Bones Hyland, is a gym rat.
The Wolves turned to Hyland, who hadn’t been a consistent rotational player since 2024, out of necessity this season. Before the trade deadline, they ranked 23rd in total bench points scored. Minnesota needed someone outside of Naz Reid who could create their own shot off the bench.
Hyland is averaging 15.5 minutes per game this year and has maximized his every-night opportunity with pull-up threes, shifty crossovers, and a unique celebration involving the fans who are buying his jersey in the team store.
Still, the Wolves needed another punch off the bench at the deadline, so they traded for Dosunmu, who has quickly developed an impactful pairing with Hyland. Together, they’re stepping up for Minnesota at a crucial time in their own ways.
“Anytime you see someone who didn’t necessarily have the opportunity throughout the season be able to gain confidence and showcase his ability,” Dosunmu said regarding Hyland. “You always want to be the guy to uplift him and give him words of encouragement, like I have been doing.”
Hyland is as confident as anyone else in the NBA. After a missed shot, multiple missed shots in a row, or even a stretch of bad games, Hyland rarely — if ever — needs words of encouragement. He shows up every day at practice with a smile on his face. He lifts the vibe in the building when it’s low. Hyland also works his tail off at practice, waiting for his next moment by proving to the coaches that he is ready.
Over the last eight games, Hyland is averaging 14.4 points on 53.4% from the floor and 45.7% from deep. But the Timberwolves are 4-4 despite Hyland’s efforts in that span.
Their defense has been declining since the All-Star break. Recently, the offense has been rendered rudderless for prolonged stretches with Anthony Edwards missing the last four games due to a right knee injury.
In that span, however, the Timberwolves have a 3-1 record and just beat the Boston Celtics Sunday at TD Garden for the first time since Mar. 6, 2005. Hyland scored 23 points against the Celtics on 8 of 14 from the floor and 3 of 7 from deep in Minnesota’s 102-92 win. The Wolves outscored Boston by 26 points in 29 minutes off the bench.
AT THE BUZZER 🦴 pic.twitter.com/wuCxkmQxB9
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) March 23, 2026
“Honestly, when [I am on the bench] I just try to give my teammates some energy before I go in the game,” Hyland said at halftime on the NBC broadcast. “But when I check in, man, try to change the swagger, change the flow, add some pace to the game, and give them a different look. I feel like you can’t prepare for pace.”
Minnesota missed Edwards early against the Celtics. The Wolves shot 6 of 23 (26%) from the floor in the first quarter, scoring 14 points, tying a season low for any quarter. It wasn’t until Hyland and Dosunmu shared the floor that Minnesota found its face-paced groove that carried them the rest of the night.
Dosunmu has been starting in place of Edwards and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. The team announced last week that he would be reevaluated in 1 to 2 weeks. With Edwards sidelined, Dosunmu has averaged 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 5.5 assists on 50% from the floor and 47.4% from deep.
There are more shots available for Dosunmu to show off his high-level scoring chops that drew the Wolves to him at the trade deadline, but filling in for Edwards’ scoring isn’t what Dosunmu is prioritizing.
“Just being able to do a little bit of everything,” Dosunmu said. “Whether that’s scoring, rebounding, assisting, defending, or being efficient. That’s what I always took pride in. Of course, with Ant being out, I have more of an opportunity to be on the ball and showcase my playmaking, showcase a little bit more than I would have if he were here. But for the most part, I just try to play the right way each and every game.”
ooof 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/zyzAPnTJnP
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) March 23, 2026
Against Boston, Dosunmu finished with 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists on 7 of 13 shooting in 32 minutes. Midway through the second quarter, he and Hyland orchestrated a pivotal 14-4 run for the Wolves to dig out of a 15-point hole and pull within five points by playing with the high-octane pace that has earned them the nickname “Twin Turbos.”
While Dosunmu takes pride in remaining the all-around player even with Edwards out, Hyland views the opportunity as a green light to get more shots up. And that’s what the coaches have asked him to do.
His response?
“Say less,” he said with a belly laugh postgame on the NBC broadcast.
The Wolves need on-ball scoring with Edwards out. They also need the improbable shot-making and swagger that Ant brings, and Hyland has also filled that void. Against Boston, he was his usual smiley and entertaining self. You would never have been able to tell that three days later would be the anniversary of the house fire that killed Hyland’s grandmother and 11-month-old cousin in 2018.
“When you go through adversity like that at a young age, you can go through anything and persevere,” Hyland said. “So those two years I haven’t been playing, just keeping my head down. Stay with it, keep working, and I know the tables would turn soon.”
March is an emotional month every year for Hyland, but he’s stepping up when the Wolves have needed him the most. Since Edwards’ injury, he’s averaging 20 points per game on 52.9% from the floor and 44.8% from three-point range.
NEW NICKNAME ALERT. pic.twitter.com/SJN48MHDHO
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) March 23, 2026
“Trying to fill in [Ant’s] shoes will be tough,” Hyland said. “But we’ve got a lot of guys on our team that can step up and come out here and put on a show. I feel like that’s what we did tonight. And knowing that he’s out right now, we just got to keep stepping up.”
Hyland and Dosunmu are averaging a combined 39 points in the last four games without Edwards. They shared the floor for 15 minutes against the Celtics. In that span, the Wolves outscored Boston 46-26, recorded a 139.4 offensive rating, an 86.7 defensive rating, and shot 17 of 30 (56.7%) from the floor. They pushed the pace, played relentless defense, and ran Minnesota’s offense, even when Julius Randle was a relative non-factor offensively. Randle finished with 9 points on 3-of-14 shooting.
The Wolves are staying afloat without Edwards. Usually, Randle keeps them above water. But against Boston, Hyland and Dosunmu lifted the offense as they continue to develop their partnership. Their fast-paced playstyles – Dosunmu is level-headed, and Hyland is score-first – complement each other perfectly.
Hyland works hard to perfect his craft in the practice facility. Dosunmu does too. But their partnership has seemed to come naturally. The short-handed Wolves are benefiting from it now and will continue to once they get healthy and into the playoffs.