A new star was born on Saturday night as Ayo Dosunmu almost singlehandedly beat the Denver Nuggets to help the Minnesota Timberwolves seize a commanding 3-1 lead in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
After dropping 25 points off the bench in Game 3, Dosunmu followed up with a career-high 43 points in Saturday’s Game 4, while taking on a starting role in the second half due to injuries to Donte DiVincenzo and Anthony Edwards.
Acquired by Minnesota at the trade deadline, Dosunmu has proven to be the ultimate X-factor, catching Denver’s defense off guard with his elite shooting and ability to get to the rim with ease. To put things in perspective, he has shot 23-of-32 from the field (71%) and 17-of-18 from the free throw line (94%) in his last two games.
NBA World Reacts to Ayo Dosunmu
Dosunmu’s 43 points were the second-most by a player off the bench in NBA playoffs history and the most since Fred Brown in 1976.
Here are some reactions from around the league:
Leading the charge was Chicago Bulls star DeMar DeRozan, who was pleased to see his former teammate shine under the brightest of lights.
NBA insider Marc Stein: “Starting to think Minnesota won the Ayo Dosunmu trade …”
NBA insider Brett Siegel: “Ayo Dosunmu has been the best trade deadline addition any team has made in the last decade.”
Timberwolves star Julius Randle admitted he was not very familiar with Dosunmu’s game when the 26-year-old guard was acquired from the Bulls via trade.
“I didn’t know he was that damn good,” Randle said, via Michael Scotto.
“I ain’t gonna lie to you. When I was in the East and he was in Chicago, that were those DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine teams, so I don’t know if the opportunity was there as much, but damn, I’m glad we got him.”
Ayo Dosunmu Clinches Starting Role
Entering the second half of Saturday’s game, the Nuggets had a golden opportunity to level the series, given the injuries to DiVincenzo and Edwards. However, Dosunmu had other plans, hitting big shot after big shot to stun Nikola Jokic and Co.
Dosunmu has all but guaranteed himself a starting role for the Timberwolves, not just in Game 5 but for the foreseeable future.
Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch was all praise for the budding star.
“He’s a gamer,” Finch said of Dosunmu, via Nadine Babu.
“He’s really a gamer like he just has met the moment since he’s gotten here, the beginning of the series, you can see him trying to feel his way through it. You know, obviously game three, his aggression just came out, and he just kept with it. Goes places, quick, unbelievable finisher, makes big shots, not afraid, you know. So just who’s gonna ride him until he collapses, really.”
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