G Ayo Dosunmu is listed as out for Monday night’s Timberwolves vs. Spurs Game 1 at 9:30 p.m. ET.
A calf ailment continues to plague the Wolves’ prized trade deadline pickup, giving them an uphill battle against one of the premier teams in the entire league to start the Western Conference semifinals.
Below, we'll break down the latest Ayo Dosunmu injury update and which Timberwolves players may be worth targeting in regards to player projections for Game 1 on Monday, May 4.
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Ayo Dosunmu Injury Update: Is Dosunmu Playing Tonight vs. Spurs?
Unfortunately for the Timberwolves, Dosunmu’s calf issue will hold him out of Monday night’s bout in San Antonio. The official NBA injury report reflects that, as he was downgraded from questionable to out.
After playing over 38 minutes in Game 5’s 125-113 first-round loss to the Denver Nuggets, Dosunmu sat out Game 6’s series-clinching 110-98 victory with the injury.
He’s been bothered by a calf problem multiple other times this season, namely on February 24 and April 11. He only missed one game as a result: Minnesota’s regular-season finale against the New Orleans Pelicans.
In 24 regular-season outings post-trade, Dosunmu emerged as a big-time piece for the Wolves. He logged 28.9 minutes each night, dropping an average of 14.4 points on 52.1% shooting from the field and a scorching 41.4% from 3-point land.
Game 4 of the Denver series was Dosunmu’s coming-out party. In 42 minutes, he poured in 43 points on an uber-efficient 13-of-17 shooting. He became the first player in a single game to ever log 40+ points on 75% shooting while also going 100% from 3-point range (5+ attempts) and the free throw line (10+ attempts).
Although Dosunmu is out for Game 1, you can still make picks for plenty of other PrizePicks projections in Timberwolves vs. Spurs.
What Players to Target on PrizePicks With Dosunmu Out?
The absence of Dosunmu could certainly be felt against a tough Spurs team. Per databallr, Minnesota’s defense was 4.3% better than league average with him on the court in the regular season but just 2.9% better with him off.
Even with Dosunmu out, the Wolves have shown they’re willing to step up. Their Game 6 win against Denver made them the first team to ever win a playoff game while missing 3+ players who averaged 10+ PPG in the series.
In terms of those who could respond with Dosunmu out, all eyes shift to superstar SG Anthony Edwards. He’s questionable for Game 1, but signs point to him giving it a go if warmups pan out as planned. In minutes without Dosunmu in the lineup, he scores 4.3 more points per 75 possessions.
Starting SF Jaden McDaniels has also been thriving recently, especially late in the Nuggets series. In Dosunmu-less minutes, his 3-point percentage skyrockets from 32.5% to 40.9%. The biggest shift in production resides with SG Terrence Shannon Jr. though. When Dosunmu sits, Shannon sees a 9.8% uptick in usage rate.
Here are the Timberwolves players who may benefit most on PrizePicks with Dosunmu out, as well as their stat projections for today.
- Anthony Edwards vs. Spurs Projections: 22.5 Points / 4 Rebounds / 2.5 Assists (Goblin)
- Jaden McDaniels vs. Spurs Projections: 15 Points / 4 Rebounds / 2.5 Assists
- Terrence Shannon Jr. vs. Spurs Projections: 7 Points / 1.5 Rebounds / 0.5 3-PT Made (Goblin)
Of course, Edwards is the player to look to in the event that he can play. With that said, the difference in Shannon’s production without Dosunmu is hard to ignore.
Pick More or Less Timberwolves player stats on PrizePicks now before the 9:30 p.m. tip.
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With tip-off for Minnesota vs. San Antonio approaching, G Ayo Dosunmu is officially out. There are still ample other NBA Playoffs player projections to consider, however, for Game 1 and beyond.
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