LaMelo Ball Scores 34, Becomes Fastest to 1,000 Threes as Timberwolves Beat Bucks 112–100

The record fell in the first quarter

Ball was listed as questionable with a right wrist contusion. Nothing about the first quarter looked questionable.

He scored 13 of Minnesota's first 17 points, knocked down a 3-pointer to put the Timberwolves up 15–4 in the opening minutes, and pushed the lead to 13 late in the first before Milwaukee rookie Brayden Burries — making his first career start — cut it to 29–18 at the quarter break.

Somewhere in that run came the milestone. Ball's third 3-pointer of the night was the 1,000th of his career, and he got there in 311 games — faster than any player in NBA history. It is the kind of record that sneaks up on a box score: a volume shooter's mark, built shot after shot, that suddenly reads as history when the number turns round.

By halftime, Ball had 24 points — equaling his previous season high for an entire game. He finished with 34 on 12-for-21 shooting, 6-for-13 from three and 4-for-5 at the line, with six rebounds, three assists and a game-high-tying +17 in 33 minutes.

Doing it without Edwards

Minnesota needed every bit of it. The Timberwolves played without Anthony Edwards (right knee), Donte DiVincenzo (right Achilles tendon) and Terrence Shannon Jr. (left hip contusion), all inactive. With Edwards out, Ball is the front of this team — the scoring void is his to fill, and Monday was his first 30-point game of the season in that role.

He did not do it alone. Six Timberwolves scored in double figures. Dosunmu's double-double — 19 points, a season-high 12 rebounds and eight assists — held the middle of the game together. Jaden McDaniels added 13, Trey Lyles 12 off the bench, and Gobert and Bones Hyland 10 apiece. Minnesota won the glass and survived its own cold night: the Timberwolves' 112 points and 42.7% shooting were both season lows, which tells you how much of this win was Ball's shot-making and a fourth-quarter close.

Milwaukee's rally, and the run that ended it

The Bucks, losers for the third straight time and 1–6 to start the season, made a game of it. Milwaukee outscored Minnesota 29–19 in the second quarter behind back-to-back AJ Green 3-pointers in a 10–2 run, and pulled within one at the half, 48–47. Herro finished with 21 points, Jaime Jaquez Jr. had 19 points and eight rebounds, and Myles Turner and Green scored 13 each.

It was still a four-point game entering the fourth. Then Minnesota opened the quarter 11–3, and the four-point lead became 12. McDaniels scored six in the run — a running layup, a jumper and a tip-in — Jaylen Clark hit a three and Joan Beringer added a putback dunk. Ball's sixth 3-pointer midway through the quarter pushed it to 96–81, and Minnesota outscored Milwaukee 32–24 in the fourth to seal it.

Burries finished with nine points and nine rebounds in his first start, but shot 4-for-15 as Milwaukee's young backcourt felt the night. The Bucks scored 19 second-chance points, but their 17 turnovers became 20 Timberwolves points — the margin, in the end, was made of Milwaukee mistakes and one historic shooting night.

Up next: Timberwolves at Houston on Wednesday night. Bucks at Boston on Wednesday night.

Elsewhere Tonight

• Thunder 117, Cavaliers 112 — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a season-high 43 and hit the go-ahead 3 with 32.6 seconds left as short-handed Oklahoma City snapped a two-game skid in Cleveland.
• Lakers 138, Heat 117 — Luka Doncic had 42 points, 13 assists and seven rebounds, his fourth 40-point game in five outings, one night after scoring 45 against Toronto.
• Pelicans 135, Grizzlies 134 (OT) — Zion Williamson scored 25, including nine in overtime, and Jeremiah Fears hit the winning free throws with 7.3 seconds left to hand Memphis its first loss.
• Warriors 116, Suns 113 — Stephen Curry had 34 points, seven assists and six rebounds, and Charles Bassey scored a career-best 19 as Golden State held off Phoenix.
• Spurs 119, Jazz 97 — Victor Wembanyama had 12 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks and Dylan Harper scored 17 as San Antonio won its fifth straight.
• Raptors 125, Clippers 118 — Immanuel Quickley scored 27 and Scottie Barnes had 15 of his 22 in the fourth as Toronto rallied past the skidding Clippers.
• 76ers 126, Bulls 107 — Tyrese Maxey scored 15 of his 26 in the fourth and LeBron James added 15 points, nine assists and seven rebounds as Philadelphia won its fourth straight.
• Trail Blazers 118, Nuggets 110 — Deni Avdija scored nine of his 28 in the fourth as Portland extended its season-opening road winning streak in Denver.
• Rockets 109, Celtics 93 — Alperen Sengun had 26 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds to lead Houston past Boston.
• Pistons 124, Hornets 91 — Cade Cunningham scored a season-high 33 and Duncan Robinson added 24 on six 3-pointers as Detroit won its third straight.
• Knicks 103, Nets 90 — Landry Shamet scored a season-high 22 as New York beat Brooklyn for the 15th straight time.
• Wizards 103, Magic 94 — Anthony Davis had 29 points and eight rebounds and AJ Dybantsa added 21 in his third NBA game for Washington.
• Kings 115, Mavericks 100 — Rookie Darius Acuff Jr. scored 25 as Sacramento won for the first time in seven games this season.
• Hawks 108, Pacers 104 — Atlanta held off an Indiana team down to six available players; Jay Huff led the Pacers with 22.

Full box score and play-by-play: Game Center — Milwaukee at Minnesota · NBA hub.

His full season line is on LaMelo Ball's Breakdown player page.