What a night from Ayo Dosunmu.
This was a game where honestly things couldn't look anymore bleak for the Timberwolves' future moving forward.
Guard Donte DiVincenzo would leave the game almost immediately after suffering an untimely non-contact lower left leg injury, which was later confirmed to be every Wolves fan's worst fears: a torn Achilles.
Then to make matters even worse, Minnesota would go on to also lose their franchise superstar, Anthony Edwards, who appeared to hyperextend his left knee. Just this morning, Edwards' injury was confirmed to be a bone bruise and hyperextension in his left knee, where he is expected to miss multiple weeks.
Even though the Wolves have all the momentum on their side in this series, to lose DiVincenzo entirely and the status of Edwards very much in the air, it opens up a pathway for the struggling Nuggets to claw their way back into this fight.
Or does it? Not on Ayo Dosunmu's watch, that is.
Wolves revel in the delight of a monster Ayo Dosunmu game
Minnesota desperately needed a lifeline in this game after such crushing blows and Ayo Dosunmu stood right up to seize the opportunity at its fullest. Dosunmu led his team in minutes played (seeing 42 minutes of action), where he put up a whopping 43 points on 13-for-17 shooting, including a perfect 5-for-5 from three. He also had four rebounds, one assist, and one block in the affair.
This career-defining bench spark for Dosunmu has him making headlines for various reasons. It's the second-most points off the bench in a playoff game all-time, just behind Fred Brown's 45 points in 1976. He also becomes the third Wolves player ever to score 40+ in a playoff game, joining Sam Cassell and Anthony Edwards. Dosunmu already had a standout Game 3 where he put up 25 points, and now he follows up for the franchise's first back-to-back 20+ point performances by a bench player in the playoffs.
As a result, the Timberwolves rallied through adversity and got the 112-96 victory to give them a 3-1 lead in the series, where things even got a little chippy at the end of the game.
If you can still recall around the trade deadline, the idea of a potential Ayo Dosunmu trade was very much being explored here on Raptors Rapture. Toronto could desperately use an offensively gifted yet sound secondary playmaker to pair alongside Immanuel Quickley in the backcourt. Whether you wanted to slot Dosunmu in with the core five or have him lead the Bench Mob, his impact could be felt in either role.
Ayo Dosunmu's seamless fit with the Raptors seemed undeniable
Dosunmu was indeed shopped at the deadline, but he ultimately landed with one of Toronto’s toughest foes at the time, Minnesota. Now, here in the playoffs, the team that won the Dosunmu sweepstakes is learning firsthand why he is such a hot commodity. His ability to catch fire like he did in Game 4 proves why he is one of the league’s more underrated talents.
Toronto just had a standout performance in Game 3 of their own series, but with Immanuel Quickley out and Brandon Ingram failing to step up in the postseason, can you imagine how much more lethal the Raptors’ chances in this series would be if they had Dosunmu in their arsenal?
Toronto could still have a chance at landing Dosunmu since he's an unrestricted free agent later this summer. However, after a performance like he just had in Game 4, his asking price might be shooting up so high that it’s out of the Raptors’ current range.
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