What happened: Speaking on NBA on Prime, Blake Griffin said he would sign up for the offensive pairing of LaMelo Ball and Ant Edwards day in and day out, joking that only their press conference answers are better. Still, Griffin pointed to defensive cohesion as the main question mark for the Minnesota Timberwolves as the backcourt settles in.

Why it matters: Ball joined Minnesota ahead of the regular season, pairing his perimeter creation with Edwards' scoring. Edwards previously said Minnesota's offense runs through Ball's playmaking advantage, making defensive balance the key variable for the rotation.

What to watch: Minnesota's defensive communication and perimeter containment will be evaluated as the regular-season schedule progresses.