The Timberwolves came into this game in New York searching for a victory to bounce back in the Western Conference standings. Minnesota got some good news with Anthony Edwards injury as the swelling in his right ankle has gone down. He’s considered day to day and that’s really good knowing it was a scary sight.
The Knicks and Timberwolves came out on fire as it seemed like no one could miss in this game. One of the players that couldn’t was Minnesota’s Taurean Prince. Tonight was all about Prince as he was able to keep the Timberwolves in the game with his sharpshooting. Prince had a season high 35 points as it looked like any time the Timberwolves needed a big shot they went to Taurean. This is a true testament to the professionalism that Prince has as he was just waiting for his moment and that came tonight.
Prince hit a career high 8 (3 pointers) as the man couldn’t miss tonight. This was a huge boost to the team as Jaden McDaniels went out the game early with 3 fouls. It was Prince, Gobert, and Anderson who kept the team intact when McDaniels went out early. Rudy Gobert was able to set the tone in the paint early and that allowed the other players to get their rhythm. Rudy finished the game with 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. None of the Knicks players were able to contain Gobert and that made it easier for the shooters on Minnesota to take full advantage. The Timberwolves had 7 scorers in double figures and this was a huge win for Minnesota. Mike Conley and Kyle Anderson were huge tonight as well because they were able to get the ball in the players sweet spots. They also have a lot of basketball IQ that was on full display.
The Knicks gave the Timberwolves a fight as Julius Randle made his presence known in this matchup. On the night Randle finished with 57 points as the Timberwolves didn’t mind him scoring it seemed as long as the other players weren’t making shots they could live with Randle. The Timberwolves were having trouble containing Randle but the good thing about it was the fact that defensively they looked good shutting down the second/third options.
The Timberwolves play at home against the ATL Hawks next and will look to stack up some wins to move up in the playoff standings.
Photo Credit: (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Timberwolves were in Chicago to match up against the Bulls. Both teams need a win badly for seeding in their conferences and with the Bulls starting to get things clicking with DeRozan/LaVine it was going to be a true test for the Timberwolves. The Bulls were going to have their hands full trying to stop Anthony Edwards as he’s scored over 30+ in the last 4 games coming into this game.
The Timberwolves came out clicking on all cylinders tonight in Chicago as the offense was flowing perfectly. Anthony Edwards was finding his stroke early in this game as he just finished hitting back to back 3 pointers. Then with about 4 minutes left in the 1st quarter, Anthony Edwards went down grabbing his ankle and yelling in pain. It was not a sight that Timberwolves wanted to see as Edwards couldn’t put any weight on the foot at all and had to leave the game. One thing that was made clear is that this team is going to fight even without Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns they still were scrappy in this game.
Jaden McDaniels stepped his game up on both ends as he was able to get into his offensive bag and was clamping down on the defensive end. This was a great sight to see for any Timberwolves fan because if McDaniels can continue to improve on the offensive end teams won’t think they can sag off on him anymore. Jaden showed his range with the 3-point shot tonight and he also was able to get to the rim with ease. On the night Jaden McDaniel’s had a career-high 25 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals.
It was a great overall performance as the Bulls couldn’t slow him down with Beverley, LaVine, or Caruso. Once Anthony Edwards left for the locker room the other player that was matching McDaniels energy in the game was the beast Rudy Gobert. It didn’t matter who was in the paint as Rudy Gobert was dominating and playing with the force we want to see from him every night. Gobert was making the Bulls pay inside and let it be known that he was the best big man in Chicago tonight. The only thing that Rudy didn’t do was hit 2 crucial free throws that would give the Timberwolves a lead late but he was on fire. Rudy finished with 21 points and 19 rebounds on the night. A lot needs to be said about the leadership that Mike Conley showed on the court tonight as well because he was hitting big shot after big shot. It was good to see Mike find his groove and he was able to make great decisions against the Bulls tonight. Mike finished with 28 points and looked comfortable out there running the offense with Kyle Anderson alongside him. The Timberwolves had 6 players in double figures tonight but the Bulls just made some bigger plays down the stretch of both overtimes. It simply came down to the fact that Chicago has two players that can get to their spot anytime and create opportunity and Minnesota’s players that can match those that were hurt.
The Bulls had DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine it’s that simple. The Timberwolves were trying to guard them the best they could for 58 minutes tonight as they had to go to double overtime. Jaden McDaniels was playing amazing defense but sometimes you have to tip your hat to better offense and that’s what happened tonight. DeRozan was living at the free-throw line tonight as he got 17 of his 49 points from there. DeRozan was a tough guard and showed that he still has a lot in the tank. Deebo also added 14 rebounds on the night as well. He was putting on a mid-range showcase and it was too much for the Timberwolves to handle down the stretch because once a shooter sees the ball go through the net he builds that confidence up. Zach LaVine started off slow with his offense and when you looked up at the end of the game he still was able to finish with 39 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists on the night. Chicago was making tough shots and putting pressure on the Timberwolves’ defense all night long. Without Anthony Edwards, it was tough to adjust on the fly and the Bulls were able to make the adjustments needed on Rudy to come out with a win in double overtime. It speaks volumes about this Timberwolves team though to continue to fight without their two best players and still make it a game.
The Timberwolves had no information on Anthony Edward’s injury postgame but they will have to get ready to play tomorrow in a back-to-back. It would make sense to say that Anthony Edwards will be out tomorrow as he was seen in a walking boot but you can’t put anything past the All-Star he just wants to hoop.
Photo Credit: (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Timberwolves came into this game with the Celtics fresh off a big win in Atlanta and were playing a Celtics team pissed at their loss to the Rockets. Today the Timberwolves fans got some good news heading into the game as the team announced that Karl-Anthony Towns will be back in the coming weeks. The Celtics also got some good news with Robert Williams returning within the next few games. This was a great game as both teams could execute at a high level in this highly anticipated game.
The Celtics and Timberwolves came out swinging and this game started off with some great offense. Throughout the game, it started to get chippy early as Rudy Gobert got a little too aggressive in the paint toward both Derrick White & Jaylen Brown. Rudy Gobert was playing like the beast he is but the Celtics players weren’t phased or backing down from the big man. The game was neck and neck even with the chippiness so it made for some good offensive plays with aggression. Speaking of that aggression Jayson Tatum posterized Rudy Gobert on an And-1 which turned into a flagrant 1 foul. That was the turning point in the game as the Celtics got in Rudy’s face and it got their offense going. The Timberwolves were able to slow down Jayson Tatum as he finished with 22 points 14 of which came from the free-throw line. The Timberwolves were fouling Tatum and his getting to the line with ease kept the Celtics in this game. Jaylen Brown took over the game in the second half especially in the 4th as he scored 15 points in that quarter alone and finished with 35 points. Minnesota did a good job defending tonight but Brown made some tough shots that were contested.
Another reason why the Celtics were able to do so much on the offensive end is that Jaden McDaniels was in foul trouble the whole game. Since the All-Star break, McDaniels has made a huge difference in every game including tonight. With McDaniels in foul trouble, it allowed Brown and Tatum to roam a lot more than Coach Finch wanted them to. McDaniels has got better on the offensive end as well because tonight he was able to hit some big shots. Jaden finished the game with 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 assist. Anthony Edwards played one of his most complete games on both ends of the floor as the Celtics couldn’t do anything with him on the offensive end. The Celtics were doubling Edwards trying to make other players on the Timberwolves beat them and it worked. Anthony Edwards wasn’t able to close the game the way he wanted but he was able to finish with 28 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists. The Wolves only had 5 players in double figures tonight and to beat a team like the Celtics you need people to contribute from all over the stat sheet. The Wolves made this game interesting and were able to take Tatum out of the game but let Brown get too comfortable within the flow of the offense. This is a game they could of won but they will put it behind them as they look to bounce back against the Bulls on Friday in Chicago.
Photo Credit: (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
The Minnesota Timberwolves are coming off a tough loss to the 76ers and Joel Embiid. Tonight they would be going up against a well rested Brooklyn Nets squad as they played their starter’s limited minutes the game before. Since the trade to Brooklyn Mikal Bridges has been playing lights out, the Timberwolves would need to slow him down to win. On the Timberwolves’ side, they’re still without Karl Anthony-Towns as he’s been getting in some light work but still has no timetable. The Timberwolves haven’t been at full strength most of the season and it’s starting to show they miss KAT in more ways than many.
This was one of those games in which you knew whoever out-scrapped the other team would come out on top. The Nets are a team made up of players that know their role and perfect it at a high level. The problem is that Mikal Bridges and Spencer Dinwiddie are playing outside that and it’s been trouble for opposing teams. The Nets came out swinging in this game as Mikal Bridges has been showing that he can get his shot and to his spots anytime he wants to. It didn’t matter who was guarding him tonight he made some tough contested shots that you have to live with if you’re Minnesota. Mikal Bridges was on one tonight and was able to get his defense to jump-start his offense as well. On the night Mikal finished with 34 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 assist. Since joining the Nets he has been on fire and he added another 30-point performance to his short resume with his new team. It was his counterpart Spencer Dinwiddie who was making some tough buckets on the night and was able to get the mismatch he wanted and made Minnesota pay. When Spencer plays with that type of swag and confidence it will be hard for any team to get him off his game. Spencer finished with 29 points, 3 rebounds, and 11 assists. Both Bridges & Dinwiddie have shown a lot of leadership/maturity in their games this year.
Another player that has taken that next leap is Nic Claxton he was in a battle in the paint with Rudy Gobert but he was able to hold his own in key moments. This Nets team is filled with players that have something to prove and tonight they did just that in Minnesota. It was a back-and-forth game until that 3rd where the Nets just couldn’t miss it seemed. The Nets got some big shots from Finney-Smith and Curry that helped as they were able to sneak this win away from the Timberwolves. The Nets made a bad defensive read at the end of the 4th quarter as the buzzer was sounding as they left Naz Reid open to tie the game. The good decision was the fact they made some defensive stops when needed in overtime to seal the deal.
The Minnesota Timberwolves started this game out as best as you could. Rudy Gobert was punking everyone in the paint and was not to be denied at all. Rudy was a man among boys in the paint and he was able to do whatever he wanted against the Nets bigs. Rudy was able to back people down and dunk it with ease. Rudy was special on the defensive end and made it tough on the Net’s offensive players all night when needed. Rudy Gobert missed some crucial free throws down the stretch but still had one of his better games with 26 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 assists. When Rudy plays like this it’s tough to beat the Timberwolves and it seemed as though the Timberwolves made a lot of mistakes to beat themselves. Anthony Edwards came out aggressive in this one but cooled down in the second half if this Timberwolves team is going anywhere they need All-Star Ant at all times. Edwards finished with 32 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists but he wasn’t able to lock down Bridges like he’s done to many opposing team’s best players.
One thing about Edwards he’s going to bounce back and he has shown a lot of promise on the defensive end this season. Tonight was one of those rare occasions where Edwards just couldn’t control some of those tough shots that were going in. Look for Edwards to bounce back in a major way as the Timberwolves now have the Atlanta Hawks waiting on them in ATL. That’s where Anthony Edwards is from so I expect a huge game in front of family and friends with a Lil Baby receiving Ant’s jersey. Mike Conley Jr and Nickeil Alexander-Walker have been contributing to this team in a major way and tonight it showed as they both were able to see some shots go down. Overall the Timberwolves are heading in the wrong direction and need to just stick to playing their style of basketball. The NBA has 82 games for a reason so look for the Timberwolves to turn this mini-slump around and get ready for the playoff run.
Photo Credit: (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
The Minnesota Timberwolves came into this game against the Philadelphia 76ers on a 3 game-winning streak. This has been an actual test for the Timberwolves this season without Karl Anthony-Towns in the lineup and they’ve answered pretty well. Tonight was one of those nights where the Timberwolves missed KAT in the lineup as they were going up against one of the best players in the world Joel Embiid. The 76ers ruled out James Harden pregame and left it to be the Joel Embiid show as he would be facing Rudy Gobert in the paint.
The Timberwolves came out flat in this game as they were trying to play catch up the whole time it seemed like throughout the night. Joel Embiid was special tonight as he was able to exploit a lot of the mismatches and he was smart enough to counter any adjustments that the Timberwolves made. Joel Embiid played a great game and forced Coach Finch to make adjustments to the lineup as Embiid was trying to bring Rudy Gobert out on the perimeter. As Joel Embiid started getting his game going it was too late for the Timberwolves to slow him down. On the night Joel Embiiid finished with 39 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. It was clear as day who the best player was on the floor tonight as Embiid was hitting shot after shot with ease. When Joel Embiid is this hot from the field all you could do is respect it and that’s exactly what the Timberwolves did.
Without James Harden, in the lineup, the 76ers turned to Tyrese Maxey to make a huge impact to fill that void and he did just that. Tyrese Maxey finished the game with 27 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists on the night and was able to make the best of players on Minnesota guarding him. Maxey has a quick first step and he was able to use that to take advantage of the defense as they were focused on Joel Embiid. The 76ers played some great defense tonight and part of it was the Timberwolves missing shots but they made it tough on them all night. The 76ers were making a lot of their shots and made the Timberwolves pay as they shot 49% from the field for the night. Joel Embiid had a lot to do with that percentage as he was able to score inside and out but he was able to get to his spots with ease all night.
The bright side for the Timberwolves was that Anthony Edwards showed up again and made the best of the situation. The Timberwolves had an off-night shooting and the 3-point shot was the main thing not going down for them. Anthony Edwards was able to score on the inside and out against ant defender Philly put in his way. Edwards finished with 32 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 assist on the night in the loss. One thing about Edwards he wants to continue to get better and something like this will go a long way when it comes to building character. Th 76ers had a game plan and executed it to the fullest and the Timberwolves got away from what helped them on their road trip. Minnesota got out-hustled tonight and shots just weren’t going in for them. It’s not a good thing when Anthony Edwards is the only start in double figures.
The Timberwolves lost this one because of the greatness Joel Embiid displayed but they will look to bounce back on Friday against the Brooklyn Nets. Look for the team to come out aggressive and try to build that confidence to continue getting those wins. The Timberwolves can be successful but they can’t have Anthony Edwards be the only starter with double figures in points at all. The NBA has turned into a face pace track meet and the Timberwolves will need to get back on track quickly with Mikal Bridges and them boys coming into town.
Photo Credit: (Photo by Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images)
Kevin Durant looked calm and took efficient shots, the Phoenix Suns defense allowed the mavericks to comeback after gaining a nice lead. Luka Doncic struggled in the first quarter. The Suns defense was able to limit Doncic on 1-7 shooting. The Mavericks defense struggled to guard Durant but double teamed Devin Booker on almost every possession. Doncic seemed to appear injured and headed to the locker room to get checked.
End Of First: Suns Lead after 1 against the Mavericks (31-26)
Second Quarter:
The Mavericks defense had no answer for KD, but the Mavericks offense was able to spread the floor and shoot the 3 ball effectively to keep themselves in the game.
Luka came back in the second quarter but seemed to be limping and running slowly but was able to score and assist effectively. Tim Hardaway was the biggest story on the mavericks team in the second as he caught fire from three point range and had 15 points off the bench. The Mavericks Bench provided many points in the first and second.
The Suns defense couldn’t stop the mavericks from shooting the three ball and couldn’t keep their lead they kept allowing the mavericks to fight back and either tie the game or take the lead. The Mavericks offense has kept the Suns defense on their toes by spreading the floor and knocking down their shots. Booker started to heat up this quarter and so did Durant offensively.
End of Second: Dallas heads into the Half leading 62-59 against the Suns
Halftime Stats:
Score: 62-59 Dallas leads
Suns:
Devin Booker: 17 Pts, 3 assist, 2 Rebounds
Kevin Durant: 16 Pts, 1 assist, 4 Rebounds
Mavericks:
Tim Hardaway Jr: 18 Pts, 1 assist, 1 Rebound
Luka Doncic: 10 Points, 3 Assists, 5 Rebounds
Third quarter:
The Mavericks maintained the lead until the final minute of the quarter where they played a bit sloppy and kept fouling and turning the ball over. But the Mavericks were still playing very well, shooting the three point ball and spreading the ball. The bench yet again has been a big factor in this game. Doncic did heat up and played a lot better than he did in the first half.
The Suns trailed most of the game but were able to stay in the game and take the lead in the final minute of the third. The Suns put up 36 points in the third and Booker yet again caught fire and led the team to a very nice quarter. A very aggressive and hard fought third quarter from the Suns. The defense played a little bit better but still struggled to defend the perimeter.
End of Third: Suns have the lead 96-95 over the Mavericks.
Fourth Quarter:
Doncic was on the bench to start the fourth but Irving lead the team to begin the quarter and the Mavericks were able to grab the lead again and play excellent defense on Durant and Booker. The Mavericks defense were able to limit other options from the Suns such as Ayton and Chris Paul, but Durant and Booker were still able to score here and there to stay in the game. Doncic sat most of the fourth until the 5:41 minute mark when he subbed in during crunch time. The Mavericks defense towards the end started to fall apart and allow easy buckets for the Suns. The Mavericks could not stop the pick & roll play and it was easy buckets for the Suns. Doncic missed the game tying bucket to possibly force an overtime game.
The Suns kept turning the ball over in the fourth and committing fouls, Paul was visually frustrated this quarter when the Suns kept turning the ball over and weren’t able to hit their shots. The Suns defense has not been able to stop the three point shot and are late on almost every rotation. During the 6-minute mark the Suns were able to make it a close game and started passing the ball and scoring effectively. The Suns offensively were able to keep themselves in the game while Chris Paul finally started to ease into the game and play the Point Guard role well, he was able to spread the floor and make very crucial shots. Durant and Booker took over in crunch time and put the team on their back to put them in a winning position. Durant put the game on ice with a go ahead bucket and two free throws.
End Of Fourth: Suns Win 130-126 over the Mavericks
Final Score: 130-126
Final Summary: The Suns take down the Mavericks 130-126 in a close game. A very well fought game between the Suns and Mavericks which led to an amazing game, this game felt like a NBA playoff game 7 where all the Stars scored over 30+ points and in the final two minutes they were going back and forth exchanging points.
