The hype and the anticipation for this game grew as sources said that Kevin Durant would return to the lineup tonight. Well, Kevin Durant did just that and gave this Phoenix Suns team a boost before the game even started. On the Timberwolves’ side, they were coming into this game on a 4 game winning streak but also had many players not feeling well. The Wolves players Anthony Edwards and Kyle Anderson toughed it out and were available for tonight’s game.
Let’s put this in the clear now that Jaden McDaniels didn’t have his best offensive game tonight. That being said he did an amazing job defending Kevin Durant in that first half. We all know that Durant is one of the best if not the best scorers in the NBA and McDaniels made it tough on him. KD didn’t score his first points of the game until 6:32 left in the 2nd quarter and a lot of it could have been done with his rust from not being on the court for a couple of weeks now. Kevin Durant settled in and when he got it going in that 2/3rd quarter stretch all you can do is tip your cap. Durant was making some tough shots and was able to get some nice And-1 plays in the paint. In just his first game back he finished with 16 points but this Suns team is going to be scary when he’s up to speed. This was a great taste for the Timberwolves who haven’t lost in a week as they prepare for this playoff push. Devin Booker was the key to this Suns win and he was a true problem for the Timberwolves all night long. Booker was aggressive and was able to get to his spots when he had mismatches with ease. Booker was able to get to the free throw line 15 times tonight making 12 of them. Devin Booker is able to create his shot and knows how to create space to get the look he wants at an elite level. Devin Booker finished the game with 29 points and 5 assists as the Timberwolves had no answer down the stretch with the momentum already shifted on some 50/50 plays while the Suns fans were going wild. Chris Paul showcased in that 4th quarter exactly what it means to be a floor general as he was able to connect with DeAndre Ayton for some impressive alley-oop passes and made some timely shots. The Timberwolves did a great job of limiting the Suns in the half-court but got beat in transition something that will improve with time. Phoenix made every right play it seemed in that 2nd half and it will be tough to beat a team like them with 10+ turnovers in a game.
The Timberwolves had this game right where they wanted but just didn’t make the plays to take it from them in the 4th. The Timberwolves had a lot of chances in the 4th to make some big shots and every one of the shots when they needed it didn’t go down. Sometimes the ball goes your way and sometimes it doesn’t. Tonight the shots didn’t fall for the Timberwolves in the 4th but there were still a lot of bright spots in this game. Jaden McDaniels was in foul trouble but when he was on the floor he made a huge impact on the defensive end and offensive end. Anthony Edwards still had a game-high 31 points as he was playing borderline sick and he showed tonight that he can hang with the best of them shot for shot. Karl-Anthony Towns was amazing in only his 3rd game back he’s been looking like he hasn’t missed a single stop and his shot-making ability has been on full display. Rudy Gobert has been a complete monster on the boards and has been able to really anchor this defense, especially tonight in the paint against the Suns. So this is one of those games where the Timberwolves fans can hold their heads high and be proud of the team even though they didn’t win. The second unit continues to grow and Naz Reid has bloomed into one of the smoothest offensive players I’ve witnessed so they lost tonight but they only dropped to 7th in the west.
The Timberwolves have a matchup against the Lakers as D’Angelo Russell will be back in Minnesota for the 1st time since the trade in February. Both teams are fighting for playoff positioning so this should be a high-scoring game.
Photo Credit: (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
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