Timberwolves play with fire, fall to Phoenix
Minnesota got off to another slow start, which has been a constant in its previous five victories. But the Timberwolves had always been able to dig themselves out of holes with strong second-half performances.
Yet the Wolves flew too close to the Suns on Monday, as Phoenix held on for a 108-105 victory at Target Center to snap Minnesota’s winning streak.
Minnesota trailed by three with the ball and six seconds to play, but Jaden McDaniels’ potential game-tying attempt clanked off the iron.
Anthony Edwards was questionable entering the evening with an illness, but he played and delivered one of his most efficient offensive performances of the season. He finished with 40 points on 15 for 21 shooting to go with nine boards.
But the rest of Minnesota’s offense struggled. All Wolves not named Edwards and Julius Randle combined to shoot 33% from the floor.
“We’ve got to shoot the ball better,” Wolves coach Chris Finch said. “I thought a lot of them were decent looks.”
Jaden McDaniels, Donte DiVincenzo and Naz Reid were a combined 4 for 26 from the field.
Rudy Gobert was having a nice night, dominating Phoenix’s smaller frontcourt. He had 15 points and eight rebounds in 21 minutes before he was ejected in the third quarter for a flagrant-2 foul after shoving an airborne Mark Williams in the back on his dunk attempt.
Gobert is now one flagrant foul away from a one-game suspension.
Bones Hyland gave Minnesota a nice offensive spark. He played in favor of Rob Dillingham and produced for 14 points and three assists in 16 minutes.
“We were 24 games in and I thought it was time to try something different,” Finch said. “He’s been patient, doing really well in practice, doing everything we asked him to do.”
All five of Phoenix’s starters scored in double figures, led by Williams, who tallied 22 points and seven rebounds. The Wolves are now 0-2 this season against Phoenix.
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