Minnesota sleepwalked through the first half Thursday at Target Center, and it made no difference in the end. The Timberwolves simply put their foot on the gas in the third quarter to pull away from and breeze past Utah for a 101-90 victory.

Leading 49-47 at the break, Minnesota outscored the Jazz 35-16, continuing a run of strong third quarters this season. It was a similar formula for success, too.

The Timberwolves leaned on their league-best defense to generate stops, then parlayed those into easy transition buckets. Minnesota finished with 25 fast-break points — nine of which came in the third — and 20 points off Utah’s 21 giveaways.

Usually, it’s Anthony Edwards leading those transition pushes. With the 22-year-old star guard out with a hip pointer Thursday, Nickeil Alexander-Walker took charge in just about every facet. He was his usual lockdown defensive self, while also starring offensively.

Alexander-Walker finished with 20 points and seven assists. He also tallied five steals, which resulted in 11 Timberwolves’ points on the other end.

Even when Minnesota strolled at a leisurely pace out of the gates against a Utah (6-13) team that played the night prior and was sans Lauri Markkanen, Alexander-Walker — whom the Wolves acquired from Utah in the same trade that brought Mike Conley to Minnesota in February — helped stem the tide by drawing three Jazz offensive fouls in the first frame alone.

He and Karl-Anthony Towns formed a potent one-two punch. Towns looked like the 2018 version of himself, as he relentlessly attacked a helpless John Collins in the post for one easy bucket after another. He also tacked on four three-pointers to finish with 32 points to go with 11 rebounds and five assists.

Minnesota (14-4) led by as many as 20 in the second half. The Timberwolves are 9-1 this season at Target Center and have won 13 of their past 15 contests overall.

The good times are certainly set up to keep rolling, as Minnesota’s schedule is soft over the next week with upcoming dates with cellar-dwellers Charlotte — where the Wolves play Saturday — San Antonio and Memphis. In the past, those would be prime letdown opportunities for Minnesota.

But this year’s Wolves are feasting on the weak and wounded.

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Troy Brown Jr. (23) gestures after making a basket against the Uah Jazz during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)