The clock was winding down toward a Timberwolves’ victory Saturday at Target Center over Brooklyn when brief chaos broke out.

The shot clock was near expiration on Minnesota’s final offensive possession when Nickeil Alexander-Walker kicked to an open Mike Conley, who fired off — and drilled — a 3-point attempt.

And as the ball sailed through the air, Brooklyn guard Dennis Schroder was delivering a light body check to Conley’s sternum. Jaden McDaniels responded by pushing Schroder, which led to the two teams briefly meeting at mid-court before things dissipated.

“Nobody want to shoot it, I’ll shoot it from wherever I’m at. Wasn’t even really trying to make it,” Conley said. “But I didn’t expect all that stuff afterwards.”

Brooklyn had essentially conceded on that possession, playing phantom defense. So Schroder apparently thought Conley and Co. should’ve eaten a shot clock violation rather than firing away as if that’s the obvious protocol in such situations.

“I understand where Dennis (Schroder) is going,” Brooklyn interim coach Kevin Ollie said. “It’s late game, (Conley is) a veteran. So I know if he had to do it over again, he wouldn’t take that shot.”

But McDaniels noted whoever on the floor for Minnesota that ended up with the ball was going to shoot it in that situation.

“Other teams be mad, I guess,” McDaniels said. “Whatever happened, happened.”

Officials looked at the scuffle for an extended period of time on the replay monitor before handing out their punishments. In the end, no one was ejected, but Schroder and McDaniels each received technical fouls. As did Nickeil Alexander-Walker for Minnesota and Dorian Finney-Smith for Brooklyn.

As technicals were being doled out, Conley, a perennial NBA sportsmanship award contender and four-time winner, admitted he thought he was going to receive one, which would’ve been the first of the 36-year-old’s NBA career. That did not happen.

Conley did appreciate McDaniels coming to his aid in the situation. It was after that the point guard told McDaniels he was his “road dog now.”

“He’s the first one to come to my defense,” Conley said. “I got his back from here on out.”

“I was just protecting Mike,” McDaniels said. “It was unnecessary, but I have to have my teammate’s back.”