Timberwolves Wrap: Dominating the Bucks

The Timberwolves led from wire-to-wire, ultimately defeating the Milwaukee Bucks by 17 points on Friday night at Target Center.

After a big home win on Monday night against the Hawks, the Timberwolves fell flat on the road in Denver on Wednesday. They needed a bounce-back performance in a big way on Friday, and they got it.

Minnesota led from start to finish against the Bucks, and sent Milwaukee back under the .500-mark with ease.

The Wolves were hot from beyond the arc, hitting on 13-of-25 attempts, led by Zach LaVine (6-for-9) and Shabazz Muhammad (4-for-5). Five Timberwolves scored in double-digits: Andrew Wiggins (31 points), LaVine (24 points), Muhammad (22), Karl-Anthony Towns (18), and Nemanja Bjelica (10).

The lead was 13 points at the end of the first quarter, but the Wolves bench struggled in their first stint and the Bucks climbed back into the game, trailing by just seven points at halftime.

But Minnesota won the third quarter and ultimately stretched their lead to as many as 19 points early in the fourth frame. The Bucks got back within 11 at a couple of points, but Tom Thibodeau came back with his starting lineup in short order to keep the collective foot on the gas and finally win going away.

It was an impressive win against a good Milwaukee team. The Bucks stars, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker, led the way, shooting a combined 19-for-28 (67.9 percent) from the field while the rest of the team shot 46.5 percent. Malcolm Brogdon (11 points) and Michael Beasley (12) were the only other players in double figures.

Tweet of the Night

Star of the Night

Andrew Wiggins: 31 points (10-18 FG, 0-3 3P, 11-13 FT), 6 assists, 5 rebounds, one steal, one turnover

Wiggins was great. Despite missing all three of his attempts from beyond the arc, he nailed his free throws and filled out the assist and rebound columns, too. He also only turned the ball over one time in 39 minutes of play. This is another example of exactly what Thibodeau is no doubt looking to see from Wiggins on a night-in, night-out basis as he develops into a legitimate star.

Notable Timberwolves Lines

• Zach LaVine: 24 points (9-17 FG, 6-9 3P, 0-0 FT), 4 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 turnovers
• Shabazz Muhammad: 22 points (8-13 FG, 4-5 3P, 2-2 FT), one rebound, 2 turnovers
• Karl-Anthony Towns: 18 points (7-12 FG, 0-2 3P, 4-6 FT), 16 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, 4 turnovers
• Ricky Rubio: 5 points (2-4 FG, 1-3 3P), 9 assists, 4 steals, one rebound, 2 turnovers
• Nemanja Bjelica: 10 points (4-6 FG, 2-3 3P), 3 rebounds, one assist, one steal

The Wolves played a well-rounded game for the most part. If we’re picking nits with LaVine, there’s perhaps some slight concern that he could be getting to the rim more often — he’s a freak athlete, of course, and is solid at finishing through contact — but he’s shooting so well from outside that it hasn’t been a big deal.

It was without question Muhammad’s best game of the year to date, and he provided a much-needed spark off the bench. Towns was solid as well, despite the four turnovers. Rubio did a better job of shot-faking and putting the ball on the floor to draw the defense when he was semi-open in the corners, and Bjelica continued a string of good play.

Next: Thibodeau's Approach With The Young Wolves

Who’s Up Next?

The Wolves will host the Portland Trail Blazers at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, New Year’s Day. The Blazers are a disappointing 14-21 but remain just one-and-a-half games out of the playoff picture. It’s a good opportunity for a division win, as Portland is only two games ahead of Minnesota in the standings.