Timberwolves Wrap: Crushing loss to Pelicans

The Timberwolves led by as many as 15 points in the first half but kicked away their lead in short order and were ultimately blown out by their competition for the eighth-seed in the Western Conference.

Following an impressive win over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night that halted what was a four-game losing streak, the last thing that the Timberwolves needed was to lose to a team that previously had an identical win-loss record.

The early stages of this game would have made the average Wolves fan think that they were figuring things out — it even felt somewhat like a season-turning half.

The deflections were flowing left and right on the defensive end of floor, and the Wolves starters were clicking offensively, per usual. Minnesota led by 12 at the end of the first quarter and 15 early in the second. But after building their double-digit lead, Minnesota’s bench unit gave much of it back.

When the starters reentered, however, the tenacious defensive picked back up and a series of hustle plays, most notably by Ricky Rubio, helped to salvage a four-point lead at halftime.

The third quarter was a disaster for the Timberwolves. Karl-Anthony Towns picked up three personal fouls in short order, giving him four in the game and sending him to the bench. Anthony Davis went to work, and the Wolves were all but buried before the quarter was over.

As the fourth began, New Orleans led by nine points, but even as Towns returned to the game as the frame opened, it felt as though it was already over.

The Pelican’s lead gradually grew as the Timberwolves could not slow down Davis, and strangely, rookie shooting guard Buddy Hield. The Wolves, and Gorgui Dieng especially, struggled to contain Jrue Holiday in the pick-and-roll game and the Pelicans’ point guard managed an ultra-efficient 10-of-14 shooting night.

Things were extremely sloppy as the Wolves tried to stem the tide down the stretch, and a smattering of boos rained down on the home team. This loss almost felt like a December-esque low point for Tom Thibodeau’s squad, and what could have been a season-changing homestand has essentially been wasted.

Star of the Night

Anthony Davis: 42 points (16-22 FG, 2-3 3P, 8-11 FT), 13 rebounds, 2 assists, one steal, one block

Davis was unbelievable, shooting a nearly perfect percentage in the first quarter. The Wolves used Dieng to guard him one-on-one and only doubled on the rare occasions that he received the ball in the low post.

When Dieng played off, Davis buried jumpers with ease. When he sagged or trailed Davis in the pick-and-roll game, AD scored in a variety of ways in and around the paint. It was pure dominance from the opening tap until the Wolves were dead and buried.

Notable Timberwolves Lines

• Karl-Anthony Towns: 36 points (13-22 FG, 1-5 3P, 9-9 FT), 8 rebounds, one assist, 4 turnovers
• Andrew Wiggins: 29 points (11-17 FG, 1-3 3P, 6-7 FT), 4 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists, 3 turnovers
• Ricky Rubio: 15 points (5-10 FG, 1-3 3P, 4-6 FT), 12 assists, 4 steals, one rebound, 4 turnovers

Towns was great on offense. He should have attempted more than nine free throws as the officials continued to not give KAT the benefit of the doubt when he was banging down low. Defensively, he only guarded Davis for a short period and picked up fouls in short order, so that didn’t last long.

Wiggins was good early and red hot early in the fourth quarter but had a couple of costly turnovers as the Wolves were making a last-ditch effort to get back into the game. Rubio was outstanding, wreaking havoc on defense and making nearly spotless decisions on offense.

The Wolves bench was great in the win on Wednesday but nonexistent against the Pelicans. Lance Stephenson scored just a single point in 12 minutes and Shabazz Muhammad only tallied five points on eight shots in 22 minutes. Kris Dunn was bad enough in his return after missing the past few games that Tyus Jones replaced him down the stretch and played alongside Rubio.

Next: What To Expect From The Timberwolves Without LaVine

Who’s Up Next?

Minnesota will now host the Chicago Bulls on Sunday afternoon at 2:30. Then, the six-game homestand comes to a close on Tuesday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers.