The Minnesota Timberwolves two-game win streak did not extend to three as they fell short to the Philadelphia 76ers in OT 118-112.
Minnesota struggled shooting the ball as they shot 40.7 percent from the field and 17.2 percent from behind the arc. On the other hand, this was the complete opposite for the 76ers as they shot 50 percent from the field and 42.3 percent from behind the arc.
All game it seemed that the Wolves had the edge on the Sixers as they would go into half with a 3-point advantage. The Wolves even found themselves with a 7 point lead early in the 4th, but weren’t able to hold on because the lack of shooting the ball well.
The Sixers surged late in the 4th and even took the lead with 1:20 left from a Ben Simmons dunk. This was Simmons first points of the contest and they couldn’t have come any sooner.
Down 96-94 the Wolves looked like they needed a closer and that man tonight would be Jimmy Butler as he stepped back to make a big 3 pointer that would give the Wolves a 1 point lead with 47 seconds left. This was only the second 3 point field goal that the wolves made up to this point, as they were shooting 1-21 from downtown.
With 35 seconds left in the game, Ben Simmons made a tough lay-up plus the foul. He missed the free throw but now the Sixers were up 1 with 34 seconds to go.
Once again Jimmy Butler made a tough 3 pointer and now the Wolves were up 2 with 17 seconds left in the game. On the other end of the floor, Joel Embiid made 2 free throws to make it a tie game.
Minnesota called Butler’s number one more time as he tried to seal the game, but his shot was a bit short which would send this game into overtime.
In overtime, the Timberwolves would end up falling short as Joel Embiid looked like a man on a mission. Scoring, assisting, and on the defensive end as well. The Wolves got outscored in the extra period 18-12.
Tweet of the Night
Clutch. https://t.co/uIbjN0LS2X
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) December 13, 2017
This shot shows Jimmy Butler taking over and closing out games. Something the Timberwolves desperately needed coming into the season. While the Wolves may not have won, this is a good sign because it seems that they’ve gotten the closer that they were lacking last season.
Key Takeaways
- Ben Simmons, who is averaging 17.5 points per game on the season made his first field goal with 1:20 left in the 4th.
- Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns both struggle shooting the ball for the night as they shot 14-40 while shooting 1-11 from behind the arc.
- Jimmy Butler scores 14 points in the 4th quarter while posting his season high of 38 points for the game.
Player of the Game
Joel Embiid: 28 points (8-16 FG, 1-1 3P, 11-12 FT) 12 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 block, 2 turnovers.
Embiid coming off missing two games would put up a monstrous game against the wolves where he was 2 assists shy of a triple-double. Once again showing that when he is healthy, he is a dominant force in the NBA to be reckoned with.
Notable Box Score Lines
- Jimmy Butler: 38 points (15-33 FG, 3-9 3P) 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover
- Jj Redick: 26 points (6-15 FG, 11-11 FT) 2 rebounds, 3 assists
- Richaun Holmes: 15 points (6-11 FG, 1-3 3P) 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block
- Jeff Teague: 17 points (8-14 FG, 1-3 3P) 1 rebound, 3 assists, 1 steal
Outside of Teague, the Wolves struggled to shoot the ball efficiently. The Sixers, on the other hand, would cash in at the charity stripe as they shot 27-32 from the free throw line.
What’s Next?
After a one day break, the Timberwolves will look to bounce back as they host the 9-18 Sacramento Kings. A game that they must win coming off a heartbreaking loss in OT.