The Timberwolves were competitive for much of the night in San Antonio on Saturday but fell apart down the stretch against the Spurs, who have pulled into a tie with the Wolves in the West standings.
The Timberwolves had a chance to grab the season series — and therefore, the tiebreaker — over the Spurs on Saturday night in San Antonio, but collapsed down the stretch and were ultimately beat with ease by Gregg Popovich’s seasoned squad.
Minnesota jumped out to an early nine-point lead, but an 8-0 run from the Spurs to close out the first quarter pulled the hosts to within a single point. Then, the second quarter was all Spurs, and the Wolves were more or less on their heels from that point forward.
The Wolves put together a third quarter surge and got to within seven, but Minnesota’s much-maligned bench began to enter the game and promptly gave back any momentum the Wolves had mustered.
Once again, the Timberwolves’ defense was the biggest issue. The Spurs used their typically impressive ball movement to get open shots whenever they wanted, and the only real difference between the first quarter and the rest of the game was that the shots began to fall for San Antonio.
Key Takeaways
- The Derrick Rose experiment continues, and Saturday night brought us his most controversial performance yet. While the former MVP scored eight points on 4-of-9 shooting with two assists and zero turnovers, his defense was once again questionable and he finished with a game-worst plus-minus of -21.
- Part of the reason Rose’s stint was so disastrous is that he once again appeared alongside another point guard with Jamal Crawford at the ‘three’. His minutes alongside Tyus Jones and Crawford seemed smoother than those shared with Jeff Teague, but the fit remains … clunky. At best.
- While the defense was the biggest issue, the Wolves’ offense appeared rusty and not at all as crisp as the fourth quarter in Washington on Tuesday or as it was for much of the game against Golden State last Sunday.
- The Wolves only attempted 12 3-pointers against the Spurs, making seven. Inexcusably, Nemanja Bjelica attempted only two long-range shots all game long.
Player of the Game
LaMarcus Aldridge: 39 points (14-22, 0-2 3P, 11-12 FT), 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks
Aldridge dominated the Wolves, scoring 39 points on 14-of-22 shooting. It wasn’t necessarily a case of poor defense from Towns as much as a strong offensive performance all-around from the Spurs and a great night for Aldridge.
Towns remained physical with Aldridge throughout, which wasn’t always the case earlier this season when teams battled KAT tooth-and-nail in the post. This time around, he held his ground and the Wolves simply ran into a well-oiled offensive machine.
Notable Timberwolves Box Score Stats
- Karl-Anthony Towns: 23 points (8-15 FG, 2-2 3P, 5-6 FT), 9 rebounds, 2 assists, one block, 5 turnovers
- Andrew Wiggins: 21 points (8-15 FG, 5-6 FT), 5 rebounds, 5 assists
- Jeff Teague: 16 points (6-13 FG, 1-1 3P, 3-4 FT), 8 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals, zero turnovers
- Nemanja Bjelica: 7 points (3-7 FG, 1-2 3P), 8 rebounds, one assist
Next: On the Timberwolves balanced, Butler-less offense
What’s Next?
After three full off-days after Tuesday’s win in Washington D.C., the Wolves turn around and play again on Sunday. The 6 p.m. CT tip-off in Houston will once again be televised nationally on NBATV.