Minnesota Timberwolves: Top 3 Wolves moments of the 2019-20 season
By Josh Tyler
Minnesota Timberwolves: Top 3 Wolves moments of the 2019-20 season
2. Timberwolves defeat Miami Heat post-trade-deadline
The Minnesota Timberwolves were out of playoff contention and really had nothing to play for at the time but their spot in the upcoming draft.
That said, whenever there is a game against Jimmy Butler, it hits home for the Minnesota faithful, and you can bet that the new Wolves acquired prior to the trade deadline wanted to show that they were worth acquiring.
The Timberwolves were 1-0 against the Heat on the season, but Jimmy Butler was inactive for the game at Target Center earlier in the season. This new-look Wolves roster only included one player who had been on the roster along with Butler the prior season, and that was Okogie, who never actually played a real game with Butler.
The Wolves were short-handed with Towns out with an injury, requiring D’Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley to rise to the occasion and lead the team. Russell finished with 27 points while Beasley had 21. The Wolves were down by a 123-112 margin with three minutes left in the game, and it sure felt like it was all but over.
But the Wolves stormed back, taking the lead at 127-126 on a Jordan McLaughlin layup. And although the offense was undeniably great down the stretch, the defense is what won the game.
With 7 seconds left on the clock, Butler drove for the potential game-winning shot to be met at the rim by weakside defender D’Angelo “Ice In My Veins” Russell.
Ultimately, the Wolves went on a 17-3 run with a late-game block by Russell to win 129-126.