The Minnesota Timberwolves dominated the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday night behind huge nights from several young Wolves players.
The Minnesota Timberwolves fell behind early but dominated the middle stages of the game. Then, they did something they have rarely done: held onto a lead throughout the fourth quarter.
Remember, this is the team with the league’s worst winning percentage when leading in the final frame. The Wolves also have the league’s worst record, coming into the game with a 7-29 record.
They’re also without their second and third-best players, with Malik Beasley serving the fourth game in his 12-game suspension (but who’s counting?), and D’Angelo Russell still out with a knee injury.
On this night, however, the Wolves competed defensively and received extraordinarily efficient offensive performances from much of their roster.
Minnesota gave up a 16-2 first-quarter run and trailed by a score of 24-8. Then, they began chipping away, turning the Pelicans over a few times and getting themselves relatively easy baskets.
It was still 34-27 at the end of the first quarter, but the Wolves bench dominated the early proceedings of the second. Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels went to work, and by halftime, they had combined to shoot 10-of-11 from the floor.
When the starters came back in, Anthony Edwards scored a quick 13 points in the second to give him 15 by halftime, and Karl-Anthony Towns came alive as well. After starting the game 0-for-6 from beyond the arc, Towns hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from the top of the key, giving the Wolves a 67-60 halftime advantage.
Chris Finch’s crew came out of the locker room with the gas pedal still to the floor, winning the third quarter by a 38-22 margin. Jake Layman was the first Wolves player to get hot in the second half, and then Edwards and Jaylen Nowell each had a turn to go off.
This was the first time all season that the Wolves held a lead of 23 points or more, and it ballooned up to 30 points midway through the fourth quarter.
Put simply, the Timberwolves were firing on all cylinders after the opening few minutes of the game. The Pelicans aren’t exactly world-beaters, but they came into the night only 3.5 games behind the No. 10 spot in the Western Conference.
And for the league’s worst team, a win is a win.
Minnesota Timberwolves Player Grades vs. Phoenix Suns
Other Minnesota Timberwolves Players
Josh Okogie played 23 minutes off the bench and finished with a team-best +25 mark in the plus-minus column, but he was the only Timberwolves player to not make a shot from the field, finishing 0-of-3. Okogie did knock down all four of his free throw attempts and pitch in four rebounds and four assists.
With a light roster and a short bench, there weren’t many places for Finch to turn when it became garbage time. Juancho Hernangomez was the only other player who saw time with Jarrett Culver nursing a toe injury and Ed Davis staying on the bench.
Hernangomez played the last six minutes of the game and scored five points, including splashing a deep 3-pointer in the final minute.
Up next for the Minnesota Timberwolves
The Wolves head back home and will host the Portland Trail Blazers for back-to-back games on Saturday and Sunday. The schedule is about to get rough for Minnesota, with their next five games coming against teams currently among the top-five in the Western Conference.