Takeaways from Minnesota Timberwolves’ loss to the Atlanta Hawks

Beasley shows some swagger for the Timberwolves

It hasn’t been an easy season for Malik Beasley, to say the least. His shooting has been up-and-down as he has used the regular season to get back into shape, and his role is diminished from the one he enjoyed in his strong start as a Timberwolf.

But against the Hawks, he showed he’s still confident and capable of catching fire. He scored 24 points, breaking the 20-point mark for the second time this season, and made 6-of-13 from downtown. He scored 16 in the fourth quarter to keep Minnesota’s hopes alive into the final minutes.

Most notable, though, was his fast-break dunk with about three minutes to go. Beasley displayed explosiveness we haven’t seen from him this season, and aggressively ripped his arm away from John Collins on his way back up the court.

Beasley could provide a much-needed offensive burst if he has his legs under him and can make plays at the rim again. His shooting raises Minnesota’s offensive ceiling dramatically, especially considering the lack of perimeter depth that was exposed in the loss to the Hawks. Maybe that moment with Collins shows his motivation is spilling over.

The Timberwolves hope to get healthy and end their losing streak in another home game against the Utah Jazz Wednesday.