For the first time since 2004, the Minnesota Timberwolves have won a game in Toronto.
The largest single-city losing streak in franchise history is over. It almost wasn’t.
For a Timberwolves team that hasn’t been able to stay out of the trade deadline banter of the last week with the ongoing Giannis Antetokuonmpo saga and recent departure of Mike Conley, it’s a team that has looked the distracted part dating back to Monday’s stinker in Memphis.
Another porous defensive effort looked to be taking shape
out of the gate. Posting a 138 defensive rating in Memphis, the Wolves matched that in the first act of Wednesday night, with an identical 138 first half defensive rating.
At the end of the second quarter, the Wolves had allowed 30 points in eight straight quarters, a defensive threshold that coach Chris Finch called out on Monday night as being a problem.
For three quarters, the Wolves were unable to make much of a dent in the Toronto Raptors’ double-digit lead. Good offensive stretches would come and go much at the behest of Bones Hyland’s 20 points off the bench (8-12 field goals), but the five on the floor were unable to come up with the defensive stops necessary in order to get out in transition and knock out the point differential.
It all changed in the fourth quarter.
With the Raptors boasting the highest fastbreak point total in the league, it was a point on the scouting report to not get cross-matched too often in transition and allow Toronto to abuse mismatches.
For three quarters, they were able to do that effectively. But then the lineup of Donte DiVincenzo, Hyland, Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid, and Rudy Gobert found their groove. They jumped in passing lanes, generated points off turnovers, moved the ball quickly on offense and flipped the game on its head.
It was a ball on a tee for the best clutch player in the NBA.
And man, did he deliver…
Up Next
The Wolves will head back to Minneapolis and experience the trade deadline from the comfort of their own homes. They’ll start a six-game homestand that sandwiches the All-Star break starting with a reacquaintance with the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night.
The Pelicans have been the subject of a few league-wide chuckles, with rumors circulating this week that their front office believes they have a playoff-caliber roster and will hold pat with their core players at the deadline.
They’re currently 13-40 and sit second to last in the Western Conference.
Tipoff on Friday is slated for 7:00 PM CST.
