PORTLAND, Ore. — In a lively matchup on Tuesday evening, the Portland Trail Blazers secured a 122-108 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves, with Robert Williams and Jerami Grant both contributing 19 points to the team’s cause.
Williams, who recently made his return from a knee injury, also delivered a solid performance, grabbing nine rebounds and dishing out three assists.
Naz Reid emerged as the standout performer for Minnesota, sinking 28 points, while star guard Anthony Edwards added 26 points to the Timberwolves’ total.
The Blazers, who have struggled with their shooting from beyond the arc this season, turned things around impressively, making 18 of their 32 attempts (56%) from 3-point range during the game.
Portland quickly established a lead, going up 28-17 by the end of the first quarter, a momentum shift highlighted by Dalano Banton’s last-second 3-pointer.
Banton was pressed into action following the loss of Anfernee Simons to a chest injury, and with backup Scoot Henderson facing foul trouble, Banton’s contributions proved crucial.
In reflecting on the Timberwolves’ performance, coach Chris Finch took ownership of the previous loss against the Miami Heat, where they squandered an 88-80 lead in the final five minutes.
“I take responsibility for that entire game, that was a complete meltdown in a lot of ways. I didn’t have enough answers for the zone,” Finch commented. “It wasn’t a late-game thing as much as I thought the zone really stifled us.”
From the Blazers’ perspective, Donovan Clingan made headlines by earning the first start of his NBA career, stepping in for Deandre Ayton, who was sidelined due to a sprained finger.
Clingan made an immediate impact, recording a block against Rudy Gobert on the very first play of the game and securing a steal shortly thereafter.
A key highlight of the night included two clutch buzzer-beating 3-pointers for Portland, one from Banton at the end of the first quarter, and another from Deni Avdija as the third quarter concluded.
The Blazers also asserted their dominance with bench points, significantly outscoring the Timberwolves 64-39, which proved to be a pivotal factor in their overall success on the night.