PHOENIX — In an impressive display of skill, the Minnesota Timberwolves secured their fourth consecutive victory by defeating the Phoenix Suns 121-113 on Wednesday night. Anthony Edwards spearheaded the team’s effort with 33 points, while Julius Randle contributed significantly with 28 points.
Although the Timberwolves found themselves behind for a significant portion of the game, they made a strong push towards the end of the third quarter, establishing an 81-77 lead. Nickeil Alexander-Walker played a crucial role in the fourth quarter, nailing three 3-pointers that helped Minnesota extend their lead to 10 points. He finished the night with 23 points, shooting 5 out of 10 from beyond the arc. The Timberwolves exhibited offensive prowess, boasting an impressive shooting percentage of 56% from the field throughout the game. Notably, they had previously eliminated the Suns in the first round of last season’s playoffs.
On the other hand, the Suns were unable to continue their winning streak, which had reached three games. Kevin Durant led Phoenix with 33 points, while Devin Booker and Bradley Beal contributed with 28 and 17 points, respectively. However, the Suns struggled offensively in the third quarter, managing just 18 points on a shooting percentage of 31.8% (7 of 22).
During the match, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch received his second technical foul and was ejected from the game for disputing calls made by the officials. Additionally, forward Jaden McDaniels was also ejected in the closing minutes following a brief confrontation with Booker. At halftime, the Suns held a narrow 59-55 lead, with Booker showcasing his shooting skills by scoring 18 points on 7-of-10 from the field.
Takeaways from this matchup include that Minnesota demonstrated resilience in the second half, coming back from a lackluster first half. They played without forward Naz Reid due to illness and guard Donte DiVincenzo, who is recovering from a sprained toe. Meanwhile, the Suns faced regression to some of their previous issues, especially in managing the game, as they committed 16 turnovers throughout the contest.
A pivotal moment occurred when Randle intercepted a poor pass from Booker, leading to a quick transition dunk by Edwards, extending the Timberwolves’ lead to 100-86 with just under seven minutes remaining in the game. A noteworthy statistic was Alexander-Walker’s scoring surge in the fourth quarter, where he tallied 11 points.
Looking ahead, the Timberwolves are set to face off against the Utah Jazz on Thursday night, while the Suns will take on the Golden State Warriors on Friday night.
