The Timberwolves led the Suns by eight points in the final minute of Friday’s NBA Cup bout.
And they lost by one, as Collin Gillespie scored in isolation with 6 seconds left to put Phoenix up 114-113 and Julius Randle’s attempt at a game-winning 3-pointer went awry at the other end.
The Timberwolves turned the ball over three times in a span of 27 seconds and Anthony Edwards missed a pair of free throws as Minnesota fell apart, even after Devin Booker fouled out with more than two minutes to play.
“We lost our minds. Poor execution. Turnovers, obviously,” Wolves coach Chris Finch told reporters, “and just didn’t stay locked in for the last 90 seconds.”
Minnesota will now need to beat the Thunder in Oklahoma City on Wednesday if it wants to advance to the NBA Cup knockout round for the first time in the event’s short history.
The Wolves are now 0-6 this season against teams with winning records.
Here are takeaways from Minnesota’s stunning defeat:
A bad loss
Minnesota was 8-0 against Denver and Phoenix last season. It’s now 0-3 against those teams thus far this year.
Phoenix was down two rotational players in Jalen Green and Grayson Allen on Friday.
Booker fouled out with a few minutes to play. Dillon Brooks fouled out in the final 30 seconds. And yet Minnesota still couldn’t maintain enough composure to shut the door.
The Wolves’ execution simply isn’t where it needs to be over the course of 48 minutes to beat the NBA’s best at the moment. If Minnesota needs an extra win for any reason at season’s end, it will lament this Friday night in November.
Rough start
Minnesota dropped the first quarter by eight points and trailed by 13 at the half on a night where it struggled to match Phoenix’s execution and physicality out of the gates.
That’s been a common theme for the Timberwolves, who have struggled against good teams. Minnesota has beaten up on cupcakes, but it’s a different level of basketball against winning teams. It took the Wolves awhile to adjust to that on Friday.
Edwards explodes
After a couple clunkers, Edwards responded with a 41-point performance on Friday. That included a 19-point third quarter in which he made seven of his first nine shots of the frame.
Edwards got a few triples to fall, but more importantly, he was aggressive in attacking the rack and creating for himself and others.
But Edwards will lament the final minute, in which he turned the ball over and missed a pair of free throws in the final 12 seconds that would’ve set Minnesota up for victory.
Booker struggles
Jaden McDaniels continues to have Booker’s number. Phoenix’s star guard went just 4 for 18 from the field before fouling out.
And while Booker had 10 assists, those were cancelled out by nine turnovers, which tied his career high.
Dating back to Minnesota’s playoff sweep of Phoenix in 2024, McDaniels and the Wolves’ defense continues to bother Booker.
Gobert grinds it out
Had Minnesota won the game, Rudy Gobert would’ve been an unsung hero. He was relentless on the interior, delivering one play on the glass after another.
Gobert was the one who drew the foul on a rebounding attempt that fouled out Booker. Gobert had seven points and five boards in the final frame alone.
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