Naz Reid left Saturday’s game against the lowly-Wizards with a finger sprain, leaving Minnesota sans its top four scorers on the season.
There was no Reid, no Anthony Edwards — who missed the game with an illness — no Julius Randle, who appears set to miss an extended period of time with a groin injury, and no Donte DiVincenzo.
That left Timberwolves coach Chris Finch with few available options when staring down a defeat that could’ve snapped Washington’s 16-game losing skid. Minnesota trailed by six at the start of the final frame at Target Center.
When push came to shove, he opted to turn back the clock.
Back to 2021, specifically — when the Utah Jazz lived atop the Western Conference standings. They did so largely thanks to Mike Conley, Rudy Gobert and Joe Ingles. Those three are now currently Timberwolves, albeit lesser versions of their more youthful past selves. The trio provided some magic in the fourth, helping Minnesota grab a 3-point advantage
But the well eventually ran dry, and the Wizards made more plays late to grab a 105-103 victory.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker had a 3-point look at the horn that would’ve given the Wolves the victory after Minnesota (27-22) forced a turnover on the other end, but the attempt bounced off the iron. The loss snapped Minnesota’s five-game winning streak.
Washington has been getting blown out on a near regular basis of late. The Wizards (7-41) weren’t just losing, they were losing ugly. Jordan Poole hit four 3s in the first quarter as the Wizards led by as many as 11 points early. Kyle Kuzma followed that up with an 18-point second frame.
Washington kept hanging around, and seemed to gain belief with each passing moment in which it was in contention.
With the game on the line, it was Kuzma — who’s struggled mightily all season for Washington — who hit one key bucket after another down the stretch to keep the Wizards’ noses in front. Kuzma finished with 31 points and eight rebounds.
The loss spoiled a night where Jaden McDaniels took advantage of the absences of others around him to emerge for a 23-point, 12-rebound performance.
But McDaniels wasn’t able to generate his own looks late, which is often what’s required in crunch time. So Minnesota continued to lean upon Conley or Ingles running the pick and roll with Gobert. The formula worked to a degree, but a three-plus minute dry spell in the middle of the quarter ultimately did the Wolves in.
Rob Dillingham was another potential option for offense late, but he didn’t see the floor in the fourth quarter.
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