23 January 2024
Minnesota has changed the narrative surrounding the organization this season. It took over the top spot in the Western Conference by bringing a serious brand of basketball every night.
Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) shoots over Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges, center, and forward P.J. Washington, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
The Timberwolves defend, they play hard. They respect the game.
But, on Monday, they reverted back to old ways.
The Timberwolves again were the butt of the joke. On a night where they hunted shots for three and a half quarters for Karl-Anthony Towns — who bested his own franchise record by scoring 62 points — and played zero defense, Minnesota fell 128-125 to Charlotte at Target Center.
Charlotte entered the evening with the worst net rating in the entire NBA, and as losers of 18 of its previous 20. The Hornets have a strong argument for worst team in the League.
But Minnesota treated the game like a lunchtime run at Life Time. So even as Towns scored 44 points in the first half — another franchise record — the Hornets kept pace with offense of its own.
When the Wolves finally got enough stops in succession — via Hornets’ misses on open shots — to build the lead to 15, they took the shenanigans to another level. Minnesota began force-feeding Towns even when it wasn’t there. That led to turnovers and Towns taking bad shots through double and triple teams.
And, predictably, the lead began to wilt.
Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) works toward the basket as Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Charlotte rallied from 15 down in the fourth to take a lead with three minutes to go. Minnesota was stunned. Anthony Edwards, who was assist-hunting most of the night, tried to turn the switch on late, but failed. He went 3 for 11 from the field for the game.
Down one with 12 seconds to play, Towns attacked another double-team, only to be stuffed at the rim. Charlotte then made two free-throws, and Towns last-gasp at a game-tying triple at the horn fell woefully short, sealing one of the more embarrassing losses in franchise history.
And that’s saying something.
Monday marked Minnesota’s first loss to a bottom feeder all season.