28 January 2024
The Timberwolves shot 57 percent from the field and 54 percent from deep Saturday in San Antonio, playing against a single-digit win Spurs team that played the night prior.
So surely they won going away, right?
Not so much.
Minnesota lost to a team with less than 10 wins for the second time this week, losing 113-112 to the lowly Spurs in Texas.
The Wolves led by as many as 15 points Saturday, including by 10 to start the fourth. But Minnesota continues to struggle to close games, particularly sans Mike Conley, who missed another game with hamstring soreness.
San Antonio outscored Minnesota 13-2 in the first three minutes, 18 seconds of the fourth to take the lead. And down the stretch, Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns were thoroughly outexecuted by a Spurs team full of young players who have no idea how to win games. Minnesota has been one of the worst clutch-time teams in the NBA since Christmas.
“All credit to them, they played much better down the stretch. They made all the 50-50 plays, they made all the tough shots,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch told reporters. “We came up short. Too many turnovers in the fourth. Got off to a really poor start in the fourth when we needed a good one. I thought it was a game we had a chance to push out the lead at times, and we weren’t able to do that. That’s probably what cost us more than anything.”
Even after Edwards went on a 5-0 mini-run to knot the contest with 30 seconds to play, Minnesota bailed San Antonio out as Jaden McDaniels committed a nonsensical foul with nine seconds to play — and just two seconds remaining on the shot clock — to send Keldon Johnson to the free-throw line.
Johnson made one out of two from the charity stripe to put the Spurs up by one, giving Minnesota a chance to escape Texas with a victory. But on its ensuing possession, Minnesota landed on a difficult shot from Towns at the horn that clanked off the front iron.
San Antonio shot 55 percent from the field and 43 percent from deep as Minnesota (32-14) continues to struggle against offenses that feature five players who are skilled with the ball. Even Jeremy Sochan, who’s struggled mightily on the offensive end for spurts this season, went 3 for 4 from the field in the fourth, attacking Towns for buckets around the rim.
The Spurs were 13 for 20 from the field in the fourth, including 5 for 9 from deep.
Edwards finished with 32 points, 12 assists and six rebounds, while Towns had 19 points and five rebounds. But those numbers don’t look all that impressive in a losing effort.
Victor Wembenyama had 23 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, two blocks and two steals for San Antonio (10-36), while Apple Valley product Tre Jones had a double-double with 12 points and 11 assists.
Minnesota has lost three of five games, with losses to Charlotte and San Antonio in that stretch. The Wolves had to escape against a sub-.500 Brooklyn team and, frankly, didn’t look all that impressive in a win over the woeful Wizards.
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