There are moments in a season that can inject life into a team desperately searching for just that. The Minnesota Timberwolves needed a win, having lost four in a row entering Monday’s matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies. Instead, they had an opportunity to have one of those tide-shifting moments when Karl-Anthony Towns hit an improbable shot from near half-court to send the game to overtime. Minnesota didn’t just lose the game in the extra session. It lost a chance to get the spark back.
Some will argue it’s just one game in an 82-game season, and that’s fine. However, one game can be a stepping stone to the next game and the game after that. It can provide a team with a shot in the arm to gain some confidence, and that’s what Minnesota desperately needs right now. They didn’t get it against Memphis.
The Wolves were up 14 points with 5:03 left. After blowing another fourth-quarter lead, it seemed like they were spiraling out of control in a familiar way. Trailing by three with 1.1 seconds left, it’s still perplexing to watch the replay over and over and try to figure out what exactly the play was supposed to be. Regardless of the design, the prayer was answered. Suddenly, thoughts changed to Minnesota taking momentum into overtime. Towns had just heaved a ball that had beautifully kissed off the glass and tickled its way through the net.
This was one of those moments during a season where teams are supposed to capitalize on the opportunity. Towns’ teammates mugged him in a joyous and celebratory fashion after it went in. These instances come about only every so often in the NBA, and they can leapfrog a team forward with a ton of self-confidence. Minnesota wasted the opportunity. The buzzer-beater won’t go down as a pivot point for the Wolves; it won’t be remembered as the season continues. Instead, the game will be seen as another blown lead followed by a lackluster showing in overtime. It’s just another loss, this time to the Grizzlies.
Per Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune, Towns was frustrated after the now fifth straight loss for the Timberwolves.
“It hurts,” said Towns, who 25 points and 13 rebounds. “It just hurts all around, honestly. I don’t even know how to explain it. We show our intensity, we show who we can be. Playing hard, rugged defense. We showed it for three quarters … In the fourth it just didn’t work out. Didn’t play the way we needed to play to win, didn’t do enough.”
Point guard D’Angelo Russell, who returned after missing two games with an ankle injury, had a different perspective on another disappointing and deflating loss for Minnesota.
“I think we had it, we lost it, and we can learn from it. A lot of games we lost this season, we never had it. This one we had it, we found a way to lose it. I think we can learn from that.”
Minnesota fans have heard those sentiments repeatedly echoed throughout the years: We found a way to lose it. I think we can learn from that.
The learning has been going on for a while. Now results need to be seen. This one slipped through their grasp.
It was nothing new for Minnesota and was in line with the Wolves’ struggles this year in closing games.
In their last game before the matchup with the Grizzlies, Minnesota trailed the Los Angeles Clippers by three points entering the fourth quarter. They were outscored 29-12 in the final frame and lost by 20.
Last week, they led the Orlando Magic by six points entering the fourth quarter at Target Center. Cole Anthony and Orlando outscored Minnesota 43-19 in the last 12 minutes, winning the game going away by 18 points.
Monday was nothing new. It featured a built-up lead that collapsed from underneath. If there was one difference in the loss to the Grizzlies and the nature in which it occurred, it’s that it wasn’t a slow painful, death by a thousand cuts. Memphis swiftly tore apart the 14-point cushion and catapulted themselves in front late.
Minnesota sits at 3-6 and has a date with the red-hot Golden State Warriors in San Francisco on Wednesday night. It could’ve been a chance to walk into that matchup feeling good about themselves. Instead, the Wolves are now left picking up the pieces after another agitating defeat. It’s not a foreign spot for Chris Finch’s squad, but one that can be pretty taxing to that gets played on repeat this early in a season.
The Timberwolves need some answers and quickly. Towns’ shot should’ve been a springboard for Minnesota to move ahead and pave a path. Instead, the game against Memphis will only be remembered as another blown fourth-quarter lead that resulted in a loss.
