Minnesota
These aren’t the Big, Bad Wolves — Minnesota smacked by Blazers in Portland
The Timberwolves have lost consecutive games against teams that simply are not very good.
The second of which came Tuesday night in Portland, as the Wolves fell 122-108 to a Trail Blazers team they drubbed at home just five days prior.
But that’s the reality for Minnesota at the moment. The Wolves turn the ball over too often and don’t exhibit the same defensive dominance they demonstrated a season ago. When both things are true, you can lose to anyone. Including a Heat team playing sans Jimmy Butler, and even a Portland team that didn’t have Deandre Ayton or Anfernee Simons, the latter got hurt after playing just five minutes in Tuesday’s bout.
It didn’t matter. Portland had more than enough firepower to blow past Minnesota’s defense. Portland’s season high for made triples entering the contest was 14. The Blazers went 18 for 32 from distance against Minnesota.
“We’ve also given up lob dunks at the rim,” Wolves coach Chris Finch told reporters, “so we didn’t take either way.”
As the Wolves were attempting to claw back into the contest in the fourth, Portland simply rode Jerami Grant to the finish line. The versatile forward waltzed around whoever Minnesota threw at him for one bucket after another. It was clear Grant was who would take the shots for the Blazers. He finished with 21 points. Minnesota could do nothing to stop him.
These are not the big, bad Wolves. They’re a relatively tame unit at the moment.
Seven players for Portland scored in double figures.
Naz Reid led the Wolves (6-5) with 28 points, while Anthony Edwards tacked on 26. But Minnesota struggled from distance, shooting 13 for 35 from beyond the arc, and committed 23 turnovers that led to 25 Portland points. Minnesota has committed 20-plus turnovers in three straight games for the first time since 1995.
The Wolves’ giveaways Tuesday included numerous errors inbounding the ball, as well as an 8-second violation in which Julius Randle failed to recognize the clock as he was contested dribbling the ball up the floor.
“Just sloppy,” Finch told reporters. “Carelessness, highly controllable ones.”
Finch noted Minnesota is losing the structure within its offense, while at times also trying too hard to jam the ball into Rudy Gobert down low.
“Guys are trying to make these high-risk plays a lot — way too much,” Finch said. “You’ve got to make the simple play.”
Tuesday marked Minnesota’s first group play game of the NBA Cup in-season tournament. A 14-point loss delivers a devastating blow for the Wolves’ chances of advancing to the knockout round with three group stage games yet to play, particularly with the defeat coming at the hands of the worst team in the pool.
The Blazers fell by 45 to an under-manned Memphis team on Sunday, then turned around and beat Minnesota two days later.
The Wolves and Blazers (4-8) will again do battle Wednesday in Portland.
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