The Timberwolves cling to the fight for the sixth position in the West. Finch’s team took a very important direct duel on their visit to the Chase Center, where they beat the Warriors 96-99 to close the gap and continue dreaming of returning to the playoffs by direct means. This result leaves Minnesota just a half-game behind Golden State, which could have put its qualification on track with a win but let the game slip away when it seemed to have it in its grasp.
Steve Kerr’s men came ahead in the final moments of the duel, and had possession to seal the victory with a basket. With around four seconds between the shot clock and the game clock, they opted to try to run out time to leave Wolves just seconds in their final attack. However, good pressure allowed Kyle Anderson to force a turnover from Draymond Green and go on the counter-attack, where he found an open Karl-Anthony Towns who, knowing that he might not be able to shoot more if he let the clock pass, opted for throw.
The pivot was signing a more than discreet game until the arrival of the last quarter, in which, despite everything, he ended up as a visiting hero. With only 8 points during the first three quarters, he seemed destined to finish as indicated in case of defeat, but with a triple that put his team ahead with less than 2 minutes to go, he began to show signs that he wanted to appear in the clutch. And when Anderson gave him the ball with 96-95 on the scoreboard and 10 seconds left, he confirmed it.
Towns’ triple entered the heart of the Warriors like a dagger, who committed another loss on the next possession, this one by Jordan Poole, and saw their options vanish at the stroke of a pen. Despite Poole’s own 27 goals and Stephen Curry’s 20, the Californians had serious problems doing damage to the Timberwolves in attack, whose defense worked really well and allowed them to prevail without the need for a great offensive performance from their stars.
And it is that a clash in which Towns and Anthony Edwards combine for a total of 27 points and a 10/30 shooting does not seem destined to become a victory, but Finch’s men found a way to keep a low score to finish deciding in the final moments. Naz Reid, with 23 goals in 20 minutes, was essential as the only relatively inspired man at the scoring level, while Kyle Anderson also emerged as one of the key figures in the triumph. The former Grizzlies couldn’t get past 12 points, but he stood out in many other ways with 10 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 steals, including the one that led Minnesota to their last possession and was ultimately the one that gave them the victory.
(Cover photo: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
