NEW ORLEANS – For the second consecutive game, the defense that has formed the Timberwolves’ backbone this season wasn’t present for most of the night.
If the Wolves were going to beat New Orleans, they were going to have to outscore the Pelicans even though New Orleans was missing Zion Williamson and C.J. McCollum.
It didn’t help the Wolves that their two best offensive players, Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards missed significant parts of the night in foul trouble. Edwards would eventually foul out with 23 points. Towns lasted the game, and thankfully for the Wolves he did because he led them to a 121-120 victory.
Towns’ running shot with 5.2 seconds remaining gave the Wolves the lead as he capped off a 29-point night on 10-for-11 shooting. Jaden McDaniels provided the winning defense as Brandon Ingram (30 points) missed the potential winner from 16 feet.
Towns drilled a three with 1 minute, 26 seconds remaining to give the Wolves just their third lead of the night 119-117. Despite great defense from McDaniels, Ingram banked in a two-point prayer to beat the shot clock on New Orleans’ next possession to tie the game.
Rudy Gobert drew a foul on the offensive glass for the Wolves on their next possession, but he missed both free throws. Edwards, who had five fouls, then fouled out guarding Ingram on the Wolves’ next defensive possession, and Ingram hit one of two to give New Orleans a 120-119 lead.
The Wolves seemed to have more energy from the opening tip than they did in their previous loss to Phoenix, but that didn’t translate to better defensive results. New Orleans posted a 35-37 lead after one quarter on the strength of 11 points from Jonas Valanciunas. The Pelicans shot 12-for-19 in the first quarter and 5-for-8 from three-point range.
The problems for the Wolves didn’t let up to start the second quarter, and they fell behind by as much as 15 before they got back into the game. Edwards ignited an 8-0 run with a pair of threes to pull the Wolves within seven before he exited the half with three fouls. Valanciunas also picked up three for New Orleans, and Towns was able to operate on the offensive end to make up for Edwards’ absence. He had 10 second-quarter points to pull the Wolves as close as three before they went into the locker room trailing 64-59.
Towns picked up his fourth foul early in the third quarter, but coach Chris Finch initially opted to leave Towns in and gamble on him picking up his fifth. While they did, the Wolves took their first lead since 2-0. But after a few minutes, Finch sat Towns. He also sat Edwards after Edwards picked up his fourth foul with 6 minutes, 4 seconds remaining in the quarter. That was the precursor for an 8-0 New Orleans run as the Wolves struggled to score with Edwards and Towns on the bench.
The Wolves were down as much as 14 in the fourth before Towns, playing with five fouls at this point, led them back. An Edwards three made it 112-111 with 3:56 to play, and he hit another one to make it 117-116 with 1:54 to go.