MINNEAPOLIS _ This time Karl-Anthony Towns didn't rain down 3s, the Wolves didn't have a relative unknown provide an unexpected boost.
For the second time in three nights the Timberwolves played the Utah Jazz, this time at Target Center on Wednesday. Losers at home Monday, the Jazz returned the favor in a 103-95 victory over the Wolves in a game that featured generally poor shooting, officiating that made everyone unhappy and more runs than you can count on your fingers.
Down 11 late in the third quarter, the Wolves went on an 18-1 run to take a 79-73 lead with 9:23 left in the game.
But the Jazz responded with a 15-3 run of their own over the next 4-plus minutes to go up 88-82. Utah (8-6) never lost control again.
The Wolves (8-7) lost their third straight home game, dropping to 3-5 at home.
Andrew Wiggins, back in the starting lineup for the first time in four games, led the Wolves with 22 points. Towns, slowed by foul trouble early and by Rudy Gobert late, scored 14 with 12 rebounds.
It was a game in which the Wolves starters generally struggled; many of the runs Minnesota made came with reserves.
Four of five Jazz starters scored in double figures. Guard Donovan Mitchell, held to 5-for-23 shooting Monday, scored 16 points, making 5 of 9 3-pointers. Bojan Bogdanovic had 30 points, making 6 of 11 3s. Gobert had 12 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks.
It appeared the Wolves had taken control when Towns hit a 3 with 9:23 left to put the Wolves up six.
But the Jazz, which hit 7 of 11 3s in the fourth quarter, scored 15 of the next 18 points and ended the game on a 30-16 run.
It was a back-and-forth game much of the night.
First quarter? The Wolves led by two when Wiggins picked up his second foul _ on the offensive end _ with 7:28 left in the quarter, a call that drew howls from the Wolves bench. About a minute later, with the Jazz up four, Towns was called for an offensive foul, his second, and he also had to sit.
The Wolves frustration grew.
With the Jazz in the middle of a run, Wolves coach Ryan Saunders was called for a technical foul. Ultimately the Jazz lead grew to 22-11.
Finally, in a quarter in which neither team could shoot straight, the Wolves closed to within 26-19 entering the second quarter.
That streak continued. The Wolves, who ended the first quarter on an 8-4 run, scored the first eight of the second to take a 27-26 lead on Covington's drive. The Jazz got a bucket, then the Wolves scored seven straight _ including a 3-pointer by Keita Bates-Diop. That completed a 23-6 run that had the Wolves up 28 and the Jazz calling a timeout with 7:27 left in the half.
But, with Towns back on the floor _ and committing two straight turnovers _ the Jazz ripped off a 10-0 in less than 2 minutes run to go up four on Mike Conley's 3-pointer.
The Jazz led by five with the clock ticking down before Jarrett Culver hit a 28-footer from the top of the key to pull Minnesota within 48-46 at halftime.
Wiggins heated up in the third quarter _ he scored 11 of the Wolves 22 points in the quarter _ but another cold spell hurt Minnesota.
The Wolves were within a point after Jeff Teague hit one of two free throws with 6:39 left in the quarter. The Jazz then went on a 14-4 run to go up 72-61 on a free throw by Jeff Green about 4 minutes later.
With Culver hitting a 3 and Wiggins scoring, the Wolves pulled within 73-68 entering the fourth.
