MINNEAPOLIS — A four-game win streak can start to make you forget there are reasons beyond injury luck the Minnesota Timberwolves have one of the worst records in the NBA.
Defense has plagued them all season and a propensity to lose games down the stretch that they should win has also popped up now and then.
The latter hasn't appeared as much of late, save for a recent loss against the Sacramento Kings, but it reappeared Saturday in a 140-136 overtime loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.
The reason? The Wolves' offense stagnated after getting a 10-point late and they had no answer for Zion Williamson, who bullied them all night for 37 points. and got six fouls each on Karl-Anthony Towns and Naz Reid. Anthony Edwards had 29 for the Wolves. Lonzo Ball had 33 on eight threes for New Orleans.
The Wolves blew the 10-point fourth-quarter lead to set up overtime after D'Angelo Russell, who went 1 of 12 from three-point range, missed the final shot of regulation, a three. Towns fouled out with the Wolves trailing 130-129 and 2 minutes, 2 seconds left. Williamson hit two free throws and then drove for a three-point play on New Orleans' next possession for a 135-129 lead. The Wolves wouldn't threaten from there and lost their first game in front of fans at Target Center this season.
Russell finished with 17 points and 11 assists as he guided the second unit to strong shifts in each half while Towns didn't have a great night from the field (8 of 19) but did finish with 28 points and 14 rebounds.
The Wolves took a fourth-quarter lead after Reid (17 points) hit three threes early in the fourth while Edwards had five points and set up Juancho Hernangomez for a key three in a 10-0 run that gave the Wolves a 117-107 lead with 5 minutes, 56 seconds to play.
The Wolves couldn't close it from there as New Orleans went on an 11-run over the next five minutes. A Williamson layup tied the score 121-121 with 1:10 left.
Ricky Rubio came down and hit a runner for the Wolves. Ball and Brandon Ingram would miss twice for the New Orleans on its next possession before Willy Hernangomez, Juancho's brother, got a putback for the Pelicans with 21.9 seconds left. The Wolves held for the last shot, but Russell's three-point attempt missed to set up overtime.
Edwards was aggressive from the start Saturday and didn't need the prodding he needed to get going like he did Thursday with 19 first-half points.
Williamson started to become a problem for the Wolves late in the first. The two dynamic forces had their teams tied 65-65 at halftime. On one sequence Edwards absorbed contact at the rim and hit a layup, then after a quick steal from Rubio he took more contact and went to the free throw line.
Edwards then got the arena on its feet after he pulled up for a three on Williamson to tie the score 59-59. Edwards would finish with 19 in the first half, Williamson with 16. Towns had eight points but 10 rebounds.
The Wolves went with a big lineup early in the third with Towns and Reid to try and slow down Williamson. But it was Ball who picked up from his hot start. He hit three threes to start the game and hit another four through the first six minutes of the second half. That gave New Orleans another small cushion that grew to eight later in the quarter.
But the Wolves' bench with Russell leading the charge went on an 8-0 run to tie the score 94-94 before the Wolves went into the fourth down by one. They would take their lead, then need to do all they could to hang on against the freight train that is Williamson.
Williamson was there to make sure that didn't happen.
