MINNEAPOLIS — If the Timberwolves dreamt their perfect game and plotted it moment by moment, it still might not have compared to the 138-95 drubbing they dealt Saturday to one of their most frustrating foils, the Memphis Grizzlies.
Picture Anthony Edwards smiling and pointing to the crowd after making each of his five first-quarter 3-point attempts. Imagine D'Angelo Russell collapsing into the arms of Karl-Anthony Towns after hitting one of his four 3s in his best game of the season. Think of Jarred Vanderbilt grabbing almost every offensive rebound and then Towns auditioning for the dunk contest with a reverse slam all alone on a breakaway in the third quarter.
All of that was present at Target Center in a party that began early and never stopped.
For all their early-season shooting struggles, the Wolves were owed a night like this — almost every NBA team has it at some point or another.
The Wolves shot 54% from the field and 49 % from 3-point range (58% through three quarters) and led by as many as 45. Their 113-71 lead after the third quarter was the largest lead after three in team history.
Edwards, who had 23 points, got the night going early by hitting his first five 3s and getting the crowd on its feet early. His teammates did the rest.
Vanderbilt finished with five points and 10 rebounds, including five on the offensive end and kept other possession alive by knocking loose balls around to teammates. He also added three steals. Towns overcame early trouble with the officiating to help put the game away with 15 third-quarter points to finish with 21. Russell hit most of his shots, both difficult and easy, as he finished with 28 points on 9-for-15 shooting to go with five assists.
Wolves coach Chris Finch has often said the most desperate team in an NBA game usually comes out on top. The Wolves played like they were finally tired of losing to the Grizzlies, who had won the past seven matchups. That streak included a heartbreaker for the Wolves last week in Memphis.
They came out with a passion they had too infrequently earlier this season but found in the last few days.
Edwards got them started with his hot hand and threw down one of his rim-rocking dunks for good measure. That led a 40-23 first quarter for the Wolves. They let up on the gas last week in Memphis when they built a big lead, but they seemed to learn from their mistake. Memphis never sniffed the lead again as the Wolves held the Grizzlies to 35% shooting.
The Wolves extended their lead into the 20s in the second quarter and had reached their largest lead of the night to that point, 2, by halftime. Edwards had 21 of his 23 in the first half. What was impressive about the Wolves' first half was they did a lot of damage with Towns not playing a huge role. It was a total team effort. Then Towns came out of halftime to pour gasoline on the fire and push the lead to 45, which allowed the starters to rest and celebrate through the fourth.
The Wolves had crisp ball movement. They took shots in rhythm. They hustled after loose balls, defended well and they rebounded to finish possessions. All these things have eluded them at various points this season. They all came together Saturday.
The question now for the Wolves is can they carry this over and make this type of effort and execution the norm rather than the exception?
Or was this just a dream, soon to be forgotten once they awake the next day?
