With Donte DiVincenzo in the major five and no longer Mike Conley, the Wolves start the game correctly. But not much more, nor for very long since Anthony Edwards and his teammates were quickly dominated. They lose balls and experience a black hole, conceding a 21-3! The perfect example of the consistency difficulties of this team, already behind at the end of the first quarter (16-27).
While they are almost twenty points behind, Chris Finch’s players wake up. Mike Conley is sharp, with eight points in a row, and as the Clippers don’t always take good shots, they come back to finish this first period at a good distance (46-53).
The dynamic is in their camp. Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo go on 3-pointers at the start of the third quarter and this time, it’s Minnesota who dominates the proceedings, with a 17-0.
James Harden and Amir Coffey, with winning shots, greatly limit the damage (77-76) when Ivica Zubac makes his presence felt near the circle in defense, during the fourth quarter. Once again, everything changes, after an 11-0 loss from Los Angeles. It’s up to the Wolves to find the answers and they will have a name: Anthony Edwards. He scored three 3-point baskets in money time and cracked Tyronn Lue’s troops (108-106).
WHAT TO REMEMBER
– The Wolves’ major five change. Chris Finch had rejected the idea of touching his starters several times but, faced with the current crisis in his group, he gave in. Mike Conley therefore started on the bench, giving way to Donte DiVincenzo. A touch-up that didn’t really work at the start of the match. On the other hand, in the third quarter, it clearly paid off with 8 points and two winning baskets from the former Knicks to support Anthony Edwards. And Mike Conley wasn’t too troubled, scoring 11 points. A winning choice therefore.
– Anthony Edwards in boss mode. Frustrated by the double-takes and his declining performances in recent weeks, he scored (in vain) 53 points on the Pistons and has just crucified the Clippers. With 37 points at 14/29 shooting including 6/13 at 3-pts, 8 assists and 7 rebounds, the guard had a very good match. But it is especially his three 3-point baskets in a row in the last three minutes that we must remember. As a leader, he took and scored the big shots to get his team out of the mud and avoid a fourth defeat in a row.
– Second complicated outing for Kawhi Leonard. After a smooth return against the Hawks, the Clippers winger was not successful in Minnesota. He shot a lot at the start of the match, to get his sensations. But it didn’t come as he finished with only 8 points at 3/11 shooting, in 20 minutes.
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
