Minnesota Timberwolves Fall For The First Time This Season

Alex Bader

MINNEAPOLIS -- The New Orleans Pelicans beat the Minnesota Timberwolves by a score of 107-98. The Timberwolves lost tonight because of poor shooting in the first half, and no one showed up to match the Pelicans' level of play.

The first quarter was the ugliest quarter in the Timberwolves' short season.

Towns was too busy complaining to refs about fouls and couldn't get settled into the game. This affected the team as a whole.

Karl Anthony Towns went 2-9 shooting and 1-3 from behind the arc.

Oh, he also got two personal fouls.

D'Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards weren't any better, combining for 0-9 shooting.

The Pelicans came out stronger in this game. They needed to, after losing their first 3 games of the season. Pelicans ended the first quarter with a 25-19 lead.

The Wolves started the second quarter sluggishly and found themselves in a 13 point deficit.

Coach Finch put KAT and DLO back in and the Wolves started to make some headway.

However, the Pelicans would go on an 8-0 scoring run to push their lead to 14, with five minutes left to play in the second quarter.

The two teams went back and forth on small runs to end the second quarter.

The Pelicans maintained the lead into halftime with a score of 54-43. The Pelicans shot a 41.3% field goal percentage.

The Timberwolves shot a 25.6% field goal percentage.

The Wolves' bench players scored 17 points in the first half - keeping them in the game.

Towns was doing everything he could in the second quarter to keep the game in striking distance, ending the half with 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists.

Pelicans were all over the glass in the first half, grabbing 35 rebounds - 14 more than the Wolves.

It only got worse for the Timberwolves.

The Pelicans started the third quarter on a 10-0 scoring run. The Wolves trailed by 21 with just under nine minutes to play.

Finch took a needed timeout.

It was what the Timberwolves needed. Minnesota went on a 7-0 scoring run right out of the timeout, to cut the deficit to 14.

Target Center was the loudest it's been all night.

ANT heated up out of the timeout. He got 16 points in a row for the Wolves to end the third quarter.

Edwards finished the third quarter with 21 points, 8-13 shooting, and 3-6 from behind the arc. He had two points in the first half.

The Pelicans 21 point lead was cut to seven going into the fourth, with a score of 80-73.

The Timberwolves fell behind by double digits to start the fourth.

Coach Finch put the starters back in.

With just under 5 minutes left to play, the Timberwolves trailed the Pelicans by 10, and the margin for error got slimmer.

With two minutes left, the Wolves trailed by 13 - a comeback was slipping further and further away.

The Pelicans grabbed the win with a score of 107-98, handing the Timberwolves their first loss.

Towns finished with 14 rebounds and 32 points. Edwards finished with 28 points.

Russel struggled all night, finished the game with four assists, six rebounds, and nine points.

Patrick Beverly played great off the bench, but his 13 points and 2 assists were not enough to lift the Wolves.

Minnesota shot a 34.4 % field goal percentage and was out-rebounded by 19.

New Orleans forced 17 turnovers and Jonas Valančiūnas led the way with 23 rebounds and 22 points.

Still, a positive start on the season for the Timberwolves. They will look to forget this one and get ready for the reigning champs, Milwaukee, on Wednesday.

BADER'S TAKE

Edwards is great.

ANT struggled in the first, but was able to flip a switch in the third and keep things interesting for the Wolves. He is so fun to watch and proved tonight that he can take over the game at any given moment.

I love that the Wolves have a player like him.

Unfortunately for him, no one other than Towns was helping him out tonight.

The Timberwolves shot the ball poorly all night long. Whenever you shoot in the 30 percent range as a team, that is bad news.

Minnesota had no answer for Jonas Valančiūnas and Brandon Ingram, who seemed to be all over the place tonight.

Tonight was proof that Minnesota needs all three of their 'big three' to be playing great to win in this conference. If one of them is off their game, the Timberwolves are going to need someone else to step up - tonight no one did.

DLO was essentially invisible tonight.

Minnesota has to forget this one and make sure they start the game a lot better on Wednesday against the Bucks.

If they don't, they could be looking at two straight losses. It is important that they can bounce back after a loss like tonight, and play better next time out.

What's Next:

Minnesota Timberwolves (2-1) at Milwaukee Bucks (3-1) Wednesday at 7 p.m.

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