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Minnesota Timberwolves fight back but fall short to Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics
Timberwolves Show Resilience in Narrow Loss to Celtics
The Minnesota Timberwolves put up a valiant effort against the Boston Celtics on Thursday night, falling just short in a 118-115 thriller. Despite the loss, there were plenty of positives to take away from the game, as the Wolves continue to prove they can compete with the NBA’s elite, even while going through an extended rough patch over the first two-plus months of the season.
As expected from two of the league’s most frequent 3-point bombers, both teams came out firing from beyond the arc, combining for more three-point attempts in the first quarter than any teams in any quarter so far this season in the NBA. The Wolves built an early lead and were up by seven after the first, but the Celtics stormed back in the second quarter to take an 11-point advantage into halftime.
The key to Minnesota’s second-half comeback was the emergence of what can accurately be called The Good Lineup. This unit, consisting of Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Naz Reid, Donte DiVincenzo, Josh Minott, and Jaden McDaniels, provided a spark off the bench and helped erase the deficit. Their energy and versatility on both ends of the floor were crucial in getting the Wolves back into the game.
One of the most impressive aspects of this lineup is its ability to play five-out offensively while maintaining switchability on defense. All five players can shoot, handle the ball to some degree, and defend multiple positions. This flexibility allows for creative offensive sets and stifling defensive rotations.
Turnovers and Three-Point Differential sink the Timberwolves
While the Wolves showed heart and resilience, two factors ultimately led to their downfall: turnovers and three-point shooting disparity.
Minnesota committed 16 turnovers compared to Boston’s mere three, leading to additional possessions for the Celtics. This, combined with Boston’s 18 extra three-point attempts, proved to be the difference in a game decided by just three points.
Anthony Edwards had an up-and-down performance, finishing with 15 points, 6 assists, and 2 turnovers. While he showed flashes of brilliance, particularly with his scoring early and playmaking in the third quarter, there were moments of indecision when faced with double teams. Moving forward, Ant will need to make quicker decisions and trust his teammates to make plays when he gives up the ball.
For more insights and a deeper dive into the Timberwolves’ performance against the Celtics, tune into the Locked On Wolves podcast for this and much more.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Wolves Podcast:
• Julius Randle’s impressive 27-point performance
• Jaden McDaniels’ offensive outburst and defensive effort on Jayson Tatum
• Josh Minott’s impact in limited minutes and the case for increased playing time
Jan 2, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) warms-up before the game against the Indiana Pacers at Kaseya Center. | Jim Rassol/Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
After weeks of downplay by his agent and denials by Heat president Pat Riley, Jimmy Butler has finally said the quiet part out loud to a room of postgame media about his future in Miami.
“What do I want to see happen? I want to see me get my joy back from playing basketball, wherever that may be — we’ll find out here pretty soon — but I want to get my joy back. I’m happy here, off the court, but I want to be back to somewhere dominant. I want to hoop and I want to help this team win. Right now, I’m not doing that,” Butler said.
In a quick follow up, Butler was asked whether he thought he could get his joy back with the Heat.
“Probably not,” he said without any hesitation.
As a Butler in Miami believer, my surprise stems from the state of the team. That the front office has let the Heat’s roster slowly erode to the strange place of competitive limbo they find themselves in. Losing key role players, like Max Strus and Caleb Martin, plus offensive gap fillers like Gabe Vincent, has left the Heat without much depth. The undeniable talent of Butler, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro — who is having one of his best seasons, despite it all — and sophomore Jamie Jaquez Jr. is there, and for years Duncan Robinson has worked to be whatever the team needs him to be, but the scrappy longevity and the plucky punches this team was capable of pulling two and three seasons ago are gone.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Replay Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves couldn’t clinch the win against the Celtics. Julius Randle and Jayson Tatum played key roles for Boston in this close contest. (Canis Hoopus)
Analysis Charles Barkley asserts that Anthony Edwards has regressed this season, sparking debates among fans and analysts. (Sports Illustrated)
Stat Despite a valiant effort, the Timberwolves fell just short against a short-handed Celtics team, coming within inches of victory. (Sports Illustrated)
Fans Timberwolves fans expressed their disappointment over Anthony Edwards’ performance as the Celtics triumphed over Minnesota. (Bleacher Report)
Honor Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards calls Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the “MVP of the NBA.”(ESPN)
Injury Pistons Jaden Ivey undergoes surgery to repair his broken fibula, and his earliest timeline for return is four weeks. (SportsNet)
Watch Charles Barkley calls out JJ Redick over NBA ratings comments, “dead man walking.” (Awful Announcing)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Jimmy Butler’s Trade Request Shakes Up Miami Heat & Fantasy Basketball
Jan 2, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) looks on from the bench during the second half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol/Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
I’ve been hearing whispers about potential issues between Butler and the Heat organization for months now. Sources close to the situation indicated that the Heat were hesitant to offer Butler a contract extension, which reportedly left him feeling undervalued and frustrated.
Butler’s recent press conference comments, where he stated he may never regain his joy for playing basketball while with the Heat, seem to confirm these tensions. His on-court performance has also noticeably dipped, with Butler appearing disengaged and putting up subpar numbers.
From a fantasy perspective, Butler’s potential departure raises questions about who might step up in his absence. However, looking at games where Butler has been out this season, no clear beneficiary has emerged. Players like Jaime Jaquez Jr., Tyler Herro, and Duncan Robinson have failed to consistently produce starter-level fantasy numbers in Butler’s absence.
Click the button below to get the inside scoop on a rookie center’s breakout game.
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