Short-handed Wolves can't outlast Celtics in overtime

A difficult game for the Timberwolves kept getting more difficult before the game even started.

Weather forced Minnesota to stay in Florida after Tuesday night’s win over the Orlando Magic, meaning the Wolves had to fly out Wednesday for a game later that night against the NBA-leading Boston Celtics. Then they ruled out Mike Conley and Rudy Gobert ahead of the contest.

Playing the Celtics away on the second half of a back to back is tough enough. Having to fly out the same day and playing without two starters makes a win in Boston feel almost unachievable.

While Minnesota nearly achieved the impossible, the short-rested and short-handed Wolves let a late lead slip away as the Celtics escaped their home floor with a 127-120 victory in overtime.

Tied 120-120 in overtime, Jayson Tatum drove into the lane for a layup to put the Celtics up by two. Then Anthony Edwards was doubled and turned the ball over and Tatum drilled a 3-pointer on the other end to essentially ice the game.

Tatum scored 45 points in the game, 12 of which came in overtime. His partner in crime, Jaylen Brown, finished with 35 points and 11 rebounds. They were unstoppable for most of the night.

The Wolves were up 109-108 in the fourth quarter when the Celtics passed the ball around the key and found Jrue Holiday wide open in the right corner and he drilled a 3-pointer to put Boston up 111-109 with 25.3 seconds remaining.

Edwards drove to the lane and was fouled on the Wolves' ensuing possession and made both free throws to tie the game with 8.5 seconds left. Edwards finished with 29 points and six boards.

Tatum got a shot off as time expired, but had Jaden McDaniels on his hip and it rolled around the rim and out to set up an extra five minutes of basketball.

Kristaps Porzingis was out for the Celtics with a right knee contusion.

Kyle Anderson, in the starting lineup with Gobert and Conley out of the lineup, finished with 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, also in the starting lineup, scored 15. Karl-Anthony Towns tallied 25 points and 13 rebounds, while Naz Reid had 19 points and 10 boards.

But the Wolves’ balanced and valiant effort on short rest and down two starters wasn’t enough. The best in the East beat the best in the West in this showdown.  

Final key stats

• Anthony Edwards: 29 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists 
• Karl-Anthony Towns: 25 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals
• Naz Reid: 19 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks 
• Kyle Anderson: 17 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal 
• Nickeil Alexander-Walker: 15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block 
• Jayson Tatum: 45 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal 
• Jaylen Brown: 35 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 block