Anthony Edwards scored 44 point to no avail as the Timberwolves win streak was snapped due to an 18-point first quarter deficit.
The Minnesota Timberwolves soared into Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse riding a three-game win streak and the opportunity to put the league on notice against the first place Cleveland Cavaliers. They arrived fresh off the breaking news of Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez winning their arbitration battle against Glen Taylor.
Just in: Arbitrators have ruled Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez over Glen Taylor as the next majority ownership group of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Lore and Rodriguez told ESPN. The NBA’s Board of Governors now have to approve Lore and Rodriguez. pic.twitter.com/qpF3BW3J7B
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 10, 2025
Meanwhile, the Wolves started sluggishly out of the gates during Monday evening’s game. Both teams combined to go 0 for 10 from the field to start the game. However, the only problem was that Cleveland’s second-ranked offense settled into the game while Minnesota spent the first seven minutes searching for their first point. You heard that right. It took the Wolves seven full minutes to score. Fortunately, this game didn’t take place at Target Center, where their fans were kept standing.
The Timberwolves did start the game with a stout defense, imposing their will on the glass for second-chance opportunities. They continuously responded with enough bricks to build a new stadium. As the misses began to mount, the frustration became evident, and the defense began to slip as frustration overtook the Wolves’ focus.
Mercifully, after 16 straight missed field goal attempts, Edwards cashed in a three-pointer. However, the sight of their first field goal still couldn’t snap the Wolves out of their stagnant start, heading into the second quarter down 18 points. Considering Minnesota shot 9.5% from the floor in the opening stanza, it certainly felt fortunate that they weren’t down by more.
That is until Cleveland stormed out of the gates to start the second quarter, taking a commanding 24-point lead. Edwards heated up in the period, but the Wolves defense had zero answers for Donavan Mitchell and Evan Mobley. They stomped all over the visitors to close the half with a commanding a 66-44 lead.
Minnesota, behind their esteemed All-Star, came out of halftime with some fight, slowly chipping away at the Cleveland advantage. However, being the best team in the league, the Cavaliers continued to punch back and respond to every push. The Timberwolves couldn’t contain the Cleveland offense, and outside of Anthony Edwards, there was little supplemental offense to be found.
The Timberwolves failure to contain the Cavaliers offense caused the game to slip further away. Both teams cleared their benches with nearly five minutes left in the fourth quarter, as the Cavaliers easily coasted to a 128-107 victory.
Key Takeaways
David Richard-Imagn Images
The Timberwolves Sputtering Start
The Wolves started the game 0 for 16 from the floor.
That is not a typo. The frustrating aspect of this game is that they weren’t necessarily playing poorly to start. They played stout defense, rebounded the ball for second-chance opportunities, and even had open looks to score. They just couldn’t connect. Brick after brick, the frustration mounted. As the drought was sustained, the defense began to falter. The game unraveled for the Timberwolves as they posted a 9.5% shooting percentage by the time the buzzer sounded during the disastrous quarter.
You cannot expect to compete with Cleveland when you end the first quarter down 18. The Wolves spent the rest of the game trading runs, hanging around that initial 18-point deficit the rest of the game, never truly threatening to make it competitive.
David Richard-Imagn Images
Evan Mobley Dominates the Minnesota Frontcourt
First-time All-Star, Evan Mobley, displayed precisely why he was honored with his selection into the NBA’s annual talent show. He was flat-out dominant defensively early, throwing the Timberwolves offense off the rails. As the Wolves errant shots mounted, Mobley began to smell blood in the water, taking it to Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid on the offensive end as well, scoring at will.
It was truly a remarkable two-way performance for Mobley, who finished with 28 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, and 6 stocks. The Timberwolves inability to contain the point-of-attack versus Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Ty Jerome only exacerbated the issue, as Mobley’s length and athleticism were too much for the Minnesota frontcourt to handle.
David Richard-Imagn Images
Anthony Edwards Dazzles
Anthony Edwards has scored 40 points in three straight games, finishing with yet another insane stat line: 44 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 assist.
Edwards was unguardable, erupting as the Wolves only source of reliable offense. It’s a shame to see performances like this go to waste. Nobody could join forces with him to mount a comeback, as Naz Reid struggled on both ends against Mobley, while Jaden McDaniels was stuck in foul trouble. Timberwolves fans may not want to admit it, but these are the games where you miss veteran All-Star, Julius Randle, and his ability to reliably score in isolation.
Edwards is averaging 38.8 points per game in the month of February, and Minnesota has needed every point thus far as they prepare for a brutal schedule to close out the rest of the month. They face the first-place Oklahoma City Thunder three times, the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, and Houston Rockets.
Up Next
The Timberwolves will head home to lick their wounds before defending home court in a border battle with the Milwaukee Bucks this Wednesday. Milwaukee superstar Giannis Antetekounmpo will be out of action with a calf strain, making this game a must-win for Minnesota.
Tune in Wednesday, February 12th at 7:00pm CT for tip-off.
Game Highlights