The Minnesota Timberwolves (18-39) defeated the Boston Celtics (33-25) 124-122 on Monday.
Minnesota got out to an eight-point lead after the first quarter and that set a nice precedent for the rest of the game. They key for the Wolves was the shooting and rebounding, as they shot 52 percent from the field and outrebounded the Celtics 51 to 38. The three-point shooing was unconscious as well, with the Timberwolves going 8-for-15 from long distance. The Celtics actually made a furious comeback late by scoring 14 points in the final 100 seconds, but fell just shy by missing a three-point opportunity at the buzzer to win.
Boston has low lost three of their last five, with all three losses coming to teams under .500. Jae Crowder played well in this game though, as he amassed 27 points, nine rebounds and three assists in the loss. Marcus Smart gave the team a nice spark off the bench, as he recorded 17 points, seven assists, four rebounds and four steals in an effort-filled performance off the bench. The Celtics next game will be on Thursday, when they play the Milwaukee Bucks.
Minnesota got one of their best team performances of the season here against one of the best all-around teams in the NBA. All five starters scored in double figures in the win, with the two big men dominating. Karl Anthony-Towns totaled 28 points, 13 rebounds and four assists, while Gorgui Deng amassed 17 points and 12 rebounds of his own. Ricky Rubio flirted with a triple-double, as he accumulated 15 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in the victory. Minnesota will look to keep things rolling on Wednesday against the Toronto Raptors.
