Coming off back-to-back losses for the first time all season, the Minnesota Timberwolves were hungry for a road win. The Houston Rockets put up a fight throughout the game, but a strong 8-0 run in the fourth quarter propelled the Wolves to a convincing 122-95 win over the Rockets, Minnesota found its rhythm once again. Here are our instant takeaways from the Timberwolves' win, an impressive offensive performance powered by powered by Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Karl-Anthony Towns regains form
During a recent rough stretch, the Timberwolves offense struggled significantly due to a collection of poor performances by KAT’s standards. Friday night was a great get-right game for the seven-footer, who displayed his unique skill set by impacting the game in more ways than one.
A key element that was lacking in Wednesday’s loss to the New Orleans Pelicans was Towns’ usual efficiency. Even labeled as his “superpower” by head coach Chris Finch, KAT’s been flirting with a 50-40-90 season all year. While his recent stretch hasn’t fully reflected such, Friday’s win was a good sign of things to come.
Towns scored 22 points, shooting 8-17 from the field while showing off multi-level shot-making prowess.
With Minnesota’s offensive inconsistencies this season, it’s very clear that they’re best when Towns is leaving his impact on the game. For a player of his size, nights like Friday are great reminders of just how talented Minnesota’s big man is. Not many bigs across the association can go from hitting mid-range shots off the bounce to euro-stepping their way to the rack.
Towns had an effective night outside of just scoring the basketball. Securing eight rebounds and dishing out six assists, KAT utilized his diverse skill set in all facets of the game. He also grabbed his 6,000th career rebound, second-most in franchise history behind only Kevin Garnett.
Anthony Edwards continues his hot stretch
Anthony Edwards has arrived. As his career truly blossoms, his rise to true superstardom is evident. Edwards looked like his usual self finishing the night with a game-high 24 points.
The star guard has now scored 20+ points in each of his last 11 games. In that span, Edwards is averaging over 30 points a night. Behind this recent stretch, the Wolves’ guard is making a real case for an All-NBA spot.
Edwards recorded five assists on the night to go along with his strong scoring input. In a game against a bunch of young, talented Rockets players, Edwards remained the standout of the young bunch. After recently debuting his signature shoe with Adidas, the AE1s, Edwards is taking steps forward each and every night.
Sometimes growth comes through mistakes, like the five turnovers he had again Friday. But it’s easy to see how important Edwards' offensive punch is to his franchise.
Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid come up big
Outside of the Wolves’ two main scoring threats, Minnesota found a variety of contributions from other key pieces.
Rudy Gobert built upon his great season with an astounding +21 plus-minus on the night. Recording two steals and two blocks, the Stifle Tower set the tone early on defense for the Timberwolves.
In addition to his defensive efforts, Gobert secured another double-double. The Frenchman scored 13 points on just seven shot attempts while snagging a game-high 12 rebounds. Gobert’s impact on Minnesota’s team rebounding has been huge all season. The T-Wolves grabbed 52 rebounds on Friday, compared to just 38 boards for the Rockets.
Naz Reid built upon his Sixth Man of the Year candidacy again on Friday night. As multiple Timberwolves vie for awards this season, Reid’s importance cannot be overstated.
A bench unit that is sometimes not fully reliable from a scoring perspective has been truly uplifted by Reid’s presence. The backup big man scored 16 points on just 6-of-11 shooting in just 25 minutes of game action, another efficient night while he's on the cusp of a 50-40-90 season.
Behind the existence of two dominant bigs in KAT and Gobert, the Wolves’ true X-factor comes in the form of yet another big. Friday night marked the 11th time this season in which Reid has scored 15 points or more. In those 11 games, Minnesota boasts an astounding 10-1 record.
As the Wolves look to restart a winning streak, consistent efforts from Reid, Gobert, Towns and Edwards pave the way to a winning formula.
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