Timberwolves outpace the Suns to go up 2-0 in First Round series, 103-95
(ABC 6 News) — The Minnesota Timberwolves hosted the Phoenix Suns in Game 2 of the First Round of the NBA Playoffs Tuesday night.
The Target Center got on its feet from the start, the Timberwolves kicking off the game with an 8-0 run, capitalized by Rudy Gobert’s two-handed slam.
Phoenix gathered itself for a late run in the first, but Bradley Beal’s missed dunk allowed Monte Morris to grab a nifty bucket under the rim, ending the first with a 24-21 lead for Minnesota. However, Karl-Anthony Towns wound up with three fouls before the quarter ended.
The second quarter saw a mix of turnovers and fouls bite the Timberwolves, allowing the Suns to take the lead. The absence of Towns affecting Minnesota along with Jaden McDaniels and Devin Booker getting into each other’s faces, the former receiving a technical foul.
Mike Conley Jr. tapped into his veteran experience to keep Minnesota close, finishing the first half with 14 points on 6-8 shooting and 2-3 from three-point range. McDaniels and Gobert had 12 each in the first while Devin Booker led Phoenix with 13 points.
Out of the break, Minnesota kept the lead within range, Towns coming back with a purpose to briefly tie the game before Anthony Edwards came through in the third once more. Edwards swatted Bradley Beal’s would-be bucket away before hitting a tight midrange shot over Kevin Durant.
Towns’ foul trouble did not go away as he picked up a fourth against Durant, but Minnesota’s offense continued to surge. Conley Jr. and McDaniels hit major shots to carry the T-Wolves offense with the Target Center eating it up.
Jaden McDaniels would keep finding the bottom of the bucket in the 4th, the famously defensive star popping off for 25 points as the Timberwolves once again handled the Phoenix Suns, 103-95. Minnesota is now up two games to none in the series and will play Game 3 in Phoenix on Friday at 9 PM Central Time.
ABC 6 News will update this story with more information later.