The Minnesota Timberwolves rode a pivotal fourth-quarter run to a 121-113 road win over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday in a chippy contest featuring a bevy of technical fouls.
Minnesota coach Chris Finch was tossed midway through third quarter after a heated exchange with an official. Shortly after his ejection, the Timberwolves broke a 77-77 stalemate with a 23-9 run that spanned the end of the third quarter and than five minutes of the final period.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker powered the decisive burst with three made 3-pointers, part of a 5-of-10 shooting performance from beyond the arc. Alexander-Walker scored 23 points off the bench.
Anthony Edwards scored a team-high 33 points and capped Minnesota’s run throwing down a thundering dunk off of one of Julius Randle’s six assists. The spurt gave the Timberwolves a cushion that remained in double figures most of the final six minutes en route to Minnesota’s fourth straight win.
Phoenix, which came into the contest on its own three-game winning streak, tried to mount a late rally when it went on an 8-0 run in the final two minutes. Kevin Durant hit a pair of 3-pointers in that stretch, part of his 4-of-8 night shooting from outside and 33-point effort.
Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels was ejected for jabbing a finger into Devin Booker’s forehead during an altercation in the game’s closing seconds.
Booker, who also received a technical foul, finished with 28 points and eight assists. Bradley Beal added 17 points and six assists for Phoenix, while Grayson Allen had 11 points and seven rebounds.
Randle finished with 28 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the floor and matched Edwards with a game-high seven rebounds. Randle also swiped a game-high three steals, and his six assists matched Mike Conley’s team high. Booker distributed a game-high eight assists.
McDaniels had 14 points and six rebounds.
–Field Level Media
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