Jaden McDaniels led all scorers with 25 points to give the Timberwolves a commanding 2-0 series lead over the Suns, who got 20 points from Devin Booker and 18 from Kevin Durant.
The Minnesota Timberwolves returned to Target Center on Tuesday night looking to double down on a big, 120-95 Game 1 win over the Phoenix Suns with a convincing Game 2 victory in front of a raucous home crowd.
Offensive rebounding and second chance scoring, perimeter defense on Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, and strong play from its three stars helped the Wolves take a 1-0 series lead on Saturday, but after three days to watch the film, iron out kinks, and devise a plan of attack, the Suns surely want to improve upon their performance in those areas.
Perhaps the most talked about adjustment for Phoenix would be to go five-out and play Kevin Durant or Royce O’Neale at center, which has been successful for them especially offensively this season. Those lineups were a +3.2 NET in 571 possessions (70th percentile, per Cleaning the Glass). More specifically, the Booker/Beal/Eric Gordon/Grayson Allen/Durant unit — the most-used lineup with either Durant or O’Neale at the 5 — is a +27.1 NET in 114 possessions (a very small sample, but 92nd percentile per CTG), led by a blistering 144.7 offensive rating (100th percentile) and 70.7% effective field goal percentage (99th percentile).
Minnesota won by 24 points in the 21 minutes during which starting center Jusuf Nurkić sat, but Phoenix played backup center Drew Eubanks for only nine of them. That is a good indication the Wolves may be able to successfully defend a five-out Suns lineup, since they did so effectively for 15 or so minutes on Saturday.
On the injury front, after being listed as questionable, Allen (right ankle sprain) was a go — without a minutes restriction for Phoenix — while Kyle Anderson (right hip pointer) sat after Timberwolves Head Coach Chris Finch said pregame that Slow-Mo was a game-time decision.
Phoenix opened things up on offense with a clear directive: pick on Mike Conley. Both of Head Coach Frank Vogel’s first two actions were a post split action to curl Durant off a pin-down in the middle of the floor to get KD a look in the mid-range, and then an off-ball screen to switch Beal onto Conley. Neither profited, dousing lighter fluid on a building ready to explode.
Conley got the scoring started on the other side, followed by a walk-in 3 for Anthony Edwards, an almost-poster dunk on Durant from Jaden McDaniels, and a Rudy Gobert poster dunk on Nurkić. Minnesota very quickly built an 8-0 lead, as Phoenix started 0/4 from the floor with three turnovers that became five Wolves points.
The Suns crawled back into it thanks to Nurkić setting some rock solid screens to free up Booker and Beal going downhill, creating some easy offense. Phoenix seemed to be gaining some momentum, but a Gobert steal turned into a charge on a drive attempt on Nurkić… that was overturned to a block — a pivotal swing. Gobert missed, but McDaniels got in for the offensive rebound and drew Durant’s second foul at 6:10. Jaden learning how to become an active offensive rebounder is a real “Happy learned how to putt” situation for the Wolves’ offense, especially on nights he isn’t that involved with the ball.
But the Timberwolves kept their foot on the gas — on both ends. The Suns continually put Gobert in the crosshairs on an island for 1-on-1s, but he held firm just about every time forcing misses or turnovers. Offensively, McDaniels continued to be involved as a passer, cutting to the middle space and then making a perfect find to Gobert underneath — his second assist to Gobert of the quarter.
those dimes. pic.twitter.com/jAHAocx1q5
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) April 24, 2024
Phoenix late in the quarter did start to draw fouls at a clip more commensurate of their NBA-leading 22.0% free throw rate. Booker got to the line five times, including twice by way of a Karl-Anthony Towns foul. KAT picked up his third foul of the quarter just inside of a minute left to go in the first with an irresponsible crash, flying over three defenders that gifted the Suns a pair of points. Plays like that didn’t happen in Game 1, but hurt the Wolves early in this one.
Minnesota could’ve expanded their lead higher than three at the end of the first, but turned it over sloppily on three of their final four possessions. A Monte Morris buzzer-beater made it 24-21 after 12 minutes — a mark the Timberwolves probably weren’t thrilled with considering Durant, Beal and Booker were a combined 3/15 from the floor for 10 points. Gobert led the Wolves with eight points, as Minnesota struggled from deep, shooting just 1/4.
Really for the first time all series, the Suns started a quarter shot out of a cannon to open the second period. Eric Gordon, who did not score (0/5) and was a -18 in Game 1, followed up his strong first frame with a bomb from 28 feet late in the clock to open the scoring. After an easy Nurkić lay-in, the Bosnian big man assisted on a pair of Beal scores at the rim in dribble hand-off action, before Beal drained a smooth long-range J to give Phoenix a four-point lead, its largest of the game to that point, by way of a 12-5 run to start the period.
The Wolves, meanwhile, could not collect a defensive rebound or buy a 3-pointer to save their life, complicating things further. After scoring just six second chance points off three offensive rebounds in Game 1, Phoenix had scored nine off of six second chances by the midway point of the second.
As a result of that, plus continued scoring from the free throw line, Phoenix grew the lead to seven. But Minnesota roared back with threes from Conley, McDaniels, and Conley again, all on great finds. Morris had a wide open look in that stretch as well, but couldn’t find the bottom of the net.
With how pot committed Phoenix is on playing in the gaps on Edwards, those 3s are going to be there for all three of those players. Conley took full advantage, connecting on five of his first six looks, including two of his three looks from deep, as did McDaniels, who evidently had a confident, attack mindset in the first half. Jaden scored 10 crucial points and dished out three assists in his first 16 minutes, playing very well off the catch attacking the rim both as a scorer and a playmaker. He did get into a dust-up with Booker, who was looking for skin to get under all first half while he was feeling it in the mid-range on the other end.
Devin Booker & McDaniels getting chippy… Welcome to playoff basketball, folks pic.twitter.com/3a06G9yNjO
— PHNX Suns (@PHNX_Suns) April 24, 2024
It did feel as though the Suns got every call imaginable in the first half, while the Wolves got sub-par play from Edwards and Towns, who scored a combined seven points on 1/7 shooting. But Edwards did continually make the right play in the half-court, which helped Conley and McDaniels get going.
To make matters worse, Minnesota got out-rebounded 22-18, out-scored 11-5 off the bench (which they dominated in Game 1), shot just 4/15 (26.7%) from 3, and allowed six offensive boards and nine second chance points. The only thing that really went right for the Timberwolves was turning nine Suns giveaways into 15 points.
Yet, despite all of that, the Suns led by only one point at the half, 51-50. Booker paced Phoenix with 13 points on 3/8 shooting (7/8 free throws), while Durant added 11 and Beal supplied seven points on just 3/9 shooting. Conley led Minnesota with 14 points, while Gobert and McDaniels scored 12 apiece. The Wolves’ bench shot a combined 2/12 (0/6 from 3) and scored just five points.
The teams traded misses to open the second half, with both sides combining to shoot just 1/7 in the first two minutes. Towns got a couple of good looks after sitting the final 13 minutes of the half, but quickly saw the ball go through the hoop after a pair of free throws to get the game within one.
Ant dapping up the ref as he’s trying to usher him to the inbound spot https://t.co/1WbZYvWBTp
— Zach Harper (@talkhoops) April 24, 2024
But during the two teams clanking shots, Nurkić flopped on a rebound, which drew a foul call on Gobert. But unfortunately for Phoenix, Allen landed on Conley’s foot and turned his ankle badly, forcing the ex-Duke product to be helped back to the locker room. Allen did not return. O’Neale entered for Allen, and Towns immediately attacked him for an and-1 before drilling a triple to retake a 60-57 lead, capping off a 8-2 solo run from KAT, who was fired up.
Phoenix didn’t blink, though, as Booker did an excellent job manipulating the defense to create a Beal corner 3 before drilling a long-range shot of his own for a quick 6-0 run that prompted a Finch timeout.
Then, Minnesota’s stars got the crowd fully into it. Edwards drew a foul after forcing a steal to see the ball go in at the free throw line, before swatting a Beal layup attempt at the shot clock buzzer. Towns then drew a foul on Booker while fighting for position, before Edwards took his turn while Beal was trying to deny the ball. Minnesota was in the bonus with 4:32 to play in the third.
https://t.co/aOiuO1iOe4 pic.twitter.com/XtITCSuq2a
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) April 24, 2024
While that played out, the Timberwolves put on a contesting clinic, making everything difficult for the Suns. Phoenix missed eight straight shots after Booker’s 3-pointer to go up three, fueling a 10-0 Minnesota run that had quite the exclamation point.
LET HIM COOK #RaisedByWolves | #NBA pic.twitter.com/DTWMM18n9B
— Bally Sports North (@BallySportsNOR) April 24, 2024
Both sides went back-and-forth to close out the third quarter, with Vogel going full Joe Mazzulla at Target Center, losing his mind three separate times at calls that went against the Suns, yet did not get a technical. This officiating crew has kept it consistent in not giving technicals for players or coaches complaining all series.
Finch, meanwhile, was making offense/defense substitutions with Towns and Gobert over the final 3:03 of the period, making five different changes.
Minnesota led 78-71 after three, behind some very balanced scoring. Towns had eight points and four rebounds, while Edwards had seven points (six at the line), three assists and zero turnovers, and McDaniels added three scores for six points.
Unlike Game 1, Finch left Ant on the bench to start the fourth, going with Conley, NAW, McDaniels, Towns and Gobert, who scored four points in the first 90 seconds of the fourth after being held scoreless in the third. He posted up Durant, who had to hack him, and made both free throws before throwing down an emphatic dunk in a vacated lane in pick-and-roll.
that MC to Rudy connection. pic.twitter.com/vW21Kg5BsD
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) April 24, 2024
Underrated here, like it was in the third, was Towns’ rebounding in traffic. This time, though, it was on the offensive end, creating a second chance on a tap-out, resulting in a NAW floater that felt like it flew to the moon and back down before falling through the cylinder.
After a Gordon bomb over the top of the defense cut it to six, 82-76, at the 10:48 mark, the Timberwolves embarked on a very loud 11-0 run to ballon the lead to not only seize control, but break the Suns’ collective spirit.
This time, it was KAT drawing a hooking foul on Booker that sparked everything. After Gobert impacted things as a scorer, he then flexed his passing skills. First, he found a baseline cutting Towns, who finished a wild reverse inside, and then hit McDaniels wide open on the short roll. McDaniels missed, but the back side of the defense was wide open, and the ball bounced straight to Conley for an open corner triple. It was only right that Jaden capped it off with a pair of scores at the rim off the catch, which got the lead up to a game-high 17 and forced another Vogel timeout.
— Canis Hoopus (@canishoopus) April 24, 2024
Nobody was happier for Slim than Edwards.
https://t.co/TaRZThPDqf pic.twitter.com/6nyBL1Se4s
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) April 24, 2024
It is important to note that all of this happened without Edwards on the floor. He entered the game with Minnesota up 17, and drilled a three less than a minute into his final shift to basically stomp out any doubt.
In case you can’t tell just how badly these Timberwolves want to win every night, the 36-year-old Conley is diving into the first row for loose balls that turn into points.
“I don’t think anybody wants it more than me.”
pic.twitter.com/IdiV6I3a9U— Cooper (@CoopCarlson) April 24, 2024
Booker, who complained about just about everything in the second half, picked up a technical after this play.
Conley earned that technical free throw, followed by a pair of makes from Gobert. While it is a small bullet point, Gobert following up his 6/7 free throw performance in Game 1 with a 6/7 effort in Game 2 is a massive development for the Timberwolves. Like McDaniels finding his rhythm at the right time, Rudy drawing fouls knowing he can confidently knock them down at the stripe is a series shifter.
The starters all checked out with 2:01 to play, and the scoreboard reading 105-88 in favor of the home team.
McDaniels led all scorers with 25 points and was a game-high +24, while Conley and Gobert added 18 apiece in support. Edwards finished with 15 points on 3/12 shooting, but eight assists to three turnovers, and did have four stocks. Towns scored 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds.
Minnesota only got 27 points from Towns and Edwards and shot just 28% from deep, yet won by 12 because their defense held Phoenix to just 93 points (sub-100 for the second straight game), and forced 20 turnovers that became 31 points.
Booker scored 20 for Phoenix, while Durant put up 18 points on 6/15 shooting, and Beal similarly had 14 points on 6/17 shooting. Gordon scored an important 15 off the bench.
Game 1 was big, Game 2 is bigger.
7-game series in NBA history…
Higher seeds that go up 2-0, win the series 93% of time.
Higher seeds that are 1-1 after 2 games, win the series 63% of time.
Game 2, Wolves vs. Suns, Target Center, 6:43 PM tip. pic.twitter.com/QNSnE5YVel
— Alan Horton (@WolvesRadio) April 23, 2024
This story will be updated with key takeaways and quotes throughout the night after player and coach media availability.
Rotation
Up Next
The series now shifts to Footprint Center in Phoenix, where the Wolves and Suns will meet for Game 3 on Friday night. Fans can watch the 9:30 PM CT tip on ESPN or Bally Sports North with Michael Grady, Jim Pete and Lea B. Olsen.