Timberwolves Let Another One Slip Away - And the Clock’s Ticking on Their Championship Aspirations
It’s been a whirlwind of a week in Minnesota - and not just because of the snow. The Timberwolves have been at the center of trade buzz, roster shakeups, and swirling rumors, all while navigating an international road trip. The dust has settled after the deadline, but the aftershocks are still being felt in the locker room and on the court.
Gone are Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller, and (for now) Mike Conley. In come Ayo Dosunmu and Julian Phillips, two young players with upside but who were inactive Friday night as the Wolves hosted the New Orleans Pelicans. Both newcomers were courtside, getting their first up-close look at their new team - and it was an eye-opener.
A Familiar Script - And Not the Good Kind
Friday night’s loss to the Pelicans felt like a rerun Timberwolves fans have seen far too often. The Wolves came out flat defensively, surrendering 32 points in the opening quarter - including a whopping 20 in the paint. New Orleans didn’t need to get fancy; they just kept feeding the paint, and Minnesota kept giving them runway.
To their credit, the Wolves responded in the second quarter, tightening the screws on defense and catching fire offensively. They dropped 70 points in the first half and built a 14-point cushion heading into the break.
That lead ballooned to 18 early in the third. At that point, it looked like Minnesota had finally flipped the switch and was ready to bury an inferior opponent.
But just like we’ve seen before, the Wolves took their foot off the gas.
Trey Murphy III lit them up from deep in the third quarter, hitting five threes and slicing the lead down to five. Suddenly, the Wolves were back in a dogfight. And in the fourth quarter, things completely unraveled.
Zion Dominates, Wolves Collapse Late
The offense stalled. The ball stopped moving.
The pace slowed to a crawl. And on defense, the Wolves had no answer for Zion Williamson, who continues to treat Target Center like his personal playground.
Zion poured in 29 points on a hyper-efficient 11-of-13 shooting night, bullying his way to the rim and finishing through contact like only he can.
Derik Queen added to the pain with his fourth three of the night, giving the Pelicans a six-point lead. Still, the Wolves showed some fight, rattling off a 7-0 run to briefly reclaim the lead. But Zion answered with an and-one on the very next possession, and when Minnesota came up empty on the other end, the door slammed shut.
Final score: 119-115. A loss to a Pelicans team that came in with just 13 wins on the season.
Edwards Shines Early, Fades Late
Anthony Edwards did what stars do - he carried the load for much of the night, finishing with 35 points. But his second half told a different story.
Edwards shot just 4-of-14 after the break and missed four crucial shots in the final minute. He’s been the Wolves’ engine all season, but even he couldn't will them across the finish line this time.
Same Problems, Same Results
This wasn’t just a bad night. It was a pattern repeating itself.
The Wolves have made a habit of playing down to their competition. Whether it's a lack of urgency on defense or a tendency to coast with a lead, this team struggles to maintain focus against opponents they should beat. And when the playoffs come around, that kind of inconsistency is a killer.
The messaging from the locker room hasn’t changed. The players and coaches say the right things - about needing to be better, about staying locked in, about playing with urgency.
But at some point, talk isn’t enough. The Wolves are trying to chase a championship, and nights like this make that goal feel further away than it should be.
Looking Ahead
Minnesota has three more games at home before the All-Star break, starting with a Sunday matinee against the Clippers. Tip-off is set for 2:00 PM CT, airing locally on FanDuel Sports Network and nationally on ESPN.
If the Timberwolves want to be taken seriously as contenders, they can’t keep letting games like this slip away. The trade deadline has passed.
The roster is what it is. Now it’s about execution - and consistency.
Because if they don’t clean this up soon, the Western Conference Finals won’t just be out of reach - they’ll be watching them from home.