It turned out to be a pretty entertaining game — you just wish it had gotten going a little sooner.
Late Friday night, the Timberwolves squared off against the Houston Rockets, marking the second straight game Minnesota played without Anthony Edwards as he continues to recover from a toe infection. Head coach Chris Finch said Edwards remains day-to-day, but his absence was clearly felt.
Even without their star, the Wolves didn’t ease into the night. They came out aggressive and sharp, building a double-digit lead early in the second quarter. Minnesota’s defense did a great job contesting shots, the ball moved crisply on offense, and the Wolves pushed the pace whenever they could, racking up 16 fast-break points in the first half.
Houston, however, slowly clawed its way back. By halftime, the Wolves’ once-comfortable lead had been trimmed to just two points. The game stayed tight until the early moments of the fourth quarter, when the Rockets went on a quick seven-point run to grab an eight-point lead — their biggest advantage of the night.
Down the stretch, Minnesota simply couldn’t generate enough offense without Edwards on the floor. The Wolves turned the ball over eight times in the fourth quarter and made just one three-pointer on three attempts, struggles that proved too costly. Houston held on for a 110–105 win.
Julius Randle and Kevin Durant carried the scoring load for their respective teams, pouring in 39 points apiece. Randle has taken on a much bigger role with Edwards sidelined, now averaging 27.7 points per game in the 10 contests Edwards has missed. Durant, meanwhile, was his usual efficient self, shooting 11-of-18 from the field, knocking down 6-of-8 from deep, and going 11-of-14 at the free-throw line.
Naz Reid was Minnesota’s other bright spot, scoring 25 points on an ultra-efficient 8-for-11 shooting night, including five three-pointers. Rookie Joan Beringer also stayed in the rotation after making his debut earlier in the week, logging six minutes as the Wolves experimented with a jumbo lineup featuring Beringer, Randle, and Reid together.
Free throws were an adventure for both teams. Rudy Gobert struggled mightily, going just 2-for-10, while Alperen Şengün wasn’t much better at 3-for-9. Combined, the two teams shot 40-of-69 from the line, leaving plenty of points on the table that could have swung the outcome.
While a close loss is never ideal for a team with championship aspirations, this one doesn’t feel especially alarming for Minnesota. Playing without Edwards made life difficult against a solid Houston squad that was likely motivated after getting blown out by Oklahoma City the night before.
It’s hard not to wonder how things might have looked with Edwards available, especially against Houston’s ninth-ranked defense. Still, not every loss carries the same weight.
Some losses make you panic. Others, like this one, you shake off, turn the page, and move on to the next game.
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