Grayson Allen scored 23 points, while Kevin Durant added 22 as the Phoenix Suns swiftly took a 15-0 lead against the Minnesota Timberwolves, securing a 97-87 victory on Friday night.
Bradley Beal contributed 14 points for the Suns, who have now won four consecutive home games. Devin Booker, following impressive performances with 52 and 40 points, finished with 13 points and 13 assists. His sole 3-pointer of the evening extended the Suns’ lead to 94-72 with 4:02 left on the clock.
Jusuf Nurkic, who was uncertain to play due to a left calf injury, managed 11 points, 15 rebounds, and six assists in 26 minutes of play. “This was one of our best communication games of the season,” Allen commented on the Suns’ defensive effort. “Just great all around.”
All five Suns starters contributed to the 15-0 run, culminating in Beal’s dunk. Minnesota only managed to score when Mike Conley made two free throws with 7:35 remaining in the quarter.
“We had eight turnovers in the first quarter. We fought the game the whole time,” stated Timberwolves coach Chris Finch. “We didn’t make the easy pass when it was there, and when we did have opportunities at the rim, we didn’t finish strong. A complete breakdown offensively.”
The Suns led 32-20 after the first quarter and held a 57-41 advantage at halftime. They maintained control throughout the game, with Minnesota scoring the final 13 points to narrow the margin. Phoenix (46-31) retained the sixth position in the Western Conference, while Minnesota (53-24) remained tied with Denver for the best record in the West.
Anthony Edwards struggled, making just 6 of 19 shots and finishing with 17 points. Durant was primarily responsible for guarding the All-Star guard. “He’s tough. He moves so smooth and effortlessly,” Durant remarked about Edwards.
“We did a solid job of forcing tough shots, not putting him on the free-throw line, and getting out and running.” Nickell Alexander-Walker was the only other Timberwolves’ player in double figures with 13 points, while Naz Reid secured 11 rebounds.
Neither team exhibited exceptional efficiency, with Minnesota committing 19 turnovers and Phoenix committing 18. The Suns capitalized on the Timberwolves’ mistakes, scoring 24 points off turnovers.
In their previous encounter on November 15 in Phoenix, the Suns secured a 133-115 victory, marking the most points allowed by the Timberwolves in a game this season. This time, Minnesota’s 87 points marked their lowest total of the season, as well as the fewest points allowed by the Suns.
“We just keep improving,” Suns coach Frank Vogel remarked. “We don’t want to be a good defense; we want to be a great defense. Guys have responded. (Nurkic) has grown throughout the season as a rim defender, blocking everything that’s coming to the basket, trusting his teammates to go attack.”
Minnesota continues to play without Karl-Anthony Towns due to a left meniscus tear, with hopes of his return before the end of the regular season. He last played on March 4. Both teams have five games remaining after this match, with their final encounter scheduled for April 14 in Minneapolis.
