This one had a little extra edge after the last meeting.
Ty Jerome destroyed the Wolves the previous time these teams played, and Memphis came out again pushing the tempo and bringing a lot of energy.
Anthony Edwards answered immediately.
Ant came out aggressive and in control from the start. By the end of the night he finished with 41 points on 15–29 shooting and 7–13 from three, one of those performances where it felt like he dictated the game.
Early rotations were interesting.
When the Wolves were down 22–16, Finch went with Donte DiVincenzo and Rudy Gobert checking out for Ayo Dosunmu and Naz Reid. That’s different from the last few games where Julius Randle had been the first starter out of the game for Naz instead of Rudy.
One moment in the first half stood out.
I’m speculating here, but the timing of Finch pulling Julius Randle right after Memphis beat the Wolves down the floor in transition felt like a teaching moment. The substitution came immediately after the play and the message seemed pretty clear.
Accountability matters with this group.
The SlowMo Return
Kyle Anderson checking in was one of the better moments of the night.
The Target Center crowd gave him a standing ovation when he stepped on the floor, a reminder of how much Minnesota fans appreciated what he brought during his time here.
Kyle stepped in and immediately looked comfortable.
He made a few sharp reads out of the high post and kept the ball moving. The threes off those passes didn’t fall early, but the process was right.
His off ball activity stood out too.
One possession had Kyle setting a screen for Jaden McDaniels while Ant and Rudy were running pick and roll. That type of movement away from the ball is something the Wolves offense has been missing at times when possessions turn into isolation or pick and roll with everyone else standing.
Kyle brought that activity back immediately.
Donte Brings the Energy
Donte DiVincenzo continues to bring chaos in the best way.
He caught a transition lob from Ant, attacked the offensive glass, and was flying around defensively. His energy continues to set a tone for this group.
Memphis made things difficult though. The Grizzlies pressured the Wolves full court and played tight defensively. Those possessions where the ball slowed down led to turnovers and stalled offense.
Minnesota had nine turnovers in the first half.
Ayo Dosunmu helped settle things late in the second quarter when he started to catch fire offensively.
Memphis held a 62–57 lead at halftime.
Third Quarter Surge
The Wolves came out of halftime looking like the version of the starting group that can overwhelm teams.
Donte brought the same energy and Julius Randle started scoring while making a few good reads as a passer. That stretch helped spark a 6–0 run.
Momentum quickly flipped.
Minnesota ripped off a 14–2 run and took the lead 76–72, with the starters playing with the pace and confidence you expect from a top unit.
Randle quietly had a strong night overall, finishing with 23 points and 11 rebounds while helping keep the offense moving.
Winning the Possession Battle
The Wolves controlled the glass throughout the game.
Minnesota finished with 52 rebounds compared to Memphis’ 33, including 13 offensive rebounds that created extra possessions.
Rudy Gobert led the way with 12 boards, helping Minnesota control the paint even during Memphis shooting stretches.
Those extra possessions mattered in a game where the Grizzlies hit 15 threes at nearly 40 percent.
A Fun Lineup Experiment
Chris Finch experimented with a lineup of Ayo Dosunmu, Bones Hyland, Kyle Anderson, Naz Reid, and Rudy Gobert.
The group brought noticeable energy and activity on both ends of the floor.
Movement improved, the ball moved quicker, and the defensive intensity stayed high. The lineup injected some life into the game during that stretch.
Fourth Quarter
Ayo continued bringing energy late. Having multiple high motor guards like Ayo, Donte, and Bones makes a real difference across the course of a game.
Finch also looked very locked in with his timeouts and substitutions throughout the night.
The Reminder
Minnesota nearly let Memphis creep back into the game late.
The posture slipped for a stretch and the Grizzlies pushed the pace to close the gap.
That’s the reminder with this league.
You can’t take your foot off the gas against anyone in the NBA.
The Wolves closed it out 117–110, keeping control when it mattered and continuing to stack wins as the season moves toward the stretch run.
Leave a Reply