Naz Reid #11 of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Kyle Anderson #1 celebrate after a stoppage in play during a 118-100 Timberwolves victory against the LA Clippers at Crypto.com Arena on March 12, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. ((Photo by Harry How/Getty Images))
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – The Minnesota Timberwolves made NBA history in Tuesday night’s 118-100 victory over the LA Clippers.
The Timberwolves lost 22 straight points in the second quarter. Not only did they mount a comeback, but they led by as many as 22 points in the fourth quarter. Minnesota closed the first half on a 20-2 run and got back into the game, trailing just 63-55 at halftime. Trailing 57-35 with 5:07 left in the first half, they put together a 40-point turnaround the rest of the game.
An incredible stat hit social media after the Timberwolves closed out the win to improve to 45-21 and move back to within half a game of first place in the West. Since the 2000-01 NBA season, a road team has lost by 22 points or more in the regular season and playoffs 5,500 times. The Timberwolves are the first team in NBA history to not only make a comeback, but take a 22-point lead of their own.
“We feel like it was a deciding game. We were down 22. No matter who they lost, I think my team came out in the second half and put on a show,” Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards said after the victory.
Edwards finished with 37 points, eight rebounds, four assists and one steal. He was referring to Kawhi Leonard, who had just six points in 12 minutes and left the game in the second quarter with an injury and did not return.
Mike Conley Jr. added 23 points, shooting 9 of 15 from the field and 5 of 8 from the perimeter. Nickeil Alexander-Walker had 28 points coming off the bench, shooting 5 of 6 from three-point range.
It was the Timberwolves’ biggest win since 2012. They won the season series against the Clippers and created a cushion for a top-four seed in the West. They also avoided their first three-game losing streak of the season.
