Suns Stumble Again in Costly Loss to Timberwolves

 

Suns Stumble Again in Costly Loss to Timberwolves

PHOENIX — For those still holding out hope for the Phoenix Suns to become a legitimate contender this season, their recent performances continue to test that optimism.

The Suns fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves 121-113 on Wednesday, unable to replicate the steady play they showed in Monday's victory, where they managed to avoid major mistakes. Phoenix (24-22) played a strong first half, showing good engagement, but despite allowing Minnesota (26-21) to shoot 54%, the Suns' hot shooting (59%) gave them a four-point lead. While they could have been up more with that efficiency, the scoreboard didn’t reflect their performance.

Phoenix outpaced Minnesota in second-chance points (5-4) and points off turnovers (8-5), while also taking more shots and only trailing by two at the free-throw line. These numbers have been a source of frustration all season, often neutralizing solid shooting runs. Reducing these mistakes in a single game would be a significant improvement that could carry over to other areas like defense.

However, defensive slippage remained an issue, and mental mistakes crept into the game. A few quick turnovers, missed layups, and missed shots allowed Minnesota to gain momentum. Unlike the previous game against the Clippers, where Phoenix quickly regained control, this time the Suns failed to recover.

A series of missed opportunities—including another missed layup, a turnover leading to a fastbreak, missed open three-pointers, and a shot-clock violation—allowed Minnesota to tie the game. The Timberwolves capitalized on another turnover for an easy fastbreak, followed by a missed corner three and an and-1 drive by Anthony Edwards to take the lead.

With over two minutes still to play in the third quarter, the Suns had lost their control of the game, and Minnesota extended their lead to 10 points in the final frame. By 5:24 left, the Timberwolves had a commanding 16-point lead.

Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer credited Minnesota’s defense for their success.

“Minnesota was good on the defensive end,” Budenholzer said. “We’ve got to be better.”

It’s telling that Phoenix continues to struggle against teams in similar circumstances. In the second half, the Suns committed 10 of their 16 turnovers and allowed 15 of the Timberwolves' 20 points off those mistakes.

While Phoenix has shown some improvement in recent weeks, the inability to maintain consistency over the course of a game remains a glaring issue. Worse still, periods of poor play often lead to total collapses. With only one game left in January, the Suns’ window for growth is rapidly closing, and there’s concern that they’ve reached the limits of what they can accomplish in a short time—no matter who they acquire at the trade deadline.

Devin Booker tied a career-high with nine turnovers, having never surpassed seven in the past four seasons. He had success early in the game, exploiting Minnesota’s aggressive defense, but the execution faltered in the second half.

Kevin Durant led the Suns with 33 points, two rebounds, seven assists, two steals, and four blocks, shooting 13-for-19 with no turnovers in 40 minutes. Booker added 28 points, eight assists, and four rebounds, shooting 11-of-19, while Bradley Beal scored 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting with six assists and zero turnovers.

The Timberwolves countered with a balanced attack. Anthony Edwards (33 points, 11-of-20), Julius Randle (28 points, 10-of-16), and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (23 points, 8-of-14) led the way. Edwards, despite his impressive scoring, also struggled with turnovers, committing seven in addition to five assists, seven rebounds, two steals, and four blocks.

Late in the game, Timberwolves wing Jaden McDaniels was ejected after an e

xchange with Booker, where he poked Booker in the head in response to some trash talk.

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