The Minnesota Timberwolves came into this game with high hopes to break their 10-game losing streak against a Jazz team that has been riddled with injuries and was playing in the second game of a back-to-back. However, the same problems that have hurt the Timberwolves all season showed up again, as they allowed rookie Trey Burke to score 28 points in a game where he seemingly shot three-point shots at will.
“That’s probably about as bad of a loss as we’ve had in a long time," Wolves coach Flip Saunders said. "From the perspective that we’ve lost a bunch of games in a row and we’ve still had pretty good crowds the last two games considering where we’re at … and to come out the way we did is uncalled for. We talked to our team afterwards just about what it is to be professional. It’s everyone’s responsibility. … It was just really disappointing.”
At halftime, the Wolves trailed by only six points, but a very weak third quarter saw that lead balloon up to 16, 77-61, at the end of the period. Rookie Andrew Wiggins did his best to get the Wolves back into the game, as he scored 20 points, but his efforts were to no avail, as the Jazz were able to coast to victory. “It was just one of those games that we didn’t bring it from the start and because of it we weren’t where we wanted to be the whole game,” Wiggins said.
Once again, Wiggins led the team in minutes played, which has become his specialty while the team awaits the return of Ricky Rubio and Kevin Martin to the lineup. The Wolves next play on Monday night against the Denver Nuggets, who dominated the last time the two teams played.