Wolves take action in the final minutes, overcome late deficit and beat Nuggets

Chris Finch said the energy changes when Nickeil Alexander-Walker comes into the game for the Timberwolves.

On Friday night, Alexander-Walker changed the energy – and the outcome of the game – as the Wolves overcame a 10-point deficit in the final three minutes to beat the Denver Nuggets 119-116 at the Target Center in Minneapolis.

With 3 minutes, 13 seconds left, Alexander-Walker hit a 3-pointer that brought the Wolves within seven. He got a steal, took it to the rim on the other end and drew a foul, sinking both free throws to get Minnesota within five. After Nikola Jokic made a pair of free throws, Alexander-Walker came right back and hit a 3. He followed that with another steal, which set up three more points on a shot from deep by Anthony Edwards. Alexander-Walker then got another stop.

“Nickeil has played some of our best and most consistent basketball in these five games,” Finch said. “…Nickeil was the right answer tonight.”

Alexander-Walker finished his night with eight points, five assists and three steals for a team-best plus-minus of plus-27.

Edwards had a pretty fun night, too, and his floater with 25 seconds left got the go-ahead goal for the Wolves.

Edwards finished with 29 points, four assists and four rebounds.

On the other end, Rudy Gobert held his own in the paint when Christian Braun, who dunked on Gobert earlier in the game, missed the contested layup and fouled Gobert, who hit the ensuing free throws to close the game. The Wolves closed the game on a 10-0 run, overcoming mistakes that nearly resulted in what would have been a disheartening defeat.

Gobert had 17 points, 14 rebounds, three assists and a pair of blocks in a stellar performance.

The Wolves led by as many as 16 players in the game and as many as 12 in the fourth quarter before wasting almost everything. Some of their problems persisted: they lost the restorative battle 46-38; their 17 turnovers turned into 19 points for the Nuggets; and the Wolves gave up 22 points in transition while producing just 10 fast-break points of their own.

But despite all the problems, everything came together in the final minutes. Alexander-Walker absolutely shone. Edwards made the right decisions and hit the two biggest shots of the night. Gobert made a final defensive stand. And the Timberwolves left Target Center on the winning side after erasing a 10-point deficit in the final three minutes.