Suns at Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves and the Phoenix Suns are both eliminated from playoff contention, but that doesn’t mean there is nothing left for which to play. Both teams will continue developing their young talent and pushing toward a strong finish when the Timberwolves host the Suns on Monday.
Minnesota is one of the more exciting teams in the NBA with its collection of young talent and is playing better as the season winds down with four wins in the last eight games. The Timberwolves could not avoid a letdown on Saturday, when they suffered a 93-84 loss to the Utah Jazz at home the day after outlasting the Washington Wizards 132-129 in double overtime on the road. The Suns have picked up their level of play as well and gave the Boston Celtics all they could handle in a 102-99 setback at home on Saturday. Phoenix earned a 107-104 win over Minnesota at home on March 14, when Mirza Teletovic buried a 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds remaining.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona-Plus (Phoenix), FSN North (Minnesota)
ABOUT THE SUNS (20-53): Phoenix cut a 21-point deficit to one late in the fourth quarter on Friday before falling and got another strong performance from rookie guard Devin Booker. The Kentucky product scored 21 points in the loss and has gone over 20 points in four of the last five contests. Booker’s big scoring numbers of late have come with a healthy Brandon Knight next to him in the backcourt, and Knight returned from a one-game absence due to illness to deliver 19 points on Saturday.
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (24-49): Booker will almost certainly lose out on the Rookie of the Year award to former Kentucky teammate and current Minnesota star Karl-Anthony Towns. The 7-footer turned in his eighth straight double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds on Saturday but could not carry his teammates after the marathon on Friday. “Our guys played hard,” interim coach Sam Mitchell told reporters. “Our guys were trying to win, but it was one of those nights. The mind was willing, but the bodies just couldn’t follow.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Teletovic is 3-of-16 from 3-point range in the last two contests.
2. Timberwolves PG Ricky Rubio scored 23 points on Saturday – his most since pouring in 28 in the season opener.
3. Minnesota shot 56.5 percent from the floor in a 117-87 home win over Phoenix on Jan. 17.