Wolves record: 18-39
Stephen Litel/Minnesota Score posted game notes after each quarter.
On Wednesday, the Wolves completed the 17th of 22 sets of back-to-back games by surrendering their 100th point with a mere 5:40 left on a night when they once again scored at will and once again couldn’t stop the opposition from doing the same, and then some.
The Wolves lost their fourth consecutive game, their ninth of the past 10 and 12th of the past 14 both because they kicked away a big first-half lead for the second consecutive night and because they allowed 69 second-half points, including 37 in the final quarter.
Mehmet Okur had 25 points, and Ronnie Brewer scored 16 of his 20 in the fourth quarter as Utah (35-23) won its season-high sixth consecutive game and fourth in a row over Minnesota.
Ryan Gomes had his fifth straight game of 20 or more points with 24, and rookie Kevin Love had a career-high 24 points and 15 rebounds for the Wolves (18-39), who lost for the 12th time in 14 games and dropped to 1-6 since Jefferson, their star center, went down with a season-ending knee injury.
“We had some guys play well,” coach Kevin McHale said. “It’s just defensively we have to get better.”
In the fourth quarter, Brewer scored 16 of Utah’s 37 points and also provided a pivotal defensive play to turn a close game into a 17-point win.
The Jazz only held a three-point lead with 8:54 remaining in the fourth quarter. Just one minute later, Brewer picked the pocket of Mike Miller and converted a 3-point play to extend Utah’s advantage to eight points. The Jazz ran away with the game in the final stages while handing the Wolves their seventh straight home loss.
The Timberwolves are 18-39 and reeling without star center Al Jefferson, who is out for the season with a knee injury. Coach Kevin McHale has installed a more up-tempo offense without Jefferson, but it has taken a toll on the team’s defensive performance.
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