Boston Celtics Fade in Second Half, Fall to T-Wolves
Weary legs. A long road trip out west. The second-half shooting of the Timberwolves.
All were contributing factors in the Boston Celtics allowing the T-Wolves to win only their 8th game of the year.
In defeating the Celtics 110-98 Wednesday night in Minnesota, the T-Wolves shot 56.6% in the second half, including 80% from beyond the arc.
Free throws were also a main factor in the Celtics defeat. Minnesota made 28 of 32 (87.5%) while Boston only attempted 9, making 7.
With the loss, the Celtics fell to 16-28 on the year. They currently sit 2 games back of 8th place in the Eastern Conference.
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Cold shooting and errant passes plagued both teams in the early first quarter. An 11-11 tie was soon forgotten as the T-Wolves rattled off eight points in a row to take a 19-11 lead.
The Celtics found their stroke and were able to cut the deficit to 4, trailing 26-22 at the end of the first quarter. True to the Celtics play of late, seven players scored in the first quarter for the Celtics.
The Celtics would allow the T-Wolves to extend the lead to as large as nine in the first half. A Brandon Bass layup brought the Celtics to within 1, 42-41, with 3:30 left in the half.
After a mini-run by the T-Wolves that saw them extend the lead to 7, the Celtics closed the half on a 8-0 run. Evan Turner hit a jumper as the half ended to give the Celtics a 49-48 halftime lead.
Bass had 8 points and 5 rebounds in the first half to lead the Celtics.
Minnesota came out firing on all cylinders in the 3rd quarter, using a 10-0 run to open the half. Thanks to Zach LaVine’s 13 points and 3 assists in the quarter, the T-Wolves lead would swell to 13 early in the quarter.
The Marcus boys, Smart and Thornton, did their best to keep the Celtics in reach of the lead. The two combined for 13 points in the quarter as the Celtics headed into the fourth down 81-74.
Boston would get to within three early in the fourth, but that’s as close as they would get it.
Continuing the emphasis of team play this year in Boston, seven players scored in double figures. Jared Sullinger had 16 points, while Marcus Thornton had 15. Tyler Zeller led the team with 9 rebounds.
All five starters scored in double digits for the T-Wolves, but it was Kevin Martin off the bench that lead the team with 21. LaVine added 17, while Gorgui Dieng had 16 points and 14 rebounds.
Though they head home with the loss, the Celtics ended the road trip with a 3-3 record. This included a win over Portland and taking Golden State to the wire, only losing by 3.
“Fun. We came on the road and got some wins,” Sullinger told Marc D’Amico after the game when asked to sum up the West Coast Trip in one word.
Fun. A good word to take with them as the Celtics return home to face the Houston Rockets on Friday. Tip-off is set for 7:30 (EST).