The Minnesota Timberwolves went to Memphis Monday on a bit of a roll. The Grizzlies then proceeded to roll right over the Wolves who just couldn't stop them all night in a 137-128 loss.
Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 30 points, Ty Jerome added 19 and Memphis built a 20-point lead in the second half and held on for the victory.
Wolves head coach Chris Finch wasn't thrilled with the effort put forth on the defensive end.
“Defense just not there,” Finch told WCCO’s Morning News with Vineeta Sawkar. “I mean, it's, you know, generally it's our calling card. Generally, we've been really good defensively. Last night, we just couldn't figure out how to stop them.”
Finch said he thinks it was just a bump in the road for a team that had been pretty solid.
“We've been playing really good defense, but, you know, last night just, it just kind of wasn't there,” he said. “But, we'll bounce back tomorrow.”
Memphis maintained a double-digit advantage through much of the fourth quarter. Minnesota, behind Donte DiVincenzo and Anthony Edwards, seemed poised to overtake Memphis, but the Grizzlies never let the Timberwolves within nine points and snapped a six-game losing streak.
Jaylen Wells scored 18 points for Memphis, while Cam Spencer and Vince WIlliams Jr. added 16 points apiece.
Edwards led Minnesota with 39 points and seven rebounds. Jaden McDaniels scored 29 points and DiVincenzo finished with 21, including 13 in the fourth. Minnesota had its four-game win streak halted.
The Timberwolves defeated Memphis 131-114 on Saturday in the first of consecutive games between the teams. In that one, Edwards scored 33 and Julius Randle added 27, and Minnesota had four players with at least 20 points.
On Saturday, Memphis made one of its first 18 3-point attempts. On Monday, the Grizzlies used long-range shooting to build a double-digit lead in the first half. Memphis was 8 of 15 from beyond the arc, and the lead reached 14 points. The Grizzlies lwere ahead 66-58 at the half.
Memphis led 98-86 after three quarters and extended its advantage to 109-89 by making its first four shots of the fourth, including three 3-pointers.
Up next
Timberwolves: Visit Toronto on Wednesday.