The Boston Celtics (14-3) fended off a late scare from the Minnesota Timberwolves (8-8) to claim a narrow 107-105 victory on November 25. Boston, which led by as many as 19, saw its advantage shrink to two before Jaylen Brown drained a clutch three-pointer with over a minute to go.
Brown was scorching hot, hitting 7-of-10 from beyond the arc en route to 29 big points. Jayson Tatum tallied 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Derrick White chipped in 19 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks.
Anthony Edwards finished with 28 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists. Julius Randle added 26 points and 6 rebounds. Rudy Gobert was a force inside with 10 points and 20 rebounds, while Rob Dillingham had a career-high 14 points off the bench.
The Timberwolves controlled the paint with a 44-30 scoring edge and dominated the boards 49-40. However, the Celtics’ seven blocks and timely shooting proved decisive, extending their win streak to five games. Meanwhile, Minnesota has now lost five of its last seven outings.
Brown and Tatum Fuels the Celtics’ Offense
The Celtics jumped out to a (15-6) lead behind Brown’s hot hand, knocking down five consecutive threes. But the Wolves took control with a bruising 21-6 run. Boston surged ahead in the second and extended their lead to 12, but Minnesota finished the half with a 9-0 run to get back into the game.
The Wolves closed the gap to one in the third, but the Celtics answered right back with a 14-0 blast, sinking 4 threes to seize control. Tatum poured it on, stretching the lead to (79-60). Minnesota responded with a stronger defensive effort and Edwards hit a pair of threes to cut the difference to 11. The Wolves kept on the Celtics’ heels in the fourth, cutting the lead to 4 multiple times. But White made crucial plays to keep the Celtics ahead. The Wolves charged forward in the final minutes, going on an 8-3 run, setting up a chance to steal the game but Reid missed the game-winner.
The Celtics host the Clippers tomorrow while the Wolves continue their NBA Cup campaign against the Rockets on Wednesday.
