Late Rally Wasn't Enough to Close Deal in Minnesota

*** Last Sunday afternoon, one bad quarter scuttled an otherwise solid effort by the Cavs, who fell to the Pistons. On Thursday night in Minnesota, a bad quarter of basketball bit Cleveland again, with the T-Wolves piling up 43 points in the third period to blow open an otherwise close contest. 

The Wine & Gold rallied late, cutting Minnesota’s 20-point edge to just four with a minute to play, but couldn’t close the deal – dropping the 131-122 decision at the Target Center. 

The Wolves led by a point after one quarter, but the Cavs found their footing in the second – shooting 63 percent from the floor and taking a four-point edge into the halftime locker room. But things came apart on the defensive end after intermission. 

In that third quarter, Minnesota shot 70 percent from the floor, connecting on 7-of-9 three-pointers and using a 20-4 run midway through the period to open a 20-point edge. In the fourth, Cleveland attempted to rally back – with Sam Merrill netting 11 of his 22 points in the period, getting the Cavs to within a single possession before the T-Wolves pulled away late from the line. 

Donovan Mitchell led both teams, topping the 30-point plateau in his fourth straight game and for the 21^st time this season, going 10-for-20 from the floor and 8-of-9 from the stripe, adding seven boards, eight assists and a steal in the loss. 

Mitchell spoke about the Cavaliers again having to mount a late rally to get back into the game. “It's not something that we want to continually be in. It's just a little upsetting, because we let seven minutes change the course of the game. In Indiana, it was fine. Against teams like this, you can't have that.”

Evan Mobley followed up with 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting, but finished with just four boards, adding three dimes and a block. Darius Garland added 16 points and eight assists of his own, going 7-for-16 from the floor with a pair of steals. 

Jarrett Allen tallied his eighth double-double of the season, pitching in with 11 points and a team-high 10 rebounds. 

The Cavaliers were solid on the offensive side of the ball on Thursday – shooting 53 percent from the field, handing out 31 assists while committing just 13 miscues. The problem was that Minnesota was even better – connecting on a 57 percent clip, including 53 percent from long-range, where they drilled 20 triples. Four Timberwolves starters scored at least 22 points in the win. 

*** Craig Porter Jr. moved into the starting lineup for the first time this season, but struggled in just 15 minutes of work. With Porter in the opening five, Cleveland leaned on Sam Merrill and De’Andre Hunter on Thursday. 

Merrill led all reserves with 22 points, going 7-for-11 from the floor, including 5-for-11 from beyond the arc. The 5^th-year man from Utah State – who’s now shooting .447 from long-range – tallied his seventh outing drilling at least five three-pointers. 

Hunter followed up with 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting, adding eight rebounds and four assists. Hunter has scored in double-figures in each of his last five games, grabbing at least five boards off the bench in each outing. 

"I think we just got outplayed,” lamented Hunter following the loss. “(Minnesota) made some timely shots, we turned the ball over a few times, crucial moments in the fourth. I think, overall, they just outplayed us on both ends.” 

*** After dropping Thursday night’s contest in the Twin Cities, the Wine & Gold can get some rapid revenge when the T-Wolves make the trip to Cleveland for a Saturday afternoon affair. On Monday night, it’s a date with the Jazz at Rocket Arena before Cleveland hits the road for a pair – both in Philly – taking on the Sixers next Wednesday and Friday. When they return, it’s a date with the World Champs on MLK Day matinee at Rocket Arena.