Wolves' stay at top of West short-lived with loss to Bulls
Leading most the game and then not for the briefest of time, the Chicago Bulls finished Sunday's game with a late 10-2 run that beat the Timberwolves 109-101 at Target Center.
Venerable Bulls guard DeMar DeRozan's steal at one end and layup at the other as well as a clutch three-pointer fueled the game-winning run, one that knocked the Wolves out of first place in the Western Conference only two days after they reclaimed the spot.
It also kept the Wolves from clinching a playoff spot, although they still could if Sacramento lost later Sunday.
The last time — and first time this season — the teams played, the Wolves lost yet another big lead late. The Bulls recovered from a 23-point deficit to win 129-123 in overtime at Chicago on Feb. 6. Coby White and DeRozan each scored 33 points in that game, with White scoring 30 of his 33 after halftime.
This time, DeRozan scored 27 and White 17. The Bulls led by as many as 16 points and trailed by no fewer than three.
Wolves star Anthony Edwards led his team with 22 points and point guard Mike Conley had 19 points and seven assists.
On Sunday, the Bulls led 29-19 by late in the first quarter and by 49-34 midway through the second. That lead shrank to 64-54 at halftime.
Chicago again built its lead to 16 points in the second half, but the Wolves pulled within 84-79 by third quarter's end and within 91-89 with fewer than nine minutes left before Rudy Gobert and Edwards pushed the Wolves into the slimmest of leads.
Gobert's putback, foul called and the ensuing made free throw gave the Wolves a one-point lead — 97-96 — with 5:21 left.
The Wolves struggled all night from three-point range, finishing 11-for-37 for the night.
Sunday's game was the first at Target Center since longtime owner Glen Taylor announced Thursday he now isn't selling the franchise after a deal to sell controlling ownership to Alex Rodriguez and his partner Mark Lore fell through. Lore countered by saying he and Rodriguez would fight "with all means possible" to complete remaining portion of a deal that was struck three years ago.
Taylor and wife Becky sat in their usual courtside seats near the Wolves' bench while Rodriguez was not seen in his season courtside seats across the floor.
All three Wolves listed as questionable to play — Edwards (dislocated middle finger), Gobert (rib) and Jordan McLaughlin (shoulder contusion) — all did. The Bulls' list of seven injured included Lonzo Ball and former Wolf Zach Lavine, who is out for the season following foot surgery.
After their February loss at United Center, the Wolves responded by winning their next four games — all of them to finish a five-game trip after that opening loss at Chicago — and seven of their next eight.
"That game came at a point where we were playing with mixed results, then we started playing better basketball," Wolves coach Chris Finch said before Sunday's game. "That was the last of the leftovers of some really bad habits we picked up in January. Even though we played really well, they came back to bite us. Getting a bit more serious about things, particularly when we have a lead, is something the guys have been focused on."
Since that night, the Wolves had gone 16-6 and had won four in a row and seven of eight before Sunday's loss.
