Timberwolves achieve the biggest overtime comeback in NBA history.
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Timberwolves were without five of their top seven players for the majority of their record-setting overtime comeback against the Houston Rockets.
They opted for concentration rather than frustration.
With a closing 15-0 surge, the Timberwolves rallied from a 13-point deficit to secure a 110-108 win over the Rockets. No other NBA team has managed to overcome such a significant overtime deficit since the league began tracking play-by-play statistics in the 1997-98 season.
“They battled through a lot of challenges. We should have clinched that game in regulation. We deserved to win that game. We were the superior team throughout the night, and we allowed them a chance to take it from us, but we reclaimed it,” coach Chris Finch stated.
After squandering an 11-point advantage with 3Β½ minutes remaining in regulation and contending with an uneven distribution of foul calls all evening, the Timberwolves found themselves down by 13 points just two minutes into the extra period on Wednesday.
Star player Anthony Edwards was out for a fifth consecutive game due to knee issues. Important reserve Ayo Dosunmu was also unavailable because of a calf strain. Jaden McDaniels, who contributed 25 points and strong defense against Rockets star Kevin Durant, began limping toward the end of the fourth quarter and had to be removed. Rudy Gobert, who recorded a solid 14 points, 14 rebounds, and five blocks, fouled out.
Then, early in overtime, Naz Reid was ejected after expressing his dissatisfaction with official Scott Foster regarding an offensive foul call. Fans at Target Center were gradually leaving the arena.
However, after Alperen Sengun’s dunk extended the Rockets’ lead to 108-95, concluding a remarkable 26-2 run, the Timberwolves refused to concede this crucial game for Western Conference playoff standings.
“You just have to take it one possession at a time. The most important thing is to stay in the moment,” remarked Julius Randle, who shared the responsibility of defending Durant with Kyle Anderson after McDaniels exited.
Mike Conley, who received a rare start with Edwards and Dosunmu sidelined, made a 3-pointer with 2:45 remaining. Anderson tipped in Randle’s missed layup, drew a foul on Sengun, and completed a three-point play. The Timberwolves then forced an eight-second violation by preventing the Rockets from advancing past half court.
Donte DiVincenzo drove in for a layup off a pass from Anderson to reduce the deficit to five points. Randle secured Sengun’s miss at the rim before driving past him for a layup, bringing the Timberwolves within 108-105 with 1:34 left.
DiVincenzo leveled the score with a 3-pointer. Sengun missed a jumper. Randle then hit a pull-up shot with 8.8 seconds left to take the lead.
“We have true competitors here, individuals who embrace the challenge. This isn’t the first time we’ve accomplished something like this,” said Randle, who scored all 24 of his points after halftime. “When the situation gets tough, we unite as a team. It brings out the best in us.”
With this victory, the Timberwolves (45-28) remained a half-game behind Denver (46-28) for fourth place in the Western Conference. They moved 1Β½ games ahead of Houston (43-29) and, crucially, evened the season series at one win each. The Wolves will face the Rockets on the road on April 10.
Despite attempting 63 shots in the paint and only earning 10 free throws from those attempts, the Timberwolves found a way to secure the win. Even after Randle was called for a foul on Durant during his drive with 3.3 seconds remaining, sending him to the line while the Rockets were 23 for 23 in the game at that point. He missed the first shot, then intentionally missed the second to try to retain possession.
“I’m extremely proud that we didn’t give up. We had numerous chances to become very frustrated tonight,” Gobert stated. “For the most part, we managed to rise above that. That’s our blueprint. We aspire to win a championship, so we understand that adversity will come, and it can manifest in various forms.”
