Timberwolves Suffocate Suns in 2nd Half Again to Take 2-0 Series Lead

The Wolves entered halftime down by one point, even with Ant scoring just six points in those first two quarters. But again, that doesn’t mean he wasn’t efficient (+15) and patient. He realized early that his teammates were feeling good and that the Suns’ defense was going to make things tough for him.

So, he found his hot teammates all night long and let them carry it home, finishing with 15 points, 8 assists and 5 rebounds. And when the Wolves needed a basket a few times when the game was close (or when a random fan in the stands called for him to iso Kevin Durant), Ant became Ant.

But even more than good team offense, tonight’s win was an impressive showing of 2nd half defense and composure, neither of which the Phoenix Suns had in their bag for game 2. By the time the 4th quarter got rolling, this one was over. And when the final buzzer sounded, it was another 10+ point (105-93) Minnesota dub.

The problem with playing against the Timberwolves, and I feel like we will see this throughout the playoffs, is that when they decide to clamp down on defense, there’s almost nothing that opponents can do to keep the Wolves Sharks at bay. I mean, what is an offense supposed to do against this?

I know that a series doesn’t technically begin until a road team wins a game, but it’s difficult to watch what unfolded in the first two games and have any belief that the Suns have the firepower needed to hang with the Wolves for four quarters.

But, desperate teams are unpredictable and that’s exactly what Phoenix will be on Friday, when this team meets for game three down in the desert. If Minnesota can find a way to victory, though, a sweep will feel inevitable.