The Minnesota Timberwolves walked into Wednesday night short-handed but confident, riding one of their best stretches of basketball this season. They left it frustrated. Against a Memphis Grizzlies team also missing its primary star, the Wolves had chances, plenty of them, but couldn’t consistently turn effort into execution, falling 110-116 in a game that slipped away in the final six minutes.
Without Anthony Edwards for a third straight night, Minnesota leaned on balance and physicality, and for long stretches it worked. But Memphis answered every push with poise, spacing, and timely shot-making. Led by Jaren Jackson Jr. and an unlikely shooting outburst from Jock Landale, the Grizzlies repeatedly delivered when the game tightened, exposing cracks that Minnesota never fully closed.
Jaren Jackson Jr. Controlled The Game On Both Ends
Jackson was the best player on the floor, and the gap mattered. He finished with 28 points and 12 rebounds on 10-of-18 shooting, adding three assists, three blocks, and constant defensive presence. Even when Minnesota sent extra help, Jackson stayed composed, scoring from the post, facing up against slower defenders, and stepping out to hit two timely threes.
Beyond the numbers, Jackson dictated matchups. He scored over Gobert in space, punished switches, and anchored Memphis defensively during Minnesota’s late pushes. The Wolves shot just 40 percent overall and 30 percent from three, and many of those misses came with Jackson lurking near the rim or closing hard on shooters. When Memphis needed a bucket late, Jackson delivered – including a floater with 47 seconds left that effectively sealed the game.
Memphis’ Depth Outperformed Minnesota’s When It Counted
This game flipped during the non-star minutes. Memphis’ bench outscored Minnesota’s reserves 44-29 and consistently swung momentum. Jock Landale was the difference-maker, pouring in 20 points and 10 rebounds while hitting a career-high four three-pointers on nine attempts. His +19 plus-minus led all players and stretched Minnesota’s interior defense beyond its comfort zone.
Minnesota got 16 points from Naz Reid, but efficiency was an issue across the bench unit. Reid shot 6-for-16, while Rob Dillingham (-13) and Jaylen Clark (-9) struggled to provide stability. Meanwhile, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 12 points and Vince Williams Jr. chipped in subtle playmaking and defense. When the game tightened, Memphis trusted its depth, and that trust paid off.
The Wolves’ Shooting Let Them Down At The Worst Time
Minnesota simply couldn’t buy enough shots. The Wolves finished 39-of-98 from the field (40 percent) and 13-of-44 from three (30 percent), missing clean looks throughout the second half. Julius Randle led the team with 21 points but needed 21 shots to get there, going just 1-for-6 from deep and missing two free throws in a four-point game.
Even strong individual performances came with inefficiency. Donte DiVincenzo posted 19 points and 11 rebounds, but shot 6-for-16 overall and 4-for-11 from three. As a team, Minnesota left eight points at the line, shooting just 70 percent on free throws compared to Memphis’ 84 percent. In a game decided by six points, those misses added up quickly.
Memphis Executed Late And Minnesota Didn’t
The Wolves were right there with just over seven minutes remaining, trailing 96-94 after a Naz Reid three-point play. From that point on, Memphis was sharper. Landale drilled a three with 3:22 left to push the lead to five, and Jackson followed with his late floater after a Minnesota miss, closing the door.
Minnesota had possessions to respond but couldn’t string together clean offensive sequences. They committed 18 turnovers, several of them coming during late-clock situations, and struggled to generate paint touches despite scoring 46 points inside.
Memphis, meanwhile, stayed composed, finishing with 23 assists and converting Minnesota’s mistakes into 19 points. When execution mattered most, the Grizzlies delivered, and the Wolves didn’t.
