The Minnesota Timberwolves’ trip to New Orleans to face the Pelicans on Tuesday looks like a mismatch on paper.
Minnesota sits in the top six in the Western Conference, fully healthy, and chasing a third consecutive win.
New Orleans, meanwhile, is anchored at the bottom of the West, weighed down by a long injury list and trying to avoid a fourth straight loss.
But basketball isn’t played on paper.
The short-handed Pelicans proved that on Sunday, outscoring the imposing Los Angeles Lakers across the final three quarters on the road.
Unfortunately for New Orleans, the damage had been done early – Los Angeles piled on 46 points in the opening quarter and led 72-46 in the second before prevailing 133-121.
Interim head coach James Borrego, however, was focused on the positives that emerged after his team had stared humiliation in the face.
“First quarter, they were in rhythm. We couldn’t get a stop,” he said. “But I loved the resiliency, the toughness. Basically tied the second quarter, won the third, won the fourth, kept battling, never gave in. … I like our response after the first quarter. It’s the response I’m most focused on.”
Seven Pelicans missed the game, including four first-choice starters.
Zion Williamson (hamstring) sat out after playing the previous night against the Golden State Warriors, joined by Trey Murphy III (elbow), Jordan Poole (quad), Herb Jones (calf), Jordan Hawkins (illness), Karlo Matkovic (calf) and Dejounte Murray (Achilles).
In their absence, Bryce McGowens stepped up for a career-best 23 points, Saddiq Bey posted 22 points and 11 rebounds and Jeremiah Fears added 21 points.
Borrego was proud of his team’s fight.
“I think ultimately we’re just leaning into our character,” he said. “You have a choice. This is a choice right now. You could give in and choose not to fight, not to compete, say, ‘woe is us’. Or you have a choice to go out there and compete and fight.”
That mindset, admirable as it is, won’t make Minnesota an easy opponent. The Wolves blew past the San Antonio Spurs 125-112 on Sunday, led by Anthony Edwards with 32 points and Julius Randle with 22 points and 12 assists.
Randle’s assist tally, tied for the third-highest of his career, came with one turnover.
Minnesota closed the game with a 36-19 fourth quarter despite Edwards playing sparingly and Rudy Gobert sitting out thanks to Donte DiVincenzo catching fire offensively and Jaden McDaniels heading a lethal zone defense.
“We tend to be more active in the zone sometimes than we are in man-to-man,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch said. “It’s kind of crazy, but it’s kind of part of our personality at the moment. Jaden’s versatility has been key for us for a long time.”
Finch has kept the zone in his arsenal, unleashing it down the stretch with devastating effect.
“Sometimes you do it just to change it up, to give them a different look, particularly out of timeout,” he said. “This year, it’s been a little bit more of a weapon. We go to it a little bit more proactively. Sometimes you do it because you’re having a hard time slowing guys down.”
