Takeaways: Timberwolves lay an egg on New Year’s Eve, fall to Atlanta 126-102

ATLANTA – With the Timberwolves down 29 with 7 minutes, 52 seconds left in the fourth quarter in their game Wednesday against the Hawks, Anthony Edwards threw his towel up in the air during a timeout huddle and left the floor.

Coach Chris Finch had decided to empty his bench toward the end of the Wolves’ most embarrassing effort of the season, a 126-102 loss to the sub-.500 Hawks.

The Wolves were planning to fly to Miami after Wednesday’s game to ring in the new year ahead of their game there Saturday. They looked like they were more interested in getting there than playing a game.

Assistant coach Micah Nori said in an interview with FanDuel TV during the game that the first half “was probably the worst half of basketball in five years since we’ve been here.”

The Wolves were down as many as 27 and played disinterested basketball on both ends of the floor. This was the second time in three games the Wolves have played with little to no effort, the first being Saturday’s home loss to Brooklyn.

Jalen Johnson had 34 for the Hawks while Edwards led the Wolves with 30.

This Wolves team just doesn’t seem to care about the regular season. With Nikola Jokic out at least a month in Denver, the path to the No. 2 seed is open in the Western Conference. But that appears to be little motivation to a Wolves team that made the conference finals as a No. 6 seed last season.

The Wolves said goodbye to Nickeil Alexander-Walker this offseason in a sign-and-trade deal with Atlanta. In losing Alexander-Walker, the Wolves lost someone who gave it his all every night, someone whom fans and coaches never had to worry about giving maximum effort every night he stepped on the floor.

As the Wolves faced their former teammate for the first time this season, it was clear how much the Wolves could still use that kind of player. Alexander-Walker had 11 points Wednesday and is averaging more than 20 points per game this season.

The Wolves came out flat. The evidence was in their transition defense, something Finch has said he looks to as an early indicator of energy and effort in his team. Atlanta was running up and down the floor, even after the Wolves made baskets. It was an intentional part of Atlanta’s game plan, coach Quin Snyder said before the game, and Atlanta played it to perfection.

Atlanta led 70-49 after the first 24 minutes, and the Wolves looked like they didn’t much care. The Hawks shot 50%, and while they only officially had six fast-break points, they were making the Wolves scramble defensively.

The Wolves started the first half OK on offense with Edwards pouring in 24 and Randle 12, but the rest of the team wasn’t producing. They finished just 11-for-32.

Ben Edwards said his grandson recently funded a new paint job on the house he has lived in for over 50 years. He didn’t change the color pattern from its traditional green and white combination. Why?