Timberwolves steal winning streak with D'Angelo Russell's lay-up, game-ending defense

Entering Monday night, the Timberwolves had won two consecutive games just once this season.

For the Wolves, that statistic was like an Acme anvil weighing down Wile E. Coyote, with the Road Runner representing NBA competency in this metaphor.

The Wolves finally unburdened themselves of this dubious distinction in a 105-104 victory over the Jazz at Target Center. It was their second victory in three nights over the team that, at 44-17, has the league's best record. Utah was also the second vanquished foe when the Wolves started 2-0 to open the season.

"We're building," D'Angelo Russell said. "It gives us something to build on. We've got all the excuses in the world to say why we're not where we're supposed to be, but we get a glimpse of it and just a taste of us winning here and there."

Russell hit one of the easiest game-winning shots he will ever hit, a wide-open layup with 4.2 seconds remaining that came as a result of Utah's hyperfocus on Karl-Anthony Towns coming out of a timeout.

All night, Utah wanted to have at least two people near Towns to keep him from getting the ball and scoring. In the final seconds the Wolves made Utah pay for that strategy.

After Mike Conley hit a three-pointer to put Utah ahead 104-103 with 6.4 seconds remaining, Wolves coach Chris Finch called a timeout to draw up a play that involved multiple screens among Towns, Russell and Anthony Edwards. After Russell set a screen for Towns, who popped out toward half-court, both defenders went with Towns. That allowed Russell to slip to the basket unguarded for the easy layup after an inbounds pass from Ricky Rubio.

"I can't stress how good it felt," Towns said of watching Russell score. "All game I had so much attention on me. They did a really good job of just doing their defensive gameplan, but I told D-Lo, 'How good does that feel that you're on a team with someone who draws as much attention as you or even more where the last play of the game can be a game-winning layup by yourself?' "

Rubio then forced a steal of Conley, who had 26 points, to seal the ever-elusive second consecutive victory for the Wolves, who had led most of the second half until Conley's three. The game mirrored Saturday's in Salt Lake City, when the Wolves fell behind big, this time by 18, and completed their sixth comeback from down 15 or more on the season. After a 33-point first quarter, Utah shot a combined 13-for-48 in the second and third.

"It would've been a shame to lose this game. I thought we deserved to win," Finch said.

BOXSCORE: Timberwolves 105, Utah 104

Russell's hot three-point shooting was an oasis of the scoring desert that was the first half. He finished with 27 points, including seven three-pointers.

As the game turned in the second half, Russell became a distributor and had eight of his 12 assists in the third quarter. That helped Minnesota build a lead as large as 13, and a lead that was 97-87 before Utah went on a 10-0 run to tie it with 2:52 to play in the fourth.

But like Saturday, the Wolves didn't let a final Utah push overwhelm them.

"Our preparation I think is going up a notch," Russell said. "We wish we had an opportunity to be playing in the play-in [tournament]. We missed out on the bubble last year, and now we're missing out on the postseason games this year, as well, so it's just giving us something to build off. … We've got a lot of young players that are coming into their own, as well. It's just clicking."

Towns had just five points in the first half but finished with 21 and 11 rebounds as he figured out how best to probe Utah's swarming defense on him.

"I think we deserved to win today," Towns said. "And you've heard me before say, even in wins, we didn't deserve to win. We deserved this one."

One that was part of a much-needed two.