Timberwolves beat Pistons, the NBA's worst team, but make it look anything but easy

DETROIT – Wednesday night's 124-117 Timberwolves win over the Detroit Pistons was as atypical of a game as the Wolves have won all season.

A team that prides itself on taking care of business against the worst teams in the NBA adopted last year's problem of taking its opponent too lightly.

A team that prides itself on defense allowed 40 points in the first quarter to these Pistons, who set a record for the longest single-season losing streak and was without its leading scorer, Cade Cunningham.

But the Wolves also pride themselves on getting wins, even if aesthetically they aren't the most pleasing.

"We got a little more serious in the second half. I didn't really like our seriousness in the first half," coach Chris Finch said. "... Wasn't a huge fan of our performance tonight, but we did enough to get a win. End of the day, that's what matters, but it's not the standard we had hoped for."

They played to that standard just long enough late in the third quarter and early in the fourth to prevent their most embarrassing loss of the season. Behind some inspired play from Nickeil Alexander-Walker, the Wolves closed the third and opened the fourth on a 16-2 run, with Alexander-Walker scoring seven points, his only points of the night, and creating a pair of turnovers during his shift. The Wolves (29-11) led 109-92 with 9 minutes, 51 seconds remaining.

"That time in the game, it's just about being patient for me," Alexander-Walker said. "Before that, I had done nothing. We were keeping the game close, giving them confidence and fuel to their fire. Personally for me, it was trying to hit a second gear."

But Detroit (4-37) wasn't done, and behind a 52% shooting performance, the Pistons got as close as 115-109 with 3:56 left before threes from Jaden McDaniels and Karl-Anthony Towns and a layup from Anthony Edwards iced the night. Towns had 27 points, which included a perfect 5-for-5 showing from three-point range. Edwards had 27 points and shot 10-for-24, while McDaniels added a season-high 23 points. Rudy Gobert had 19 points and 16 rebounds. Jaden Ivey led Detroit with 32 points.

There wasn't much wrong with the Wolves offense, which shot 51% and had 10 turnovers. But the absence of defensive focus, especially in that 40-point first-quarter, gave away the team's lack of intensity coming into the night.

"The first quarter, what was it, 40-39? It was ridiculous," Finch said. "We were just trading baskets. When that happens, everyone always thinks it's going to be too easy, and we're a defensive-led team and that was not acceptable, really."

Finch also said he thought the Wolves were a little too bothered by the officiating, specifically Edwards, who picked up his seventh technical of the season.

"It's a little bit of a concern," Finch said. "He did a good job of keeping it in check really from the middle of last season onward. He's got to get it under control. Really not acceptable to be getting a technical right now at the rate he is. … Sometimes he's going to get fouled and it's not going to get called. He's got to put that to the side."

Edwards even said after the game that he felt as if he should have received a second technical, though he felt overall that he had been doing a better job of late of not picking up technicals.

"I haven't got one in a minute, actually. I think I was due for that," Edwards said. "I should've got another one, man, to be honest. I think I needed that one."

With that, Edwards was acknowledging he was doing too much complaining. Perhaps that had a negative effect on his and the Wolves' defensive effort, especially early. Whatever that was, the Wolves didn't like it. But Wednesday also offered another piece of evidence that this season's team is not last year's, which lost to the woebegone Pistons twice. For as poorly as they played, the Wolves still won their third straight game. That brought some solace.

"I wouldn't say we were overlooking anybody, but I think in terms of effort and approach to the game, just need to be a little better," Alexander-Walker said.