Marcus Morris, Jon Leuer combine for 60 points for Detroit vs. Wolves

AUBURN HILLS, MICH. – Until Wednesday's loss at Cleveland, the Timberwolves' most lopsided defeat this season was December's 27-point home decision to Detroit. That was a reminder that a proven defensive-minded coach such as Tom Thibodeau is only as accomplished as his players are drilled and committed.

Friday's 116-108 loss in their final visit to the Palace of Auburn Hills proved something else: Their biggest need with the NBA's trading deadline three weeks away and summer's free-agency shopping spree five months off is a power forward who can defend, particularly out far on the floor in a league where "stretch" big men now flourish at that position.

The Pistons started two such players at each forward position Friday and before the night was over, Marcus Morris and Orono's Jon Leuer combined to score 60 points of their 116 points and make nine of Detroit's 11 three-pointers, on shots of both the contested and uncontested varieties.

"I think we're all capable," said Wolves small forward Andrew Wiggins, who's undersized to defend stretch power forwards but was asked to do so some anyway Friday. "We didn't bring it tonight in that part."

Afterward, Thibodeau lamented his team's poor finishes to the second and third quarter and his players' tendency to gamble "recklessly" on defense during a game in which they beat the opposition with points in the paint 60-36, but got hurt by the Pistons' 50-40 rebounding edge and their superior perimeter shooting.

"That's the versatility of their team," Thibodeau said.

Thibodeau's team played almost all of the fourth quarter without starting guard Zach LaVine, who left the game 37 seconds into the fourth because of a left knee contusion, perhaps injured when he fell hard driving for a layup midway through the third quarter.

Thibodeau said LaVine would be examined again after the team returned home on a late-night chartered flight Friday.

In December, the Pistons thumped the Wolves due mainly to center Andre Drummond's 22-point, 22-rebound game.

On Friday, both Morris and Leuer scored career highs against a Wolves team that tried all kinds of defenders and combinations — from starters Gorgui Dieng, Karl-Anthony Towns and Wiggins to Nemanja Bjelica off the bench — without success.

"It happens, man," Morris said, attempting to explain a 12-for-19 shooting night that was his career best by eight points. "It's a long season. Shots went down."

It happened to a Wolves team that starts at Dieng, a natural center, at power forward. He's willingly attempted to defend opponents out to the three-point line but doesn't do so naturally.

"The whole last season, I played the '4' spot," Dieng said. "I think I'm used to it and I think I didn't have any problem doing that."

At times Friday, Towns got caught attempting to defend out that deep as well.

"For me, it's fine," Towns said. "I have no problem dealing with the perimeter all game."

A former Wisconsin Badger, Leuer made his first shot Friday — a three-pointer — and two of his first three shots and was off to his best career scoring night, by two points.

"Every time you get a look, shoot it with confidence," Leuer said after an 8-for-16 shooting night. "It's nice when the first couple go in."

Collectively, the Wolves struggled Friday, unable to contain either Morris or Leuer. Dieng attributed some of it to a still new defensive system still being learned that left the Wolves not "connected" enough.

Towns called it a failure to stick to the game plan and execute the defensive "scheme."

"Leuer hit some shots you just have to live with, with a hand in his face, a hand on the ball," Towns said. "You've just got to live with that. Morris was hitting tremendously tough shots like that as well. When you have people hitting shots like that, you know it could be a long day."