Turnovers and rebounding cost Timberwolves again — and Zion Williamson's 43 points, too

For most of Wednesday, the Timberwolves suppressed two of the team's fatal flaws that have cost them all season — turnovers and allowing offensive rebounds.

They came back to cost them again in the final minute of a 119-118 loss at New Orleans. The loss was the Wolves' fourth consecutive and second straight in the final minute of a game they could have won.

Their rebounding and turnover issues in the waning moments wouldn't have been as big a deal if Anthony Edwards' 12-footer from the left corner had fallen, but it missed, and the Wolves again played a significant hand in their own demise.

"Obviously we needed to be safe with the ball," coach Chris Finch said on a postgame video conference. "But we had a key turnover in the guts of the game that really hurt us."

Despite 43 points from Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, the Wolves led most of the night and held a 116-114 lead with under a minute left when the drama thickened. After Williamson got a layup with 50.8 seconds remaining, he jumped a lazy pass from D'Angelo Russell and took it for a dunk and a 118-116 New Orleans lead.

"He went through our guy and took the ball," Russell said. "He's playing football and we're playing basketball. We can't touch him or guard him, so."

That was Russell (27 points) venting his frustration after a physical night in which the Wolves and Pelicans combined to commit 52 fouls. New Orleans shot 43 free throws to the Wolves' 32 with Williamson going to the line 19 times.

Russell felt Williamson had fouled Jaden McDaniels (19 points) on the pass. The Wolves tied it when Edwards responded with a drive and dunk of his own with 29.2 seconds remaining.

But then the other constant bugaboo — rebounding — showed up.

Williamson gave the ball up on New Orleans' next possession, and Naji Marshall missed a three from the right corner. Russell turned to locate his man, Dyson Daniels. Daniels leapt for the rebound and Russell never left his feet.

Daniels found a cutting Williamson and Rudy Gobert (10 points on five shot attempts) committed his sixth foul preventing a layup. Williamson hit one of two free throws with four seconds remaining before Edwards missed the Wolves' last chance to win.

"It's a lot of good things we did right there in that game," Russell said. "Just unfortunate we couldn't find a way to win the game. I think we did everything we could. We battled. We tried to give ourselves a chance at the end, and that's all we can ask for."

Except they dropped the ball on two things that were in their control late in the game.

The Wolves finished with just 11 turnovers and allowed only eight second-chance points, the same number they scored.

McDaniels and the rest of the team did an admirable job containing Williamson in the first half, when he had 10 points, but Williamson came out more determined in the second half and scored 33. He shot 15 of his 19 free throws in the second half.

"First half, I think the defense on him was outstanding," Finch said. "The second half it was way too soft. We let him get a run at us and he was able to get a head of steam."

Except it was the Wolves who had steam coming out of their ears.

"Just try not to put the game in the refs' hands," Russell said. "If we want to find ways to win games, we've got to go get them."

Finch said before the game Jordan McLaughlin (left calf) will have his injury re-evaluated in about a week. McLaughlin has missed 15 of the past 18 games. He added Taurean Prince (shoulder), who has missed 17 games, was doing more on-court activities but couldn't put a timetable on his return. … Kyle Anderson (back spasms) missed his fifth straight game, but Finch is hopeful

Anderson can play Friday.

The Star Tribune did not send the writer of this article to the game. This was written using a broadcast, interviews and other material.