Not long after the Timberwolves had lost to yet another NBA bottom-feeder — this time 121-113 to a Charlotte Hornets team that came into the Target Center Friday with the fourth-worst record in the league — coach Chris Finch was asked why.

Why were the Hornets allowed to shoot 55%, get to the free-throw line 22 times and score 72 points in the first half? Why did the Wolves, finally back into the game late, find it so difficult to score while being outscored 14-4 over the final 4 minutes?

Why does this team have such a hard time beating bad teams?

"We waited too long to get into the game," Finch said. "You wait that long to get into a game, now you're chasing. You need perfect plays, all the benefit of the doubt. … It was all about effort, especially in the first half."

The Wolves' plan was to emulate what happened a year ago, when they sprinted out of gate after the All-Star Game break, going 15-8 down the stretch on the way to the postseason. Friday was the first of the final 21 games. Given the importance, how does this happen?

"We let them get into a rhythm," said center Rudy Gobert, who scored 17 points with 10 rebounds, one of six Wolves players in double figures. "We fouled them too much. If you let them get comfortable they're going to keep scoring."

LaMelo Ball scored 32 points for Charlotte, with 10 rebounds and eight assists. It was his three-pointer with 1:21 left that put the Hornets up six, icing the game. Gordon Hayward had 27 and 13 rebounds for the Hornets (18-43). P.J. Washington had 20.

Anthony Edwards scored 29 points for Minnesota. Mike Conley had 15, Naz Reid 16 off the bench.

"Very disappointing," Conley said. "We understand the moment and the urgency we need to have. And, for whatever reason, we feel like we have rust or something from having a week off. That can't be an excuse."

The Wolves are now 5-8 against teams in the bottom five of the league this year.

The Wolves trailed by eight at the half and were down 85-74 with 6 minutes left in the third quarter. The Wolves cut that lead to seven entering the fourth. Then Reid hit two threes and Edwards one in a 13-4 run that gave Minnesota a 102-100 lead, its first since the first quarter, on Reid's three with 7:38 left in the game.

Over the next 4 minutes there were five lead changes and two ties, the last when Washington hit a floater to tie the game.

The Hornets promptly put the game away with a 10-2 run, during which the Wolves made one of five shots with two turnovers.

"We have to decide who we want to be," Gobert said. "We had a tough loss going into the [All-Star] break, and you would think we would come back with some urgency. But we started the game just like we finished the previous one. … We have to raise our urgency, our focus."

Sunday the Wolves start a four-game California road trip against Golden State, the L.A. Clippers ad Lakers and Sacramento.

"We can't wait,'' Finch said. "We have 20 games left in the season. There is nothing to wait for."