Low-energy Timberwolves blown out by Celtics in 22-point loss; take hit in playoff scramble

BOSTON – With Patrick Beverley staring him down on a fast break, Boston guard Marcus Smart made an unconventional choice during the third quarter of Boston's 134-112 win over the Timberwolves on Sunday.

Instead of trying to shoot or try a bounce pass to a trailing Jaylen Brown, Smart tried another option — throwing the ball off the backboard.

Smart's pass hit Brown mid-jump and Brown threw the alley-oop down without any trouble at all for a 22-point Celtics lead.

Wolves coach Chris Finch wanted his team to banish that image, and many others from Sunday's romp, from their minds as quickly as possible.

"Our energy was low today," Finch said. "Sometimes you have those games. Just try to flush this one away and get ready for Toronto."

There was no anger or disappointment in Finch's voice. Just the recognition that it wasn't the Wolves' night. That would be easier to stomach earlier in the season, not so much in late March when the Wolves are still chasing an elusive Denver team for the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference playoffs to avoid the play-in tournament. The Wolves are now 1 ½ games back of Denver, two in the loss column.

"Very disappointing," said guard Jaylen Nowell, who had 13 points. "We hold ourselves to the utmost. We expect greatness out of us, ourselves and we didn't really show it today, but like I said we're going to put it behind us and next game we're going to come out and play way harder than we did."

Boston clearly did that Sunday with a 45-30 advantage on the boards that led to 19 second-chance points. The Wolves shot 54% for the game, but just 42% in the first half when Boston opened a 25-point lead. The Celtics, who have the league's No. 1 defense, outscored Minnesota 38-19 in that quarter. Jayson Tatum had 34 to lead Boston while Brown had 31.

"I feel like we wasn't aggressive to start," forward Jarred Vanderbilt said. "I feel like they beat us to every 50-50 ball, and I said that in the locker room, I feel like they was just a step quicker than us today — energy-wise, aggressiveness, everything."

Anthony Edwards tried to get the Wolves going with five three-pointers and 24 points, but even with his hot hand, the Wolves never got closer than 17. Despite his hot finish, Edwards had just three points in the first half. He thinks he has a solution to his struggles at the start of games.

"Before the game starts, I've been coming out super late. Not getting a good warmup in," Edwards said.

He explained that instead of coming out, say, 20 minutes before tipoff, he has been coming out with about four minutes left on the clock.

"I'm blaming myself for that," he said.

Edwards, at least, got going. D'Angelo Russell never did. Russell shot just 1-for-6 for four points. If there is a player on the Wolves who can elevate them or hold them back against top-tier opponents, it might be Russell. When he's on, the Wolves have shown they can beat anybody. When he struggles, it's hard to compensate against high-level competition.

He happens to have shot a combined 4-for-15 for 10 points against Phoenix and Boston, two of the best teams in the league, and two losses for the Wolves.

Finch simply acknowledged it was a priority to get Russell going before adding, "We got to try to put this one behind us as quickly as we can."

Especially since there's so little time left in the season.