Wolves come up inches short against short-handed Celtics

Anthony Edwards' game-tying 3-point attempt was off the mark in the final seconds.

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels shoots over Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum in the first half at Target Center in Minneapolis on Jan. 2, 2025. / Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Timberwolves were inches away from forcing overtime.

Down by three with 3.1 seconds remaining, Julius Randle inbounded the ball to Anthony Edwards, who got off a look at a game-tying 3-point attempt. But it hit the front of the rim and fell to the court, ending the Wolves' comeback bid.

The result was a 118-115 loss to the Celtics Thursday night at Target Center in Minneapolis.

The Celtics were without Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis due to injuries.

The Wolves (17-16) won the third and fourth quarters as they dug themselves back from an 11-point halftime deficit. They opened the fourth quarter on a 9-3 run that featured a pair of 3s from Donte DiVincenzo, the latter of which tied the game at 94-94 with over nine minutes remaining. Then the two teams were trading punches. The Celtics (25-9) didn't flinch.

Still, the Wolves got a crucial stop, forcing Jayson Tatum into a miss in the waning seconds of the 118-115 game. Tatum still finished with a game-high 33 points and took it to the Wolves, but they had still had a chance with 3.1 ticks left.

The Wolves got themselves back within reach in the final minutes despite falling behind 118-110 after Derrick White banked in a 3 in a sign of how well the shots were falling for Boston. White finished with 26 points.

The Celtics only had one turnover in the second half and shot 50% from the field for the game.

The Wolves got off to a strong start behind eight first-quarter points from Jaden McDaniels, who finished with 19 points and eight rebounds. The Wolves won the first quarter 35-28, but the offense stalled in a second quarter in which they mustered just 16 points. The Celtics scored 34 as they took an 11-point advantage into the halftime break.

Anthony Edwards had just nine points in the first half, and finished with just 15 on 5-for-16 shooting as he struggled with double teams. He did get off the ball well, though, finishing with six assists, including five in the third quarter as the Wolves got back within reach, outscoring the Celtics 34-29 in the frame. Edwards also had four rebounds.

Randle led the Wolves with 27 points, eight boards and seven assists. Naz Reid scored 20 points off the bench.

The Wolves return to action Saturday when they visit the Detroit Pistons for a 6 p.m. tipoff.