Wizards Lose 118-107 vs. Timberwolves

The Washington Wizards lost their 36th game of the year to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Washington Wizards played host to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night in search of a win to break their four-game losing streak but ultimately lost 118-107 on their home floor.

For the Timberwolves they were looking to break their own two-game skid against a Wizards team that has been good medicine for previous NBA rosters looking for a chance to right some wrongs, so they likely felt pretty good about their odds entering the contest. 

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Things went well for Washington early on as they jumped out to a 4-0 lead over Minnesota after forward-center Karl-Anthony Towns and guard Anthony Edwards missed back-to-back three-point shots leading to two finishes at the rim for the home team.

A timeout for the Timberwolves and threes from guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker and forward Jaden McDaniels tied it up at six a piece before eventually opening up a nine-point lead, finishing the first quarter up eight. 

The Wizards traded blows with Minnesota throughout the second quarter but were able to tie the game at 45 a piece with less than three minutes left in the half. 

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) makes a move to the basket on Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma (33) during the fist half at Capital One Arena / Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

At halftime, forward Deni Avdija led Washington in scoring with 15 points while Edwards led the Timberwolves and the game with 16, and a late barrage of threes gave the home squad a 59-57 lead.

In all, the Wizards outscored Minnesota 35-27 in the second quarter and outrebounded their opponent by two, but center Daniel Gafford also finished the half with four fouls, threatening his team's chances of closing out a win in the second half.

Washington was able to grow the lead to five coming out of the half but eventually fell behind again while the Timberwolves took and established a five-point lead of their own halfway through the third quarter behind seven points scored by Edwards and nine from Towns.

By the time we reached the end of the third quarter Towns and Edwards had combined to score 44 of the Timberwolves' 90 points and they led the Wizards by 12 entering the fourth.

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Needing to mount a comeback the Wizards looked for sparks from Avdija and guard Corey Kispert but their efforts were largely negated by Minnesota matching point for point until late in the final quarter leading to the lead falling to nine with just under four minutes remaining in the contest. 

Unfortunately, they were faced with the prospect of finishing the comeback without Gafford who was called for his sixth and final foul of the night with 3:41 left to play.

At the time Washington had a three-rebound lead over the Timberwolves, and with Gafford out the team actually closed the lead to seven with two minutes left, but lost the lead in rebounds in the process.

Wizards guard Jordan Poole did his best to shrink the lead even further but missed a pair of shots that would've brought his team to within four. 

Ultimately, the halftime lead was short-lived and the comeback fell short. 

Edwards led both teams with 38 points while Avdija his squad with 24 and Washington lost its 36th game of the year.

The Wizards will be back in action looking to snap its now five-game losing streak on Thursday against the Utah Jazz.

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