Timberwolves Pull Off the Game 4 Win Over Grizzlies

Minnesota is back baby!! The Wolves beat the Grizzlies in a heated must-win game at Target Center late Saturday night.

Final Score: Memphis Grizzlies 118 Minnesota Timberwolves 119

Statcap:
#WolvesBack:
Starters:
J. Vanderbilt  12 pts 6-8 FG 8 REB 1 AST 2 STL 3 fouls
A. Edwards  24 pts 7-14 FG 4-8 3pt 6-6 FT 4 REB 4 AST 2 STL 3 BLK 2 fouls
K. Towns  33 pts 8-17 FG 3-5 3pt 14-17 FT 14 REB 3 AST 1 BLK 3 fouls
P. Beverley  17 pts 5-8 FG 4-6 3pt 3-7 FT 2 REB 5 AST 2 BLK 4 fouls
D. Russell  10 pts 3-12 FG 2-6 3pt 2-4 FT 2 REB 7 AST 1 STL 4 fouls
Bench:
T. Prince  3 pts 1-4 FG 1-4 3pt 1 AST
J. McDaniels  4 pts 0-4 FG 0-2 3pt 4-4 FT 1 REB 1 BLK 5 fouls
N. Reid  0 pts 0-1 FG 0-1 3pt 1 BLK 1 foul
J. McLaughlin  16 pts 5-6 FG 4-4 3pt 2-2 FT 2 REB 2 AST 2 STL 
M. Beasley  0 pts 0-0 FG 1 REB 1 foul

Game Recap:
Minnesota needed this game badly. After how terrible Game 3 went, they needed a rebound. They sure got it! In the first quarter the Wolves grew a lead to the tune of 33-28. By the end of the half the lead was still only 4. 
In the second half the Wolves kept fighting back, but of course the Grizzlies don't give up without a fight. Minnesota kept hitting shots when needed, never giving up the lead. The starters played lots of minutes since the bench couldn't generate anything. The Wolves found themselves on top by the end, 119-118.
This game could be characterized by the resurgence of the franchise star Karl-Anthony Towns. KAT has had 2 bad games in a row, not something you want to do in the playoffs. In Game 4, he had probably his best game playoff game ever. He started out the game with 10 points in the 1st quarter but also with 2 fouls and 3 turnovers. That changed later in the game, but in that time he made his presence felt. He earned himself a double-double with career playoff high 33 points and 14 rebounds, and he tacked on 1 block (statistically, even though it was actually 2). His blocks were big for Minnesota late in the 4th quarter when Memphis was trying to claw at the Wolves' lead. KAT also hit all his 3 pointers in the 2nd half, 2 in the 4th quarter. Given all the crap thrown at his way throughout this series, he showed up tonight. He seemed to be less focused on the fouls and calls, and more on his game. This worked in Minnesota's favor and showed the prowess of their 7-year star. 
Other players chipped in as well, Anthony Edwards had 24 points tonight on 7-14 shooting (4-8 from 3), and had some crucial 3 point shots in the 4th quarter to keep the Wolves ahead. Patrick Beverley also made his presence felt tonight after vowing to be better from the 3 point line after Game 3. He had 17 points from 5-8 shooting (4-6 from 3) while assisting on 5 shots. Jarred Vanderbilt had a playoff points high tonight with 12 points on 6-8 shooting. He had several key dunks underneath the hoop. Jordan McLaughlin had crucial minutes off the bench with 16 points off of 5-6 shooting and an eye popping 4-4 from 3 point! He propelled Minnesota towards the finish line with his momentum inducing 3 point shots!

Overall, the Wolves played with grit and a lot of heart tonight. They came up big when their backs were against the wall. This is also the first time in franchise history that they won Game 4 after being down 2-1 in the series.

Injury Report
During the game, Anthony Edwards left the game briefly in the 2nd quarter due to a knee issue. He returned shortly after and played the remainder of the game. Both Karl-Anthony Towns and D'Angelo Russell appeared slow to get up multiple times but continued to play. No players were listed on the injury report. 

Up Next
Now that the series is even at 2-2, there will be at least a Game 6 in Minneapolis. The series now shifts back to Memphis for Game 5 on Tuesday, April 26th at 6:30 PM CT on TNT.

GO WOLVES!! #WolvesBack #RaisedByWolves