Timberwolves rout Jazz, 147-111, to win second straight game

MINNEAPOLIS — Injuries have begun to hit the Timberwolves at a bad time in their schedule and in their playoff chase.

Not only did Anthony Edwards miss his second consecutive game with right knee inflammation on Wednesday, Naz Reid joined him as “out” on the injury report because of a sprained ankle he suffered in the team’s win over Phoenix on Tuesday.

For now, the Wolves are trying to buy time as Edwards and Reid heal, and while they had to play a night after beating the Suns, their opponent was the tanking Jazz, who had no interest in trying to win.

The Wolves took care of business in a 147-111 victory at Target Center over a Utah squad that had a long list of players on their injury report, including Jaren Jackson Jr. and Keyonte George, who had 43 points the last time the team’s met (a Jazz win).

Despite the initial pessimism that might have hit the fan base when the team announced Edwards would be out at least one to two weeks, the Wolves are now 8-4 without him this season. They have shown they can survive in Edwards’ absence (coach Chris Finch said Reid’s injury was considered “day to day”).

Some of those reasons why were on display against the Jazz, and they involve players who step up when Edwards is out. That’s both good and bad.

Randle’s rejuvenation

This time last season was when Julius Randle’s game turned a corner for the better, and he carried that momentum into the playoffs. Randle seems to have turned the page from a tough February and early March with three consecutive strong games.

It started with consecutive 32-point games against Oklahoma City (with Edwards in the lineup) and Phoenix.

“Ball’s finding him earlier in the offense, so I feel like he’s also trusting the next play a little bit more too,” coach Chris Finch said after the win over Phoenix.

Against Utah, Randle continued that with 21 points (7-for-10 shooting) and eight assists. He has had some of his best games of the season with Edwards out. The challenge will be to continue that when Edwards returns. Finch said the team has been working to recapture the chemistry between the two this season, which has been affected by Edwards handling more point-guard responsibilities. With only one ball to go around, it has been a little more difficult for Randle to find his flow with Edwards also needing the ball a lot. With Edwards out, Randle has no such worries. He knows the team will be playing through him, a lot.

“It’s at the heart of what we do, really his playmaking and getting us into situations where everyone can benefit,” Finch said.

Dosunmu looking the part

Ayo Dosunmu has joined the starting lineup with Edwards out, and his two starts have been a continuation of the upward trajectory he has been on since joining the Wolves at the trade deadline in February.

He hasn’t shied away from claiming his share of the extra shots available with Edwards out. He followed up a 9-for-17, 19-point game against Phoenix with a 7-for-13, 23-point night against Utah.

“It’s been seamless,” Randle said of Dosunmu. “He plays at such a great pace and flow, and how much he moves really helps us. He can push the ball in transition. He can spot up from three. He can cut. He can roll. He can pass. He can do a lot of different things, so it’s been a really smooth fit for us so far.”

One area of his game Dosunmu has explored since coming to Minnesota has been his mid-range game, which he barely got to use in Chicago because he said the organization and coaching staff “prohibited” taking them.

“That mid-range area, that’s a shot that I’ve been taking my whole life. I always take pride in being efficient, taking good shots and making good shots,” Dosunmu said. “That’s how I view myself as a basketball player, and those are the guys I really like watching — efficient basketball players.”

Finch pointed out most of those mid-range looks Dosunmu takes are near the end of the shot clock, when it is more acceptable analytically to take them.

Bones in the zone

Another player whose role gets more clarity with Edwards out is Bones Hyland, who had another good game as the microwave scorer off the bench with 18 points. Like Reid, Hyland has embraced the role of energy scorer off the bench. When he makes a shot, he’ll turn to the crowd and shake his hands in celebration. That’s intentional on his part, an attempt to bring the fans along with him into the game.

“Each team needs a guy that comes off the bench and provides a spark,” Hyland said. “I’m blessed to be able to do that each and every night. I just want to change the momentum of the game, add some spark, add some flow. I always say, man, the fans, they pay their hard-earned money, so why not inject them into the game? I’ve always been that way.”

There is a winning formula for the Wolves on both ends of the floor with Edwards out. They have recommitted themselves to the defensive end of the floor in his absence, and there is still enough scoring to get by for another week or two. The schedule gets tougher, with matchups against Portland, Boston and Houston coming in their next three games. But if the last two games showed anything, the Wolves don’t have to be lacking for confidence going into this next stretch.