First road win over Boston Celtics since 2005 comes behind defense and late surge.
As Mike Tirico said on the NBC telecast:
“It’s been a minute.”
More specifically, it had been 7,685 days since the Minnesota Timberwolves (44-28) last walked out of TD Garden with a win.
That drought finally ended Sunday night, as Minnesota leaned on defense, timely shot-making, and a fourth-quarter surge to hand the Boston Celtics (47-24) a frustrating 102-92 loss.
And in a strange bit of symmetry, it all ties back to a very different era of Celtics basketball.
The last time Minnesota won in Boston was March 6, 2005 - a game decided in the final seconds by Latrell Sprewell, who buried a runner with 0.9 seconds left to lift the Timberwolves to a 99-97 victory.
Kevin McHale, a Celtics legend, was coaching Minnesota that night in his debut on the T-Wolves sideline.
Kevin Garnett, years before his own championship run in green, posted 21 points, 13 rebounds, and 9 assists.
Sam Cassell, another future Celtic both as a player and assistant coach, was an important part of that Minnesota roster as well.
That game belonged to a different generation.
Sunday night, though, felt like a reminder that history doesn’t always stay buried.
Mar 22, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Bones Hyland (8) drives to the basket while Boston Celtics center Luka Garza (52) defends during the second half at TD Garden. (Bob DeChiara/Imagn Images)Even without Anthony Edwards, Minnesota brought the same formula that has quietly made them one of the league’s toughest outs:
Physical defense, relentless ball pressure, and just enough shot-making to capitalize on mistakes.
Boston, for the second straight game, struggled to handle that pressure.
The Celtics showed flashes of control early, with Jaylen Brown setting the tone in the first quarter and Jayson Tatum sparking a third-quarter push.
But those stretches never fully connected.
Turnovers piled up.
Possessions stalled.
And when the game tightened in the fourth, Minnesota seized it with a decisive run that Boston couldn’t answer.
It was the kind of loss that doesn’t erase what the Celtics have built - a 47-win team with championship aspirations. But it does highlight where they’re still vulnerable.
Because while the names have changed since 2005, the lesson felt familiar:
In Boston, no win ever comes easy.
And sometimes, even after 7,685 days, history has a way of catching up.
Unknown date; Orlando, FL; USA; FILE PHOTO; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett (21) reacts on the court against the Orlando Magic at the Orlando Arena. (RVR Photos/Imagn Images)JOIN THE CONVERSATION:
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Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a senior digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.