The Timberwolves have been showing some fight lately.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are becoming well acquainted with adversity late in the season, but that's done little to truly slow them down.
The biggest example of their adversity is the absence of Anthony Edwards, who has been sidelined with a knee injury since March 15. Any team that loses their top scorer for any length of time, let alone for close to two weeks, would have a feel right to feel down on themselves. But, that's not the Timberwolves' way.
Most recently, the Timberwolves had their resolve tested in a brutal matchup between the Western Conference rival Houston Rockets on Wednesday. Both teams are locked in a battle for playoff seeding and they traded scores throughout the game until they found their way into overtime.
Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) challenges Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) for the ball in the fourth quarter at Target Center. Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn ImagesIt didn't get any easier from there. Minnesota edged out Houston by just two points and it took the efforts of the entire team to get there.
Big Games from McDaniels and Randle
Jaden McDaniels and Julius Randle were an effective one-two punch for Minnesota, scoring 25 and 24 points respectively. Without Edwards in the lineup, that kind of production is so crucial to have, especially in a tight game like Wednesday's.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Terrence Shannon Jr. (1) celebrates the basket by forward Julius Randle (30) against the Houston Rockets in overtime at Target Center. Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn ImagesOn top of the back and forth score, the Timberwolves were also dealing with a lopsided whistle with fouls racking up against them. The Timberwolves had 23 personal fouls to the Rockets' 15 and in turn, Houston shot more than twice the amount of free throws that Minnesota did.
Despite the odds stacked against them, though, the Timberwolves didn't give up. They continued to rise to the occasion and come away with a win.
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (3) works around Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) in the first quarter at Target Center. Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn ImagesGobert Praises His Team
"I'm so proud that we didn't quit," Rudy Gobert said (via Timberwolves). "We had a lot of opportunities to get very frustrated tonight and for the most part we were able to overcome that. I think that's the blue print for us. We want to win a championship, so we know there's going to be adversity."
The Timberwolves had the odds stacked against them in a broader sense considering that they're fighting for playoff seeding in the difficult Wester Conference and they have to do that while their superstar is missing significant time.
Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) prepares to play the Houston Rockets before the game at Target Center. Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn ImagesThe mindset that it takes to stay in the fight at the end of the season at all is formidable for any team, but the odds stacked against Minnesota makes their fight even more admirable.
Gobert is the veteran leader on the Timberwolves for a reason and if he says that he knows a winning mindset when he sees one, then he knows what he's talking about.