SI:AM | Timberwolves’ Historic Comeback Caps One of This Season’s Best NBA Games

Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. I’ll leave the full review to Jimmy Traina, but I’ll just say I’m glad Netflix is only broadcasting two MLB games per year.

In today’s SI:AM:
⚾ Inside the Dodgers’ blueprint
🏈 AFC draft needs
🏀 Men’s Sweet 16 predictions

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What a game

Wednesday night’s Rockets-Timberwolves game had everything: two game-changing scoring runs, two game-saving blocks, a bloody lip, the ejection of a key player and so much more.

Minnesota won, 110–108, after completing the largest overtime comeback on record. Houston scored the first 13 points in the extra period, but then the Wolves ended the game on a 15–0 run. It was the largest overtime deficit a team has overcome since the NBA began tracking play-by-play data in the 1997–98 season.

But the Rockets had a big comeback of their own to send the game to OT. Minnesota stretched its lead to 93–82 with 3:47 left in regulation when Jaden McDaniels stripped the ball from Kevin Durant and threw down an uncontested dunk. Houston responded with a 12–0 run of its own, capped by an impressive contested jumper from the free throw line by Durant to take a 94–93 lead with under a minute to play. A Julius Randle floater put Minnesota back on top, and Rudy Gobert then made an unbelievable play to block a Durant shot attempt that would have reclaimed the lead. Durant subsequently tied the game with a free throw after Gobert was whistled for a foul on the inbounds play.

The Wolves had one last shot to win it in regulation, but Alperen Şengün swatted away Randle’s layup attempt at the buzzer. The play left Şengün with blood dripping from his lip.

And that was just the end of regulation. Things got even more nuts in overtime. Houston continued to dominate the game. The Rockets opened the extra period on a 13–0 run, meaning the Timberwolves had been outscored 26–2 over the previous five-and-a-half minutes. It was an embarrassing collapse, and Minnesota’s chances of pulling out of the skid seemed to take a major hit when Naz Reid was ejected early in OT for arguing over an offensive foul call.

But just as quickly as the Rockets seized control of the game, they relinquished it. Houston missed its final four field goal attempts and Durant missed a clutch free throw attempt when he went to the line in the final seconds with a chance to tie the game.

“Super proud of the guys. They fought through a ton of adversity,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch told reporters after the game. “We should have won that game in regulation. We deserve to win that game. We were the better team all night and we gave them a chance to steal it from us, but we stole it right back.”

The Wolves were without Anthony Edwards for the fifth straight game as he continues to deal with a right knee injury. The team has not identified a timetable for his return. In his absence, Randle and McDaniels led the way offensively. Randle had 24 points (all after halftime) and McDaniels had 25.

“We’ve got real competitors in here, guys who want the challenge. It’s not the first time we’ve done something like that,” Randle said. “When it gets tough, we come together as a group. It brings the best out of us.”

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The NCAA tournament returns to action tonight. Our experts make their predictions for the men’s Sweet 16.

The top five…

… things I saw last night:
5. The first ABS challenge in MLB history. José Caballero challenged a strike call, but the umpire’s call was upheld.
4. The national anthem performance before the Yankees-Giants game, featuring an American flag made out of smoke.
3. Some amazing ball movement by the Spurs.
2. Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s juggling catch on a line drive.
1. Victor Wembanyama’s big dunk all over GG Jackson, right after Jackson dunked on him. I love Wemby’s big smile as he ran back down the court.