3 observations after Sixers lose to Timberwolves despite Grimes’ 30 points
Quentin Grimes stepped up and scored like a star Tuesday night.
Unfortunately for the injury-riddled Sixers, that wasn’t enough to beat the Timberwolves.
The Sixers wrapped up an 0-2 back-to-back by falling to a 126-112 loss in Minnesota. They dropped to 21-40 on the season and the T-Wolves moved to 34-29.
Grimes posted 30 points on 12-for-18 shooting. Kelly Oubre Jr. was the Sixers’ second-leading scorer with 24 points.
Timberwolves big man Naz Reid tallied 23 points.
Six Sixers were out Tuesday:
Joel Embiid (left knee injury)
Eric Gordon (right wrist surgery)
Jared McCain (left lateral meniscus surgery)
Tyrese Maxey (lower back sprain)
Justin Edwards (left ankle sprain)
Kyle Lowry (right hip injury management)
The Sixers will visit the Celtics on Thursday. Here are observations on their defeat to the T-Wolves:
Grimes up for the lead guard job
Instead of serving as the Sixers’ backup point guard in Maxey-less minutes, Grimes was the team’s lead guard from the opening tip in Minnesota.
He was effective in that role early, scoring five of the Sixers’ first nine points with a post-up bucket and a generously bouncing three-pointer.
Since joining the Sixers, Grimes has been glad to show his ability to handle the ball and create shots for himself. The undermanned Sixers have certainly needed those qualities.
Fresh off of a 25-point, 18-rebound performance vs. the Blazers, Andre Drummond started strongly again on the glass. He grabbed six rebounds in just under six minutes, then had to take a seat after picking up his second foul. Adem Bona entered the game.
Lonnie Walker IV soon joined him as the Sixers’ first guard off the bench. He built nicely on his 13-point outing against Portland, converting an and-one layup and sinking a three that put the Sixers up 20-14.
Heavy load for Sixers’ key players
The Sixers played good, active defense in the first quarter for a shorthanded team concluding a home-road back-to-back.They forced seven T-Wolves turnovers in the first period. Minnesota went 10 for 11 at the foul line in the first but didn’t have much success elsewhere.
Early in the second quarter, the Timberwolves surged to a double-digit lead. Anthony Edwards knifed through the Sixers’ defense for an and-one lay-in that gave Minnesota a 12-0 advantage in fast-break points.
The Sixers only faced a four-point deficit at halftime, largely because Grimes remained excellent. He scored with ample variety, including a sweet step-back jumper over Julius Randle.
Grimes racked up 20 points in the first half and rested for just 66 seconds. For the second consecutive night, he set a new season high in playing time, logging 38 minutes and 30 seconds.
Even with Sixers head coach Nick Nurse using a 10-man rotation and garbage time late in the fourth quarter, Grimes, Oubre and Guerschon Yabusele all played at least 36 minutes.
T-Wolves dominate beyond the arc
Yabusele (18 points, seven rebounds) made a bright start to the second half.
He knocked down a long-distance jumper that tied the game at 64-all. A little later, the Frenchman narrowly missed a go-ahead attempt from the same spot. To no one’s surprise, the Sixers didn’t have their finest three-point shooting night as a team at 9 for 32 (28.1 percent).
Timberwolves guard Mike Conley Jr. hit a very deep three right before the third-quarter buzzer, banking in a heave from half court and sending Minnesota to the fourth with an 83-80 edge. The T-Wolves then drained a trio of conventional threes to kick off the fourth quarter.
The Sixers’ task grew more and more daunting as Minnesota continued drilling jumpers. The Timberwolves blitzed Grimes and his turnover led to a Donte DiVincenzo triple.
The Sixers clearly did not possess the necessary firepower to storm back in the fourth quarter. They stayed competitive through three periods, but the Timberwolves outscored the Sixers by 27 points from long range Tuesday and didn’t have any stress in the final minutes.
