NBA Regular Season: Celtics Double Kill Timberwolves, Tatum 33+8+9, Edwards 16 of 5 Misses Equalizer
On January 3rd, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued. In today's focus match, the Celtics challenged the Timberwolves away. The Timberwolves led the Celtics by 7 points in the first quarter with consecutive outside shots. In the second quarter, the Celtics limited the Timberwolves to only 16 points on the defensive end, completing the reversal and establishing a double-digit lead. The Timberwolves narrowed the gap with multiple scoring points in the third quarter, while Tatum scored 16 points in a single quarter to withstand the pressure. The Timberwolves briefly took the lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter, but Tatum quickly led the team to regain the advantage, ultimately defeating the Timberwolves 118-115 away, completing the double kill against the Timberwolves this season. The Celtics' record became 25 wins and 9 losses, while the Timberwolves' record became 17 wins and 16 losses.
Both sides' data:
Celtics - Tatum 33 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 steals; White 26 points; Holiday 11 points, 8 assists; Hauser 15 points; Horford 9 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists; Pritchard 9 points; Kornet 7 points, 3 rebounds;
Timberwolves - Randle 27 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists; McDaniels 19 points, 8 rebounds; Reed 20 points; DiVincenzo 12 points; Gobert 6 points, 7 rebounds; Edwards 15 points (5 of 16), 4 rebounds, 6 assists.
Star of the Game: Tatum
Tatum played a total of 38 minutes today, shooting 13 of 27, including 6 of 16 from three-point range and 1 of 2 from the free-throw line, totaling 33 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists, and 3 steals, helping the Celtics win away despite the absence of Jaylen Brown and Porzingis.
Exciting moments:
- Taking the lead! The Timberwolves hit consecutive three-pointers to start the game.
- Starting the chase! Holiday hits two consecutive three-pointers.
- Playing tricks on the Timberwolves defense! Tatum lobbed the ball into the basket and Kornet leapt high to score.
- Even Gobert was stunned! Tatum hits a cold shot over Gobert for a three-pointer.
- Stopping the bleeding! Edwards relies on his body to force his way to the basket and scores.
- It's Gobert again! Queta perfectly fools Gobert under the basket and scores with a hook shot.
- Old but strong! Old Conley drives past Hauser and scores with a layup.
- Not easy to score! Tatum single-handedly stops and shoots a mid-range jumper.
- That's tough! Tatum accelerates and dunks with one arm.
- Body explosion! Minot accelerates and slams the rim with both arms.
- One shot, one kill! DiVincenzo hits two consecutive difficult three-pointers as the Timberwolves tie the score.
- Tug of war! White drives to the basket and scores against two defenders.
- Having a backbone makes a difference! Tatum scores and assists to stop the Timberwolves.
Game Review:
In the first quarter, McDaniels made two free throws, Randle hit a three-pointer, and Edwards made two free throws, giving the Timberwolves a 7-0 lead. After Horford scored, Randle and White hit three-pointers, followed by McDaniels' three-pointer, and Holiday's shot, Conley's three-pointer extended the lead to 9 points. Tatum and Randle scored successively, and Hauser and Tatum hit back-to-back three-pointers to narrow the gap by 6-2. After McDaniels hit a three-pointer, Pritchard and Holiday hit back-to-back three-pointers to close the gap. Reed and Holiday hit outside shots, and Edwards and Reed scored 5 points to extend the lead to 7 points. Kornet made a 2+1 play, Randle scored, Pritchard made one of two free throws, Minot made two free throws, and the Timberwolves led the Celtics 35-28 at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Hauser hit two consecutive three-pointers, and White made a layup, giving the Celtics an 8-0 run to take the lead! After DiVincenzo hit a three-pointer, Horford scored under the basket, and Randle and Hauser hit back-to-back three-pointers, tying the score at 41-41! After Randle made two free throws, Pritchard scored 5 points to take the lead, and Gobert dunked. Tatum first caused a foul and made one of two free throws, then hit two consecutive three-pointers to lead by 8 points. After Gobert dunked, White hit a three-pointer to lead by 9 points. Edwards and White made layups successively, Queta scored twice under the basket, and McDaniels made a jump shot, ending the first half with the Celtics leading the Timberwolves 62-51.
Changing sides for the second half, Holiday and Randle hit back-to-back three-pointers, and White hit a three-pointer to extend the lead to 14 points. Randle, Gobert, and Conley scored 6 points to narrow the gap, and after Tatum made a mid-range shot, McDaniels and Randle scored 5 points to reduce the gap to 5 points. Hauser and McDaniels hit back-to-back three-pointers, and after Tatum made another mid-range shot, McDaniels hit another three-pointer to reduce the gap to 4 points. Kornet scored under the basket, and Tatum broke through for a dunk to extend the lead to 8 points. After Reed hit a three-pointer, Tatum hit two consecutive three-pointers, Kornet scored, and Reed hit a layup and then a three-pointer to reduce the gap to 8 points. Tatum stole the ball and scored a layup. Later, Randle drew a foul, and Tatum received a technical foul. Randle made all three free throws, and after Tatum made another mid-range shot, Minot hit a three-pointer, ending the third quarter with the Celtics leading the Timberwolves 91-85.
In the final quarter, Minot dunked, White made a layup for a 2+1 play, DiVincenzo hit a three-pointer, Reed made a free throw, and DiVincenzo hit another three-pointer to tie the score at 94-94! After Queta made a shot, Walker hit a three-pointer to complete the comeback. White made a shot, and Walker made one of two free throws, tying the score at 98-98! Tatum hit a three-pointer to retake the lead, Edwards made a mid-range shot, and White and Queta scored 4 points to lead by 5 points. Randle hit a three-pointer, and Horford scored 5 points to stabilize the situation, while Edwards made one of two free throws to reduce the gap to 6 points. Tatum made another mid-range shot, and Edwards and White hit back-to-back three-pointers, followed by Reed's three-pointer to reduce the gap to 5 points. White hit another three-pointer to extend the lead to 8 points. Reed made a putback, and DiVincenzo drew a foul and made all three free throws to reduce the gap to 3 points. With Edwards missing a three-pointer, the Celtics narrowly won away.
Starting lineups for both sides:
Celtics - White, Holiday, Hauser, Tatum, Horford;
Timberwolves - Edwards, Conley, McDaniels, Randle, Gobert.
