D’Angelo Russell drives Timberwolves past Jordan Clarkson, Jazz, 118-108
By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT PhilBoxing.com Sun, 11 Dec 2022
December 8, 2022
Rudy Gobert got a hero's welcome at the Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City only to be booed in the end, Friday night.
The towering Frenchman, who is a practitioner of the Eurostep, dazzled with a double-double, 22 points and 13 rebounds.
It was his first game against the Utah Jazz where he spent his first 9 years in the NBA league.
Monsieur Gobert is one of the NBA’s top big men and was considered a big part of Utah’s previous success short of a Larry O’Brien trophy. He was part of Utah-Minnesota’s blockbuster trade last summer.
After the buzzer, Utah’s Malik Beasley confronted Gobert after making a lazy lay up that padded the score. In the eyes of Beasley, who felt disrespected, Gobert broke an unwritten rule about inconsequential buckets when the game was practically over.
Not to be forgotten was the performance of Utah’s point-and-shoot guard D'Angelo Russell, former rookie for the Golden State Warrior, who punctuated Minnesota’s win against the host Jazz, 118-108.
Russell has found a niche with the Timberwolves powering Minnesota with 20 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter.
Russell made all six of his treys against a surging Jazz team that almost nullified their double-digit lead and got close by a point (thrice) and within a deuce with 3:14 on the clock.
Back in the third quarter, the Wolves almost collapsed, almost losing their double-digit lead, just as they have previously done a few times this season.
Filipino-American Jordan Clarkson and Utah out-shot the Wolves 33-21 in the quarter, and ended it 14-7. The Jazz missed five consecutive buckets and failed to recapture the lead.
Minnesota regrouped and then turned it on as Mike Conley hit a trey with 1:58 left and tied the game at 79-all. Naz Reid hit another 3-pointer at 1:19 left to push Minnesota up by three entering the fourth.
The Wolves starters all scored in double-figures. Kyle Anderson had an all-around 15 points, 12 assists, 7 rebounds. Anthony Edwards struggled but scored 14. Jaden McDaniels contributed 11.
As a team, Minnesota made 42 of 79 buckets (53.2% FG) and 14 of 35 treys (40% 3-PT).
By contrast, as a team, Utah made 39 of 90 buckets (43.3% FG) and 13 of 44 treys (29.5% 3-PT). Utah’s Malik Beasley of the Jazz scored 23 as did Jordan Clarkson and the returning Mike Conley for 17 points.
It was a huge win for Minnesota on the road, and their second straight victory without injured starter Karl-Anthony Towns.
Upcoming:
Minnesota Timberwolves: Visit Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday night.
Utah Jazz: Visit Denver Nuggets on Saturday night.
Note of Appreciation:
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