76ers Lose To Timberwolves 126-112 For 40th Loss of Season
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards dribbles against the Philadelphia 76ers forward Guerschon Yabusele in the second quarter at Target Center in Minneapolis on March 4, 2025. Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
The 76ers continued their losing ways Tuesday night, falling to the Minnesota Timberwolves 126-112. It was another embarrassing loss for Philadelphia, who were outscored 43-32 in the fourth quarter.
With Tyrese Maxey not playing, Quentin Grimes and Kelly Oubre Jr. led the way for the 76ers. Grimes finished with 30 points, the third time he’s scored 30 points or more as a 76er, with three steals, and three rebounds, while Oubre added 24 points and three rebounds.
The 76ers had no answer for Naz Reid, who finished with 23 points and six rebounds, drilling five threes as well. Another Edwards finished with 18 points and five rebounds, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 20 points off the bench for Minnesota.
As the game tipped off, Oubre got things started for the 76ers with a driving layup to put the 76ers on the board, and Julius Randle answered back with an early pair of free throws. Both teams went back and forth, trading mid-range buckets, and then continued trading shots, with Reid and Grimes both drilling triples to make it nine all.
After a timeout from Minnesota, Oubre knocked down a floater, and Anthony Edwards knocked down three free throws. Lonnie Walker IV scored an and-one layup and a long three for six straight points, putting the 76ers out in front by six. The Timberwolves then went on a small run to end the quarter.
Randle kicked things off with an and-one layup, and Alexander-Walker drilled a 13-footer. Randle then added two more free throws but was answered quickly by Grmies with a layup. As the final seconds of the quarter ticked down, Donte DiVincenzo drilled a long three-pointer that gave Minnesota a 24-22 lead after 12 minutes.
Similar to the first quarter, the 76ers kicked off the second quarter with the first bucket, with Grimes hitting a layup. However, the Timberwolves then went on a big run. Mike Conley started things with a long three-pointer, and Alexander-Walker hit a two-pointer. Oubre knocked down a floater, but the shots kept falling for Minnesota.
Alexander-Walker drilled a three, Terrence Shannon Jr. knocked down a tough layup, and Edwards got an and-one layup to put Minnesota up 11. Oubre slammed a dunk to end the scoreless run for the 76ers, however, the Timberwolves kept drilling shots as Reid and Jaden McDaniels knocked down back-to-back threes to make it 43-30 Minnesota.
With under six left to play in the half, Grimes scored five straight points, and Jared Butler followed up with an 11-foot jumper. Edwards then hit a driving layup; however, Guerschon Yabusele scored four straight points, and Grimes scored once again to make it a two-point game.
Edwards knocked down a three to extend the Timberwolves, but Paul George answered with a layup for his first bucket of the game. Reid and Oubre then traded dunks, and Grimes hit a 20-footer to make it a one-point game.
In the final minute of the half, McDaniels made another dunk, and Edwards drilled another three. Paul George answered with a three of his own, however, Randle hit a layup just beating the buzzer, giving Minnesota a 57-53 lead at the half.
At the start of the second half, the 76ers kicked things off with back-to-back layups from Yabusele and Oubre to toe the game. Reid and Yabusele then traded mid-range buckets, McDaniels knocked down a layup, and Reid then drilled a long three to go back up five.
That lead was short-lived as Andre Drummond hit a pair of throws, and Yabusele drilled a long three to tie things up once again. After a timeout, McDaniels slammed a dunk, and Grimes and Conley traded layups. Grimes kept his impressive night going with a long three-pointer but was quickly answered once again by Conley with a three.
Back and forth both teams went, trading bucket after bucket. With three minutes left in the third quarter, the Timberwolves were out in front by three. Reid knocked down another mid-range shot, and Jared Butler hit a pair of free throws to make it a one-possession game. In the final seconds of the quarter, Oubre knocked down a layup to tie the game, however, Conley drilled a half-court buzzer beater to make it 83-80 Timberwolves heading into the fourth quarter.
In the fourth quarter, the 76ers scored back-to-back twos from Grimes and Drummond, however, Minnesota started hot with three straight threes (two from Alexander-Walker and one from Reid) to quickly go up nine. Reid then drilled a mid-range bucket and traded threes with Oubre, and DiVincenzo drilled a long three to make it 101-87 Minnesota.
After a timeout by the 76ers, Grimes hit a 15-footer, but Alexander-Walker hit back-to-back layups. Oubre made an and-one layup but was answered right away with another long three from DiVincenzo. With just over five minutes left to play, Randle, McDaniels, and Alexander-Walker all knocked down twos that put the Timberwolves up 19.
Randle and Butler traded twos, and DiVincenzo drilled another three-pointer to put the icing on the cake for the Timberwolves. Both teams began to empty their benches as the game seemed out of reach. The 76ers knocked a few threes from Ricky Council IV and the new two-way player Alex Reese, but the Timberwolves held on to win 126-112.
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Matt Brown
Matt has been a Philadelphia sports fan all his life and spent four years at Penn State University majoring in Broadcast Journalism and minoring in Sports Studies. He previously covered Penn State’s field hockey, men’s and women’s basketball, and baseball teams while writing for a Penn State blog called Onward State. He has now covered the Phillies, Eagles, and Sixers for Philly Sports Reports since October 2024 and wants to pursue a career in Sports Journalism.
