MINNEAPOLIS — Their plan was to emulate what happened a year ago, when the Timberwolves sprinted out of the All-Star break 15-8 down the stretch on the way to the postseason.
Unfortunately, at Target Center Friday night, the Wolves got stuck in the gate in a 121-113 loss to the Charlotte Hornets. The Wolves continued their season-long habit of playing down to the competition.
Down 11 in the third and down seven entering the fourth, the Wolves — with Naz Reid and Anthony Edwards heating up — started the fourth quarter on a 15-6 run to take a 104-102 lead with 7:02 left.
The game remained close until Hornets guard Terry Rozier made one of two free throws with 2:42 left to break a tie.
After Jaden McDaniels missed a three, Gordon Hayward scored on a put-back. Edwards missed a layup attempt and P.J. Washington hit two free throws with 1:53 left to put Charlotte up five.
Rudy Gobert scored, but Lamelo Ball hit a three with 1:21 left and the Hornets lead was six.
It dropped the Wolves to 5-8 in games against bottom-five teams in the NBA.
Ball finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. Hayward had 27 and Washington 20.
The Wolves got 29 points and eight boards from Edwards, one of six players in double figures. Gobert had 17 points and 10 boards, Mike Conley 15 points.
Charlotte, which entered the game with the fourth-worst record in the league, improved to 18-43. The Wolves dropped to 31-31.
