Trail Blazers Get Healthy But Can't Get The Win Versus Timberwolves

PORTLAND -- The Trail Blazers didn’t get the win Tuesday night, but they are getting better.

With Anfernee Simons, Scoot Henderson and Duop Reath all returning to the lineup, the Trail Blazers went toe-to-toe with the Timberwolves for three quarters, and even held a lead in the fourth, before falling 121-109 to in front of a crowd of 17,906 Tuesday night at Moda Center.

The Trail Blazers are now 15-38 overall and 9-16 at home this season. Portland has now lost five-straight games and seven of their last 10.

After playing with a skeleton crew in their last two games, the Blazers got back their starting point guard, their backup point guard and their backup center for Tuesday’s contest against the top team in the Western Conference. Though initially, it seemed like receiving reinforcements might not matter much, with the Timberwolves shooting 60 percent from the field in the first quarter to take a 12-point lead into the second.

But with Simons and Dalano Banton, playing just his third game as a Trail Blazers after being acquired from the Boston Celtics at last week’s trade deadline, each posting eight points in the quarter, Portland managed to cut Minnesota’s lead to eight by the halftime intermission.

In the third, both Jerami Grant and Deandre Ayton contributed eight points, with the latter also grabbing eight rebounds, and the Blazers managed to hold the Timberwolves to 25 points on 36 percent shooting to go into the fourth and final quarter trailing by a single point.

Portland scored the first three points of the fourth to take an 86-84 lead. But the Timberwolves would respond almost immediately with a 25-6 run, with guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker contributing 16 points on 4-of-4 shooting from three during that streak, to give the visitors a 111-92 lead with 4:42 to play. From there, all that was left to be decided is how soon each side would put in the end of their bench with a rematch scheduled for Thursday.

Deandre Ayton missed just one of his 12 attempts Tuesday to finish with 22 points to go along with 16 rebounds and an assist in 32 minutes. Simons posted 20 points, five assists, three rebounds and a steal in 32 minutes.

Banton posted a season-best 16 points to go with five rebounds and three assists in 26 minutes. Henderson played 34 minutes after missing two games with a foot injury and posted 14 points and nine assists off the bench.

Toumani Camara finished with 14 points and 4 rebounds and Jerami Grant added 12 points and four assists in 35 minutes.

Anthony Edwards led all scorers with 41 points in 34 minutes.

After having Wednesday off, the Blazers will host the Timberwolves again Thursday night in the last game before the 2024 All-Star Break for both teams. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.