Timberwolves answer Bucks rally with 35-point fourth quarter in 116-97 win

The 12-0 answer before halftime

Minnesota established the game on its terms after Milwaukee's brief opening edge. Ryan Rollins put the Bucks ahead 4-2 in the first minute, but the Timberwolves quickly swung the quarter with free throws from Jonathan Kuminga, a LaMelo Ball three at 8:16 and an Anthony Edwards three 22 seconds later. By the time Joan Beringer finished the period with a tip shot at 1:08, Minnesota had built a 31-20 lead.

Milwaukee made a real push early in the second. Kel'el Ware opened the quarter with a three, AJ Green followed from deep, and Rollins' layup at 10:00 pulled the Bucks within 33-29. Myles Turner's three at 8:14 trimmed the margin again to 35-32. That was the moment Minnesota produced the game's first decisive answer: Jaden McDaniels scored inside, Edwards added five points, McDaniels hit from deep, Kuminga dunked and Rudy Gobert finished at the rim to complete a 12-0 surge that stretched the score to 47-32.

That stretch summed up the Timberwolves' first half. They did not need one overwhelming scorer to control it. Edwards had 14 points in 18 minutes by night's end, Ball added 11 points and three assists, and Minnesota kept finding finishers near the basket. Beringer gave them productive interior minutes with 12 points and seven rebounds overall, while McDaniels, Kuminga and Gobert all helped sustain the lead before halftime settled at 60-48.

A two-point Bucks lead vanished fast

Milwaukee's best basketball came after the break. Rollins drilled a three 18 seconds into the third quarter, hit another at 11:03 and added a two-point basket at 9:53 to cut the deficit to 63-56. Tyler Herro and Turner kept scoring in smaller bursts, and Nate Ament finally drew the Bucks level at 74-74 with a three at 2:58. Ament then completed a three-point play at 2:04 for Milwaukee's only lead after the opening minute, 77-75.

Minnesota's response was calm and immediate. Enrique Freeman tied the game with two free throws at 1:33, Zyon Pullin nudged the Timberwolves back in front at 1:15, and Freeman's running dunk with 54.8 seconds left put them up 80-77. Cody Williams added a free throw with 16.4 seconds remaining for an 81-77 edge entering the fourth, turning what looked like a Bucks breakthrough into another reset.

The last 12 minutes belonged to Minnesota's depth. Beringer opened the quarter with a layup at 11:35, Antonio Reeves scored at 10:52, and KJ Martin finished at the rim at 10:29 to make it 87-77. After Green stopped the run with a three, the Timberwolves kept coming. Beringer's dunk at 8:15 pushed the margin to 95-80. When Brayden Burries trimmed it to 99-89 with 4:52 left, Pullin answered with three straight baskets, and Reeves closed the game with a sharp personal burst, including a three at 2:47, a floater at 1:38 and another three at 1:21. Reeves finished with 12 points on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting line, all of it a fitting cap to Minnesota's 35-point quarter.

Our take: Minnesota won where Milwaukee could not

The Timberwolves won this game in the most repeatable places on the stat sheet. They scored 56 points in the paint to Milwaukee's 26, finished with a 26-9 edge in fast-break points, and paired that pressure with 9 steals and 7 blocks. Even on a modest 9-for-35 night from three-point range, Minnesota still posted 46 per cent shooting overall because so much of its offence came closer to the rim.

Milwaukee's numbers tell a harsher story. The Bucks hit 16 threes, but they needed 47 attempts to get there and finished the night at 30-for-91 overall, just 33 per cent. They also committed 18 total turnovers, which fed 20 Minnesota points. There were useful individual efforts, especially Rollins' team-high 15 points and Ware's 14-point, 12-rebound double-double, but the broader formula never settled. If Milwaukee is looking for the clearest corrections from this result, they start with protecting possessions and finding more efficient scoring inside the arc.

For Minnesota, the balance stands out as much as the final margin. Five players reached double figures, and the finishers changed as the game evolved: Edwards early, Beringer around the basket, Pullin in the middle of the fourth, Reeves late. That variety mattered once Milwaukee finally made the game uncomfortable. The Bucks did enough in the third quarter to create doubt; the Timberwolves answered by turning the last stretch into another reminder that control can be reclaimed quickly when a team keeps getting to the paint and punishing mistakes.

Scoring moments

1st Quarter · 11:50
Jonathan Kuminga makes driving layup (LaMelo Ball assists)
1st Quarter · 11:28
Ryan Rollins makes 6-foot two point shot (Myles Turner assists)
1st Quarter · 11:02
Ryan Rollins makes 7-foot driving floating jump shot
1st Quarter · 10:48
LaMelo Ball makes free throw 1 of 1
1st Quarter · 10:23
Rudy Gobert makes 1-foot dunk (Anthony Edwards assists)
1st Quarter · 9:25
Jonathan Kuminga makes free throw 1 of 2
1st Quarter · 9:25
Jonathan Kuminga makes free throw 2 of 2
1st Quarter · 8:49
Jonathan Kuminga makes free throw 1 of 2
1st Quarter · 8:49
Jonathan Kuminga makes free throw 2 of 2
1st Quarter · 8:32
Jaime Jaquez Jr. makes 22-foot three point jumper (Tyler Herro assists)
1st Quarter · 8:16
LaMelo Ball makes 25-foot three point jumper (Jaden McDaniels assists)
1st Quarter · 7:54
Anthony Edwards makes 23-foot three point jumper (LaMelo Ball assists)
1st Quarter · 7:12
Myles Turner makes free throw 1 of 2
1st Quarter · 7:12
Myles Turner makes free throw 2 of 2
1st Quarter · 6:03
Jaden McDaniels makes 7-foot two point shot
1st Quarter · 5:47
Tyler Herro makes 24-foot three point step back jumpshot
1st Quarter · 5:32
Anthony Edwards makes 5-foot two point shot
1st Quarter · 5:10
Tyler Herro makes 26-foot three point jumper (Kevin Porter Jr. assists)
1st Quarter · 4:59
Terrence Shannon Jr. makes free throw 2 of 2
1st Quarter · 4:09
Joan Beringer makes tip in dunk
1st Quarter · 3:41
Kevin Porter Jr. makes free throw 1 of 2
1st Quarter · 3:41
Kevin Porter Jr. makes free throw 2 of 2
1st Quarter · 3:25
LaMelo Ball makes 17-foot step back jumpshot
1st Quarter · 2:58
Ayo Dosunmu makes 9-foot driving floating jump shot
1st Quarter · 2:40
Kel'el Ware makes 24-foot three point jumper (Jericho Sims assists)
1st Quarter · 2:05
Ayo Dosunmu makes 25-foot three point jumper (Terrence Shannon Jr. assists)
1st Quarter · 1:08
Joan Beringer makes tip shot
2nd Quarter · 11:43
Kel'el Ware makes 25-foot three point jumper (Ryan Rollins assists)
2nd Quarter · 11:21
Rudy Gobert makes tip shot
2nd Quarter · 11:08
AJ Green makes 25-foot three point jumper (Jaime Jaquez Jr. assists)
2nd Quarter · 10:29
Ryan Rollins makes free throw 1 of 1
2nd Quarter · 10:00
Ryan Rollins makes running layup
2nd Quarter · 9:42
Anthony Edwards makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Quarter · 9:42
Anthony Edwards makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Quarter · 8:14
Myles Turner makes 25-foot three point jumper (Kyle Kuzma assists)
2nd Quarter · 7:55
Jaden McDaniels makes 7-foot two point shot
2nd Quarter · 7:13
Anthony Edwards makes two point shot
2nd Quarter · 7:12
Anthony Edwards makes free throw 1 of 1
2nd Quarter · 6:46
Jaden McDaniels makes 25-foot three pointer
2nd Quarter · 6:26
Jonathan Kuminga makes 2-foot dunk (Bones Hyland assists)
2nd Quarter · 5:56
Rudy Gobert makes 1-foot dunk (Anthony Edwards assists)
2nd Quarter · 5:38
Jericho Sims makes 4-foot alley oop dunk (Gary Trent Jr. assists)
2nd Quarter · 5:04
Joan Beringer makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Quarter · 5:04
Joan Beringer makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Quarter · 4:53
Kyle Kuzma makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Quarter · 4:45
Jaden McDaniels makes running layup (Bones Hyland assists)
2nd Quarter · 4:06
LaMelo Ball makes 23-foot three point jumper (Terrence Shannon Jr. assists)
2nd Quarter · 3:01
Gary Trent Jr. makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Quarter · 3:01
Gary Trent Jr. makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Quarter · 2:51
Anthony Edwards makes 9-foot fade away jump shot (LaMelo Ball assists)
2nd Quarter · 2:21
Anthony Edwards makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Quarter · 2:21
Anthony Edwards makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Quarter · 1:47
Brayden Burries makes 24-foot running pullup jump shot (AJ Green assists)
2nd Quarter · 1:19
Gary Trent Jr. makes 25-foot three point jumper (Brayden Burries assists)
2nd Quarter · 1:07
LaMelo Ball makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Quarter · 1:07
LaMelo Ball makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Quarter · 53.0
Gary Trent Jr. makes 24-foot three point jumper (Brayden Burries assists)
2nd Quarter · 27.9
Kel'el Ware makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Quarter · 27.9
Kel'el Ware makes free throw 2 of 2
3rd Quarter · 11:42
Ryan Rollins makes 26-foot three point jumper (Tyler Herro assists)
3rd Quarter · 11:16
Trey Lyles makes 24-foot three point jumper (Terrence Shannon Jr. assists)
3rd Quarter · 11:03
Ryan Rollins makes 23-foot three point jumper (Tyler Herro assists)
3rd Quarter · 9:53
Ryan Rollins makes layup
3rd Quarter · 9:19
Terrence Shannon Jr. makes 1-foot driving dunk
3rd Quarter · 9:06
Tyler Herro makes 13-foot two point shot
3rd Quarter · 8:32
Joan Beringer makes 1-foot alley oop dunk (Jaylen Clark assists)
3rd Quarter · 8:20
Tyler Herro makes free throw 1 of 3
3rd Quarter · 8:20
Tyler Herro makes free throw 2 of 3
3rd Quarter · 8:20
Tyler Herro makes free throw 3 of 3
3rd Quarter · 7:51
Terrence Shannon Jr. makes free throw 2 of 2
3rd Quarter · 7:41
Myles Turner makes free throw 1 of 2
3rd Quarter · 7:41
Myles Turner makes free throw 2 of 2
3rd Quarter · 7:28
Terrence Shannon Jr. makes free throw 1 of 2
3rd Quarter · 7:28
Terrence Shannon Jr. makes free throw 2 of 2
3rd Quarter · 7:09
Zyon Pullin makes 9-foot driving floating jump shot (Terrence Shannon Jr. assists)
3rd Quarter · 6:33
Jaime Jaquez Jr. makes running layup (Kevin Porter Jr. assists)
3rd Quarter · 4:31
Kevin Porter Jr. makes free throw 2 of 3
3rd Quarter · 4:14
Kevin Porter Jr. makes two point shot
3rd Quarter · 4:07
Isaiah Evans makes free throw 1 of 2
3rd Quarter · 4:07
Isaiah Evans makes free throw 2 of 2
3rd Quarter · 3:22
Kevin Porter Jr. makes free throw 1 of 2
3rd Quarter · 3:22
Kevin Porter Jr. makes free throw 2 of 2
3rd Quarter · 2:58
Nate Ament makes 23-foot three point jumper (AJ Green assists)
3rd Quarter · 2:53
Zyon Pullin makes free throw 2 of 2
3rd Quarter · 2:04
Nate Ament makes two point shot
3rd Quarter · 2:04
Nate Ament makes free throw 1 of 1
3rd Quarter · 1:33
Enrique Freeman makes free throw 1 of 2
3rd Quarter · 1:33
Enrique Freeman makes free throw 2 of 2
3rd Quarter · 1:15
Zyon Pullin makes free throw 1 of 2
3rd Quarter · 54.8
Enrique Freeman makes running dunk (Cody Williams assists)
3rd Quarter · 16.4
Cody Williams makes free throw 1 of 2
4th Quarter · 11:35
Joan Beringer makes driving layup
4th Quarter · 10:52
Antonio Reeves makes 8-foot two point shot (Cody Williams assists)
4th Quarter · 10:29
KJ Martin makes 1-foot layup (Cody Williams assists)
4th Quarter · 10:13
AJ Green makes 25-foot three point jumper (Brayden Burries assists)
4th Quarter · 9:38
KJ Martin makes running layup (Antonio Reeves assists)
4th Quarter · 9:04
Cody Williams makes driving layup (Jaylen Clark assists)
4th Quarter · 8:44
Antonio Reeves makes two point shot
4th Quarter · 8:15
Joan Beringer makes 1-foot dunk (Cody Williams assists)
4th Quarter · 7:31
Gary Trent Jr. makes 24-foot three point jumper (Caris LeVert assists)
4th Quarter · 6:42
Cody Williams makes free throw 1 of 2
4th Quarter · 6:42
Cody Williams makes free throw 2 of 2
4th Quarter · 6:28
Nate Ament makes free throw 1 of 2
4th Quarter · 6:28
Nate Ament makes free throw 2 of 2
4th Quarter · 6:14
Zyon Pullin makes 10-foot two point shot (Drew Timme assists)
4th Quarter · 5:53
Brayden Burries makes 9-foot pullup jump shot
4th Quarter · 4:52
Brayden Burries makes driving layup
4th Quarter · 4:44
Zyon Pullin makes 1-foot two point shot
4th Quarter · 4:21
Zyon Pullin makes 8-foot driving floating jump shot
4th Quarter · 4:01
Kel'el Ware makes driving layup
4th Quarter · 3:42
Norchad Omier makes 2-foot layup (Antonio Reeves assists)
4th Quarter · 3:07
Pete Nance makes 22-foot three point jumper (Brayden Burries assists)
4th Quarter · 2:47
Antonio Reeves makes 24-foot three point jumper (Zyon Pullin assists)
4th Quarter · 2:17
Kel'el Ware makes 3-foot driving dunk
4th Quarter · 1:38
Antonio Reeves makes 9-foot floating jump shot
4th Quarter · 1:21
Antonio Reeves makes 23-foot running pullup jump shot
4th Quarter · 1:03
Kel'el Ware makes 1-foot driving floating jump shot (Brayden Burries assists)
4th Quarter · 44.0
Drew Timme makes 24-foot three point jumper (Norchad Omier assists)

Minnesota Timberwolves — Players

Player	MIN	PTS	FG	3PT	FT	REB	AST	TO	STL	BLK	OREB	DREB	PF	+/-
Jaden McDaniels	15	9	4-5	1-1	0-0	3	1	0	0	0	0	3	0	+10
Jonathan Kuminga	14	8	2-4	0-1	4-4	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	2	+12
Rudy Gobert	17	6	3-4	0-0	0-0	7	0	1	0	0	1	6	1	+6
LaMelo Ball	17	11	3-6	2-5	3-3	4	3	1	1	0	0	4	1	+2
Anthony Edwards	18	14	4-13	1-7	5-5	4	2	2	0	2	0	4	3	+13
Trey Lyles	12	3	1-4	1-4	0-0	2	0	0	0	0	2	0	1	+2
Drew Timme	6	3	1-1	1-1	0-0	0	1	0	2	0	0	0	0	+6
KJ Martin	9	4	2-3	0-0	0-0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	+5
Enrique Freeman	6	4	1-3	0-1	2-2	2	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	-2
Norchad Omier	9	2	1-2	0-1	0-0	2	1	2	1	0	1	1	1	+7
Cody Williams	10	5	1-3	0-2	3-4	2	4	0	0	0	0	2	1	+9
Isaiah Evans	8	2	0-6	0-4	2-2	3	0	1	1	0	0	3	0	+3
Joan Beringer	15	12	5-8	0-0	2-4	7	0	2	0	1	2	5	4	+7
Rocco Zikarsky	8	0	0-1	0-1	0-0	1	0	0	0	1	0	1	2	-1
Ayo Dosunmu	13	5	2-5	1-2	0-0	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	-5
Jaylen Clark	10	0	0-2	0-1	0-0	0	1	0	1	2	0	0	1	+4
Terrence Shannon Jr.	16	6	1-5	0-1	4-6	1	4	0	1	1	0	1	2	-5
Bones Hyland	9	0	0-2	0-1	0-0	2	2	1	1	0	0	2	0	+5
Antonio Reeves	12	12	5-5	2-2	0-0	3	2	0	1	0	2	1	0	+14
Zyon Pullin	16	10	4-5	0-0	2-4	2	1	1	0	0	0	2	1	+3

Milwaukee Bucks — Players

Player	MIN	PTS	FG	3PT	FT	REB	AST	TO	STL	BLK	OREB	DREB	PF	+/-
Kyle Kuzma	20	1	0-6	0-2	1-2	5	1	0	0	0	0	5	2	-13
Jaime Jaquez Jr.	18	5	2-7	1-4	0-0	1	1	2	0	0	1	0	2	-7
Myles Turner	19	7	1-5	1-4	4-4	5	1	1	1	1	0	5	1	-6
Tyler Herro	19	11	3-9	2-4	3-3	3	3	4	0	0	0	3	0	-11
Ryan Rollins	14	15	6-12	2-7	1-1	4	1	0	1	1	2	2	6	+9
Pete Nance	7	3	1-1	1-1	0-0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	-4
Nate Ament	14	8	2-4	1-1	3-3	2	0	0	0	0	1	1	2	-5
Jericho Sims	19	2	1-1	0-0	0-2	3	1	0	0	0	2	1	3	0
Kel'el Ware	24	14	5-11	2-6	2-2	12	0	0	1	1	3	9	3	-10
Caris LeVert	11	0	0-2	0-0	0-0	0	1	4	0	0	0	0	1	-16
Gary Trent Jr.	18	11	3-9	3-8	2-2	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	-8
Kevin Porter Jr.	19	7	1-6	0-1	5-9	3	2	1	0	0	2	1	3	-10
AJ Green	22	6	2-8	2-6	0-0	5	2	2	0	0	1	4	1	-2
Brayden Burries	16	7	3-10	1-3	0-0	2	5	3	2	0	2	0	4	-12

Minnesota Timberwolves — Team statistics

FG	40-87
Field Goal %	46
3PT	9-35
Three Point %	26
FT	27-34
Free Throw %	79
Rebounds	51
Offensive Rebounds	9
Defensive Rebounds	42
Assists	22
Steals	9
Blocks	7
Turnovers	11
Team Turnovers	2
Total Turnovers	13
Technical Fouls	0
Total Technical Fouls	0
Flagrant Fouls	0
Points Conceded Off Turnovers	11
Fast Break Points	26
Points in Paint	56
Fouls	23
Largest Lead	21
Lead Changes	4
Percent Led	96

Milwaukee Bucks — Team statistics

FG	30-91
Field Goal %	33
3PT	16-47
Three Point %	34
FT	21-28
Free Throw %	75
Rebounds	47
Offensive Rebounds	14
Defensive Rebounds	33
Assists	19
Steals	5
Blocks	3
Turnovers	17
Team Turnovers	1
Total Turnovers	18
Technical Fouls	0
Total Technical Fouls	0
Flagrant Fouls	0
Points Conceded Off Turnovers	20
Fast Break Points	9
Points in Paint	26
Fouls	28
Largest Lead	2
Lead Changes	4
Percent Led	2