Game Preview #73 – Timberwolves vs. Rockets

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Houston Rockets
Date: March 25th, 2026
Time: 8:30 PM CDT
Location: Target Center
Television Coverage: ESPN, FanDuel Sports Network – North
Radio Coverage: KFAN FM, Wolves App, iHeart Radio

When the Minnesota Timberwolves walked out of TD Garden with a victory, their first in that building since 2005, it wasn’t just another road win. It was the kind of bizarre, rollercoaster performance that perfectly encapsulates this entire Timberwolves season.

Maybe even more impressively, it was the second time in about a month they slayed a two-decade dragon. First Toronto. Now Boston. What’s next? A 37-year NBA Finals drought???

But here’s the thing. If you tuned in early, you probably weren’t thinking “professional win.” You were thinking, “Oh no, here we go again...“

The Wolves Flip the Script

The opening minutes looked exactly like a team missing its superstar playing on the road against a contender. The Wolves came out disjointed, sloppy, and unable to buy a basket. They were turning the ball over and struggling to generate any sort of offensive rhythm. Boston held a 15-point lead in the 2nd quarter, and it felt like one of those nights where the postgame write-up basically writes itself: “They fought hard, but without Edwards…”

And then, because this team refuses to follow any predictable script, they flipped it. Minnesota steadied itself. The defense tightened. The ball movement improved. Shots started to fall. And slowly but surely, that 15-point deficit disappeared… until somehow, almost unbelievably, the Wolves took the lead into halftime on a Bones Hyland buzzer beater.

Right on cue, the third quarter began with Boston ripping off an 11–0 run, part of a brutal trend where Minnesota was outscored 22–2 to start the first and third quarters combined. That’s the kind of stat that usually ends games. That’s the moment where most teams, especially shorthanded ones, fold.

But not this group. Not on this night. Instead of spiraling, they regrouped again. The defense locked back in. The offense found its footing. And from that point forward, Minnesota outplayed Boston on its home floor, grinding out a win that had no business existing based on how the game started.

That’s the paradox of this team in a nutshell. They can look completely lost… and then turn around and beat a contender in its own building.

Without Anthony Edwards, this game needed someone, or multiple someones, to step into the vacuum. And once again, it was the backcourt duo of Ayo Dosunmu and Bones Highland who answered the call.

Ayo continues to look like one of the most important midseason additions this team has made in years. He plays with control, makes smart reads, and most importantly, shoots with confidence and efficiency. When he’s knocking down threes and keeping the offense moving, the Wolves feel organized, which is something that hasn’t always been the case this season.

Bones, meanwhile, brought exactly what Bones always brings: instant offense. The kind of microwave scoring that can swing a quarter in a matter of minutes. His ability to heat up quickly has become invaluable in this stretch without Edwards.

Together, they provided the offensive spark Minnesota needed, continuing a trend that’s quietly become one of the most important storylines of the Edwards absence.

Here’s what makes this win both encouraging and frustrating at the same time. The Wolves have now shown they can beat elite teams, even on the road, without Anthony Edwards. And yet, against the teams they’re directly battling in the standings? They’re 2–9 against the Lakers, Nuggets, Suns, and Rockets.

That’s not bad luck. That’s a pattern.

Which is why what comes next matters more than what just happened.

Houston and a Season-Altering Opportunity

Wednesday’s matchup against Houston isn’t just another game.

The Wolves are tied in the standings with the Rockets, and unlike with the Lakers or Nuggets, this is one of the few scenarios where Minnesota can still flip the tiebreaker in its favor.

Win this game, and suddenly you’re talking about climbing into the top four. Lose it, and you’re once again chasing ground you’ve already given away too many times this season.

And the Wolves will likely have to do it, again, without Anthony Edwards.

Which means everything we saw in Boston needs to carry over.

#1. Lean into connected, disciplined team defense.
What worked in Boston wasn’t just effort. It was structure. The Wolves stayed connected, rotated properly, and forced the Celtics into difficult looks while limiting the damage from secondary options. Against Houston, that same formula has to apply. You’re not stopping Kevin Durant. You’re trying to contain him, and that requires five-man defensive cohesion, not just individual matchups.

#2. Win the rebounding battle and control the paint.
Houston is a physical team that thrives on second-chance opportunities. If Gobert and Randle don’t show up on the glass, this game will tilt quickly. Minnesota has to treat every missed shot like a 50/50 ball and put forth pure effort on the boards. This is a game where Gobert needs to feel like a vacuum.

#3. Continue the backcourt production without Edwards.
Ayo and Bones don’t need to replicate Edwards individually. but collectively, they need to continue filling that scoring and playmaking gap. If they can combine for another strong offensive performance, it gives Minnesota a legitimate pathway to generating enough offense against a tough Houston defense.

#4. Demand more from Randle and McDaniels as offensive initiators.
Without Edwards, the burden shifts. Randle needs to be both a scorer and facilitator, while McDaniels has to remain aggressive and attack mismatches. Passive play from either one will stall the offense and allow Houston to dictate the game.

#5. Stay composed when the game tightens.
This is where the Wolves have failed repeatedly this season. In big moments of big games with big stakes, things have unraveled. Against Houston, that cannot happen. The Wolves need to stay within themselves, avoid the careless turnovers, play settled and focused basketball, and trust the system that worked in Boston.

A Chance to Change the Narrative

Beating Boston was impressive. Beating Houston would be meaningful.

Because this season, more than anything, has been defined by missed opportunities in games that matter most.

This is one of those games.

The Wolves have shown they can rise to the occasion. Now they have to prove they can do it when it actually changes something.

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Can Pegula snap skid vs. Rybakina?

MIAMI — With Coco Gauff and Karolina Muchova booking their spots n the semifinals of the Miami Open Tuesday, the final two will be determined in Wednesday’s quarterfinals.

World No. 2 Elena Rybakina and No. 5 Jessica Pegula will encounter for the third time this season, while reigning champion and top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka will face a red-hot Hailey Baptiste, who eyes a major upset for her second WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz semifinal.

Here’s everything to know about Wednesday’s quarterfinal matchups:

Rybakina vs. Pegula

Head-to-Head: Rybakina leads 5-3
Last meeting: Rybakina d. Pegula 6-1, 7-6 (4) at 2026 Indian Wells quarters

Why Rybakina? This matchup has become quite the common occurrence as of late, with Wednesday’s meeting being the third this year on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz and fifth since September, including Billie Jean King cup. Rybakina has won the last four against Pegula, including the semifinals of the 2025 WTA Finals and 2026 Australian Open, both of which the Kazakh ultimately lifted the champion’s trophy.

In Miami, Rybakina hasn’t dropped a set, not conceding more than four games in any of them. On serve, she’s only been broken once, saving six of the seven break points she has faced. Pegula however has broken Rybakina eight times combined in their last three matchups, but if Rybakina can hold as she commonly does, it’ll keep Pegula at bay.

“Definitely I need to serve well,” Rybakina said. “That’s my biggest weapon, and try to be fresh and move well because here it’s a little bit faster than last match we played at Indian Wells. The ball doesn’t bounce as much”

On the line: From last year’s Miami Open, Rybakina could win her 16th match against a top 10 player in the PIF WTA Rankings. Only Sabalenka (17) has more.*

Why Pegula? Aside from Rybakina and Sabalenka, Pegula has arguably been playing as one of the top three players on tour right now. Aside from a quarterfinal defeat, to Rybakina, at Indian Wells, she had a stretch of seven consecutive tournaments where she reached the semifinals, including her run to the Dubai title in February.

The American is serving incredibly, coming into the tournament ranked fifth in aces, and she’s now reached her fifth straight Miami quarterfinal. Pegula can compete with Rybakina, and each of their last two meetings has seen the second set go to a tiebreak that Pegula just fell short.

“I wish I was playing her a bit later in the tournament, but she’s kind of the player to beat right now,” Pegula said of Rybakina. “Between Aryna and her, I think they are the two best players in the world right now when they’re at their best.

“Just going to have to figure out something different that I can do to hopefully take it a little bit further and try at least get a set or get the win next time we play.”

On the line: With a win, Pegula could reach her eighth semifinal in her last nine tour-level events.

Sabalenka vs. Baptiste

Head-to-Head: First career meeting

Why Sabalenka? The World No. 1 Sabalenka has been a formiddable opponent for anyone, having just lost one match this season (Australian Open final to Rybakina). She’s already claimed two trophies in Brisbane and Indian Wells, and with a win in Miami, she can sweep the Sunshine Double and defend her crown from a year ago.

Aside from the WTA Finals in Riyadh (where there’s only eight participants), she’s reached 15 straight tournament quarterfinals, and last lost to an unseeded opponent in the semifinals of Berlin last June. Her power stacks up well against player on tour, and that will be a key factor against an opponent who also thrives on her serve.

“I feel like my team already have a game plan, but tomorrow, we’re definitely going to watch some tennis,” Sabalenka said. “We’re going to have a hit and prepare as good as possible for the match.

“I’ve been watching couple of games of her. She’s playing great tennis. Great variety in the game, great serving.”

On the line: If Sabalenka wins in straight sets, she’ll have 10 consecutive victories at the Miami Open at two sets to love. Only Serena Williams has more with 11 from 2002 to 2003.*

Why Baptiste? The World No. 45 is the lone unseeded player remaining in the Miami field, and she’ll have her first crack at a World No. 1 matchup. Defeating three seeded players in [19] Liudmila Samsonova, [9] Elina Svitolina and [25] Jelena Ostapenko so far, Baptiste has won four straight main draw tour-level matches for the first time in her career.

All four wins has been in straight sets, and she notched 11 aces vs. Ostapenko. She’s yet to the face the power of Sabalenka, but she’ll have nothing to lose as this is just her third tour-level quarterfinal. Though she did not have a first-round bye like the other quarterfinalists, her 103 winners are most of any player.

“I think that I’ve always believed that, and I’ve always known that I know what I can do on the court,” Baptiste said. “There’s a few things that I need to fix and get better at, and I think I’ve just paid more attention to that and focused on those things a little bit more, and just taking my time and trusting the process.”

On the line: With a win, Baptiste is guaranteed to equal her best finish at a WTA event, reaching the semifinals in Abu Dhabi during the Middle East swing.*

Data courtesy of OptaFacts

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New Purple Alert system activated for first time in Smithfield missing teen case

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CRANSTON, R.I. (WJAR) — A new alert system in Rhode Island, designed to notify the public when adults with disabilities are reported missing, went live earlier this year.

This week marks one year since the case that inspired the new system: a 45-year-old autistic woman who disappeared in Cranston and was found days later curled up in the back of a car.

Once a person is confirmed missing, local police work with state police to issue a Purple Alert, which appears on highway message boards, television and radio broadcasts, and through news and social media.

Cranston Police Major Todd Patalano, who helped develop the legislation, said the goal is to ensure the public is aware of a missing person. (WJAR)

Cranston Police Maj. Todd Patalano, who helped develop the legislation, said the goal is to ensure the public is aware of a missing person.

“We can put out a broadcast, and this person has a very high likelihood of being found expeditiously,” he said. “When you see a Purple Alert, an Amber Alert, a Silver Alert, we want people to pay attention and start looking.”

The system was used for the first time on March 16 in Smithfield when a 16-year-old boy was reported missing.

Police worked with Rhode Island Emergency Management and state police to issue an alert.

A Rhode Island Energy employee spotted the boy on Douglas Pike and flagged down officers searching nearby.

Police said it’s unclear whether the Purple Alert directly led to the tip, but public awareness played a key role.

Advocates say not all parts of the alert system may have been fully utilized in that case, raising questions about implementation. But officials say that’s expected with any new system.

“It does not appear that all components of the PURPLE alert notification system were fully utilized in this situation, particularly the broad public notification aspect,” the Ocean State Center For Independent Living said in a statement to NBC 10 News. It added it “raises important questions about implementation.”

“As with any case, there’s always going to be kinks,” Patalano said, adding he’s “confident” alerts will be issued quickly when needed.

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Injury Notes: Brooks, Williams, Ivey, Embiid, Shamet

By Rory Maher |
at March 23, 2026 6:56 pm

The Suns could get a couple of starters back from injuries next week, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link), who expects Dillon Brooks to return early in the team’s road trip and Mark Williams to be back later in the week. Phoenix’s road trip begins next Monday in Memphis and concludes the following Sunday at Chicago.

Brooks underwent surgery last month to repair a fractured left hand. The 30-year-old wing is four weeks removed from that injury, which was expected to sideline him around four-to-six weeks.

Williams, meanwhile, has been out since March 3 after being diagnosed with a stress reaction in his left foot. The 24-year-old center will be a restricted free agent this summer.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

The Bulls upgraded Jaden Ivey (left knee soreness) to questionable on Sunday before downgrading him to out. He’ll miss his 16th consecutive game Monday against Houston. According to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link), Ivey recently returned to practice but he banged knees with a teammate and will be seen by a doctor on Monday night. Head coach Billy Donovan previously said Ivey, an impending restricted free agent, would travel on Chicago’s four-game road trip; that’s now up in the air after his new injury.
Sixers star Joel Embiid went through Monday’s shootaround and also did some individual work afterward, tweets Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports. The veteran center, who is recovering from a right oblique strain, is expected to go through a more rigorous workout on Tuesday and will be reevaluated after that, Bodner adds. Monday marks Embiid’s 13th consecutive absence.
Knicks wing Landry Shamet is out again Tuesday due to a tibial plateau contusion, also known as a bone bruise, in his right knee, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (All Twitter links). Shamet suffered the injury in Friday’s game at Brooklyn and sat out Sunday’s win over Washington. However, Bondy hears it isn’t serious and expects the veteran guard/forward to return “within a few games, if that.” Shamet has been a key reserve for New York this season, Bondy notes.