With 8 minutes, 33 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter of their game against the Kings on Jan. 27, the Timberwolves led 105-84 after a three-point play from Karl-Anthony Towns. Their win probability, according to ESPN, was 99.9%. It seemed even closer to a sure thing than that.
It was still at 99.9% even after the Kings had cut it to 12 with 1:18 to play on a pair of De'Aaron Fox free throws.
But what transpired that night — which was only a few months ago — hadn't happened in NBA history, at least recent NBA history.