MINNEAPOLIS – The Phoenix Suns and Minnesota Timberwolves can empathize with one another.
They have suffered without a postseason appearance since a conference finals run – the Suns in 2010 and the Timberwolves in 2004 – and neither ended the drought this season.
They are bottom-five teams leaning on youth and trying to steal feel-good moments for momentum into next season. Minnesota seemingly had its confidence builder when it constructed a 20-point lead but the Suns’ furious fourth-quarter rally nearly stole their joy until Minnesota closed stronger for a 121-116 victory Monday night at Target Center.
The Suns were getting buried by their turnovers, fouls and other errors to trail 99-79 in the final minute of the third quarter, when a Suns lineup of Ronnie Price, Devin Booker, Chase Budinger, Mirza Teletovic and Alex Len mounted a rally.