MINNEAPOLIS — Julius Randle hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to cap his 35-point night and lift the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 120-117 win over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday afternoon.
Randle and the Wolves got the ball back with just 2.1 seconds remaining and called a timeout to advance the ball. The ball found Randle, who hit a 24-footer as time expired.
With veteran Joe Ingles coming into the game solely to inbound the ball, he found Randle at the top of the key. Randle took two dribbles, shook defender Josh Okogie, stepped back and fired from 3.
The buzzer sounded just after the ball left Randle's hands. When the shot dropped through the net, the Target Center crowd erupted, and Randle's teammates mobbed him on the court.
"Really the fun part was just seeing how my teammates celebrate,” Randle said. “We’re a very connected group, and we’re going to celebrate each others’ success. So for me, that was the coolest part.”
Randle's 35 points were the most he's scored since joining the Wolves in a deal that sent Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks and also brought Donte DiVincenzo to Minnesota.
Making the moment extra special for Randle was that both of his sons were at the game. While Randle said his older son is at most games, his younger son typically isn't. But he was in the building along with 18,977 other fans to witness his dad's shot.
“I think this is maybe his second game he's come to. He hates them,” Randle said of his 3-year-old son. “For him to be here and hit the shot in front of him is pretty cool.”
Minnesota overcame a season-high 44 points from Devin Booker, who needed to carry the offensive load for a Suns team still missing Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal with injuries.
Anthony Edwards added 24 points for Minnesota, most of that coming in the second half. He also picked up a technical foul on the same day he was fined by the league for an obscene gesture he made in Friday’s win over Sacramento.
Grayson Allen scored 18 points off the bench for Phoenix, including a few 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.
Suns: Phoenix led by as many as 16 points in the first half but let the Wolves hang around after halftime, which eventually cost it in the end.
Timberwolves: This was Randle's best game as a Timberwolf since he was acquired in a blockbuster trade from the Knicks before the season. He was Minnesota's most consistent scorer all game and capped the night with the winning shot.
A timeout gave the Timberwolves the ability to advance the ball up the floor and allowed Minnesota to run the out-of-bounds play that ended with Randle's 3.
Edwards was quiet in the first half for Minnesota, scoring just four points. It was his lowest point total in the first half this season and came when the Timberwolves needed a lift as they trailed by double digits.
The Suns host Orlando on Monday, while the Timberwolves play at the Raptors on Thursday.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to four major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Cardinals have made State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers play at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.
Phoenix also has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC, who play at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium in Phoenix.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events every year, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the WM Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall, including Championship Weekend in November; and Cactus League Spring Training for 15 Major League Baseball franchises.
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