With Edwards leading and Russell sitting, Timberwolves finish strong in win

After the Timberwolves lost six consecutive games, coach Chris Finch said he was going to re-examine how he was doling out minutes. In other words, whatever combination of players Finch thinks gives the Wolves the best chance to win a game is going to play.

From the way Finch made it sound, there would be fewer crunch time minutes for players just based on their large salaries or previous pedigree, and more minutes for who was playing well that particular night.

So in the fourth quarter of Wednesday's 113-106 win over Portland, Finch stuck with a lineup of Anthony Edwards, Austin Rivers, Rudy Gobert, Kyle Anderson and Taurean Prince, who returned after a 20-game absence because of a shoulder injury. When asked if that lineup was indicative of this newly installed meritocracy, Finch said, "Heck yeah. A hundred percent."

Notably absent from the last 9 minutes, 23 seconds was D'Angelo Russell, who had nine points on 1-for-6 shooting to go with seven assists.

As Finch explained afterward, the decision to sit Russell wasn't an indictment on how Russell was playing, and even praised Russell's defense of Anfernee Simons, but the group who closed the game was just doing it well. They stayed on the floor, and it paid off in a victory.

"It was nothing anti-DLo about the way we closed the game," Finch said. "For me, it came down to stops. Those two guards [Damian Lillard and Simons] are so explosive. … We wanted to be a heavy switch team and we wanted to control the perimeter and have Rudy controlling the paint. That lineup gave us the best chance to do that."

The defense worked the way Finch envisioned, with the Trail Blazers scoring just 11 points after they cut the Wolves lead to 96-95 with 6:03 to play.

Offensively, the lineup worked because Anthony Edwards continues to blossom as a playmaker with the ball in his hands, especially in key situations. He said he was feeling tired toward the end of the game; his teammates kept telling him to power through.

"They was like, 'Man, I don't care how tired you is, bro. You've got to win this game,' " Edwards said.

His three with 3:08 left gave the Wolves a 105-100 lead and Portland never got within a single possession again.

Edwards didn't have an efficient box score (just 11-for-26 and 32 points), but he was 5-for-9 for 13 points in the fourth quarter as he hit several key baskets that helped the Wolves pull away. When asked if he's earned Finch's trust to run the offense in those situations, Edwards said, "I hope."

"He did an unbelievable job tonight of playing with great force in that last five minutes," Finch said.

Added Edwards: "Finch is my dog. Whatever he calls, we're going to run it, whether it's for me, whoever it's for, we're going to run it."

Luka Garza pitched in 14 points on a perfect 5-for-5 off the bench. Rivers (seven points), along with Prince (11) and Jaden McDaniels (eight) helped keep Lillard from an explosive game. He had 27 points on 7-for-18 from the field but was 11-for-15 at the foul line. Gobert was active on both ends of the floor with 17 points and 12 rebounds.

But it was Edwards making most of the right plays at the end of the game.

His desire to do that has earned the respect of his teammates, even during times when he may make the wrong move, Rivers said. Rivers spoke glowingly about Edwards' development and marveled that Edwards wouldn't hit his peak for another six years or so.

"The young dude listens," Rivers said. "That's the most impressive thing about Ant since I've been here. Usually a guy like that, it's hard to talk to sometimes just because they got everything. But he doesn't act like that. He just continually wants to get better."

The Wolves need him to stay on that track.