Entering Monday night, the Timberwolves had won two consecutive games just once this season.
For the Wolves, that statistic was like an Acme anvil weighing down Wile E. Coyote, with the Road Runner representing NBA competency in this metaphor.
The Wolves finally unburdened themselves of this dubious distinction in a 105-104 victory over the Jazz at Target Center. It was their second victory in three nights over the team that, at 44-17, has the league's best record. Utah was also the second vanquished foe when the Wolves started 2-0 to open the season.
"We're building," D'Angelo Russell said. "It gives us something to build on. We've got all the excuses in the world to say why we're not where we're supposed to be, but we get a glimpse of it and just a taste of us winning here and there."
Russell hit one of the easiest game-winning shots he will ever hit, a wide-open layup with 4.2 seconds remaining that came as a result of Utah's hyperfocus on Karl-Anthony Towns coming out of a timeout.
All night, Utah wanted to have at least two people near Towns to keep him from getting the ball and scoring. In the final seconds the Wolves made Utah pay for that strategy.
After Mike Conley hit a three-pointer to put Utah ahead 104-103 with 6.4 seconds remaining, Wolves coach Chris Finch called a timeout to draw up a play that involved multiple screens among Towns, Russell and Anthony Edwards. After Russell set a screen for Towns, who popped out toward half-court, both defenders went with Towns. That allowed Russell to slip to the basket unguarded for the easy layup after an inbounds pass from Ricky Rubio.
"I can't stress how good it felt," Towns said of watching Russell score. "All game I had so much attention on me. They did a really good job of just doing their defensive gameplan, but I told D-Lo, 'How good does that feel that you're on a team with someone who draws as much attention as you or even more where the last play of the game can be a game-winning layup by yourself?' "
