Jaylen Brown (41 points) can’t save the day as Celtics open weekend trip with loss to Timberwolves
Brown attempted just four free throws, and one of those was after an Edwards technical foul, meaning he drew just two shooting fouls. And despite being eighth in the NBA in scoring, he is 34th in the league in free throw attempts, and he’s wondering why he does not get calls he feels he deserves.
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“I’m one of the most aggressive downhill players in the league,” Brown said. “Nobody’s as aggressive as me and I don’t understand. Night to night it’s the same thing. I don’t get it. Maybe somebody can help me out with that one. I shoot four free throws and I’m aggressive the whole game.
“I watch around the league and other guys get these certain calls, and I don’t understand.”
What’s more, no Celtic besides Brown and Neemias Queta attempted a free throw until the final minute. With the Timberwolves leading, 98-94, with 7:47 left, Minnesota’s Donte DiVincenzo appeared to tackle White while playing dogged defense and the two fell to the floor. Official Dannica Baroody called a jump ball that was won by Minnesota, resulting in a Boston turnover.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla, trying to avoid a fine, said this about the non-call: “It was first and 10, one of their guys had a great tackle on Derrick there on the sideline for a tackle for loss. That was really good by them so our offensive line’s got to do a better job of winning in the trenches. Our offensive line has to be better. We can’t get dominated in the trenches.”
Boston, which led by 10 at halftime, again struggled to score in the first half of the fourth quarter and Edwards’s layup completed a 14-4 run for a 110-98 lead with 3:50 left.
The Celtics battled back, using four free throws by Queta, a Brown layup, and 3-pointers by White and Brown to tie it with 1:38 left. Edwards then missed a contested three and Brown chased the rebound but tipped the ball out of bounds.
Moments later, veteran Mike Conley put the Timberwolves ahead for good with a corner 3-pointer. The Celtics managed just 36.4 percent shooting in the second half and missed 17 of 24 3-point attempts. Besides Brown and Queta, the Celtics were 9 for 29 shooting after halftime, failing to match Minnesota’s shot making.
The Timberwolves were 12 for 24 from the 3-point line and made 51.3 percent of their shot attempts in the second half.
Celtics center Neemias Queta blocked a shot by the Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards in the first half.Lily Dozier/Associated Press
“At the end of the third, beginning of the fourth, we had our small lineup in there and just didn’t do a great job creating enough advantages and their individual defense was good,” Mazzulla said. “We have to work extra hard to create those advantages versus bigger, physical teams. They upped their physicality and we have to create better [mismatches] with our speed or with our screening or dribble drive.”
Queta, who returned after a one-game absence with a sprained left ankle, turned in perhaps his best game as a Celtic with 19 points on 7-for-8 shooting and 18 rebounds (eight offensive). He was a force in the paint as the Timberwolves began throwing bodies at Brown and Queta was open for pocket passes.
Queta said the ankle did not present issues during the game.
“We’re just trying to keep it feeling good and we’re on the right path,” he said. “The more I played the more comfortable I felt, so pretty much 100 percent.”
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Saturday was a return game for Luka Garza and Josh Minott, each of whom spent the past few seasons with the Timberwolves, mostly as little-used reserves. Minott, a second-round draft pick in 2022, spent three seasons with Minnesota, mostly with G League Iowa. But he returned as a solid contributor and occasional starter for the Celtics. Minott finished with 5 points in 16 minutes, hitting a 3-pointer in the second half and then pointing to the Minnesota bench in celebration.
“Just appreciative, where I started my career,” Minott told the Globe. “The development was great. It wasn’t like I was sitting on my ass for three years. A great environment, great group of people. I don’t think anybody in this city would say I left on a sour note. I loved everybody here and to my knowledge I think they all loved me.
“I haven’t really thought about it until this conversation but it’s almost like me showing them that I wasn’t just [expletive] for three years. Every time I go out there and have a good game, almost tipping my hat to them a little bit.”
Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at gary.washburn@globe.com. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe.
