The Minnesota Timberwolves entered Sunday evening with absolutely no chance of making it. They were on the road in Boston without their superstar, Anthony Edwards, and down 15 points in the second quarter with everything going against them.
But what followed soon was one of the most stunning results of the regular season.
NBA Analysts Reacted to the Timberwolves’ Historic Win Over the Celtics
The Timberwolves managed to turn up the heat with a 102-92 victory at TD Garden, ending their 21-year, 18-game losing streak in stunning fashion.
What made the reaction so loud wasn’t just the drought ending. It was how it happened.
Minnesota trailed by 15 points in the second quarter, rallied without Edwards, and then proceeded to stifle the Celtics’ shooting in the fourth quarter during a decisive 16-0 run. They soon turned a deficit into an incredible victory.
For a team considered a postseason contender, Boston’s fourth quarter was difficult to watch.
Celtics in the 4th quarter tonight:
🧱 15 PTS
🧱 5-27 FG
🧱 0-7 3P
Lose to Wolves at home for 1st time since 2006 pic.twitter.com/eocWnlTmhb
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) March 23, 2026
Just to add further perspective on how important this feat is, the last time Minnesota defeated Boston was when the lineup had names like Latrell Sprewell, Kevin Garnett, John Thomas, Trenton Hassell, and Troy Hudson.
Of course, the basketball world had to say a lot about it.
Star Tribune Timberwolves reporter Chris Hine put the historical weight of the moment into perfect perspective.
“For those wondering, ‘Candy Shop’ by 50 Cent was the No. 1 song in the country the last time the Timberwolves won in Boston.” The reference landed because it said everything. This was not just a win; it was the closing of a chapter that stretched back to a completely different era of basketball.
For those wondering, “Candy Shop” by 50 Cent was the No. 1 song in the country the last time the Timberwolves won in Boston.
— Chris Hine (@ChristopherHine) March 23, 2026
Bleacher Report’s Molly Morrison captured the collective confusion the Timberwolves tend to inspire.
“The Timberwolves might be the most confusing team in the league.” The line probably landed because it is entirely accurate. The Wolves are a team capable of losing to anyone and beating anyone, often without much explanation.
the timberwolves might be the most confusing team in the league
— Molly Morrison (@mollyhannahm) March 23, 2026
Writer Law Murray zeroed in on the franchise context.
“Timberwolves won in Boston for first time since the KG trade 😵” The significance is that Minnesota hasn’t had a moment like this in Boston since the trade that defined a generation of Wolves basketball. Sunday’s win came without their current franchise star, making it all the more remarkable.
Timberwolves won in Boston for first time since the KG trade 😵
— Law Murray 🕯️ (@LawMurrayTheNU) March 23, 2026
Timberwolves beat reporter Dane Moore highlighted the tactical story behind the result. “The Wolves’ bench dominated the Cetlics’ bench tonight. When the Wolves went small with Naz Reid at the 5 and let Bones Hyland and Ayo Dosunmu (started for Ant) steer the ship. I’d imagine the numbers will say the Wolves dominated the minutes all three of Reid, Hyland and Dosunmu were on the floor.”
Minnesota’s depth and bench execution in the fourth quarter was the difference, and Moore’s read on the matchup explains exactly why.
The Wolves’ bench dominated the Cetlics’ bench tonight.
When the Wolves went small with Naz Reid at the 5 and let Bones Hyland and Ayo Dosunmu (started for Ant) steer the ship. I’d imagine the numbers will say the Wolves dominated the minutes all three of Reid, Hyland and…
— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) March 23, 2026
The Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn summed up Boston’s night bluntly. “#Celtics lose to Ant-less #Timberwolves 102-92, a defensive clinic by Minnesota. BOS was 5 for 26 FG in the 4Q, and that includes late buckets from Shulga and Bassey. Brown 29, Tatum 16, White 15, Pritchard 10. 9 3pt made for BOS, second-lowest total of season.”
The caveat about garbage-time buckets only made the shooting numbers more embarrassing. The Celtics’ fourth quarter was one of the worst stretches of basketball they have played all season.
#Celtics lose to Ant-less #Timberwolves 102-92, a defensive clinic by Minnesota. BOS was 5 for 26 FG in the 4Q, and that includes late buckets from Shulga and Bassey. Brown 29, Tatum 16, White 15, Pritchard 10. 9 3pt made for BOS, second-lowest total of season.
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) March 23, 2026
How the Timberwolves Rallied Without Anthony Edwards To Silence TD Garden
The game itself was a tale of two halves. Boston built a 15-point lead in the second quarter and appeared to be cruising, but Minnesota refused to fold.
Edwards has been sidelined for four straight games with right knee inflammation, and in his place, Bones Hyland stepped up with a team-high 23 points off the bench. Jaden McDaniels added 19 points, and Ayo Dosunmu, who was starting in Edwards’ place, contributed 17 points, eight rebounds, and six assists.
Naz Reid, returning from a two-game absence with a sprained ankle, scored eight of his 11 points during the decisive 16-0 fourth-quarter run, including a three-point play and a triple that effectively ended the contest.
Hyland’s three-pointer from the right wing with 9:05 remaining pushed the Wolves ahead for good. From that point, Boston had no answers. The Celtics’ fourth quarter, which produced 23 points on poor shooting, contributed to their second-lowest three-point total of the season.
Jaylen Brown led Boston with 29 points, while Jayson Tatum, playing his eighth game back from Achilles tendon surgery, scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds after a scoreless first half. The loss snapped the Celtics’ four-game winning streak and left them just a half-game ahead of the New York Knicks in second place in the Eastern Conference.
Minnesota improves to 44-28 and remains sixth in the West. With Edwards expected back soon and the team having just demonstrated they can win without him in the biggest of environments, the Timberwolves head into the postseason stretch having answered at least one question: they are more than capable of hurting you on any given night, in any building, with or without their best player.
