Celtics outlast Timberwolves in gritty showdown, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum lead the way

In an electrifying match that had fans on the edge of their seats, the Boston Celtics edged out the Minnesota Timberwolves 104-102 on Wednesday night. Led by Jaylen Brown, who scored an impressive 35 points, and Jayson Tatum, who added 22, the Celtics clinched their third victory in four games.

Despite a tough shooting night, Boston managed to secure the win with Malcolm Brogdon contributing 12 points off the bench. The Celtics shot 40.5% from the field and only 30% from 3-point territory. However, they managed to maintain their lead throughout the game, winning most of the clutch situations.

Anthony Edwards was the highest scorer for Minnesota with 28 points and 10 rebounds, followed by Kyle Anderson and Naz Reid, who each scored 15 points. Despite their best efforts, the Timberwolves lost their third game in four and now sit seventh in the West, one game ahead of Oklahoma City, Dallas, and the Los Angeles Lakers.

In a tense moment, with the game tied at 101-101, Edwards missed a crucial 3-pointer that would have given the Timberwolves their first lead since the first quarter. Grant Williams, who collected an offensive rebound for Boston, won a jump ball after being tied up. Tatum then finished the game with a pair of free throws. Edwards and Anderson were ejected with 1.7 seconds left after arguing with officials.

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla praised his team's physicality and competitive nature, saying, "I thought our physicality, that competitive nature was at a 10, and we just have to continue to execute the margins in clutch situations."

The game was not without controversy, with Brown being assessed a technical foul in the first half after an altercation with Rudy Gobert. Gobert was given a Flagrant I foul in the second half after challenging a dunk from Tatum. Gobert hit Tatum with his hands as he elevated, causing him to fall hard to the court. Moments earlier, Gobert also received a technical foul for hanging on the rim after a dunk.

The Wolves' coach, Chris Finch, expressed his frustration, saying, "I just thought it was just rough. You know, it was really rough out there. A little unbalanced at times."

The Celtics' victory leaves them a game ahead of Philadelphia for second place in the Eastern Conference and only 2.5 games behind Milwaukee for first. They will play the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday, while the Timberwolves will take on the Chicago Bulls.