Suns silence Target Center with gritty road win over Timberwolves 108-105

Sometimes, you just have to find a way. It’s a sports axiom as old as the peach basket itself, but for the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night, it was the only playbook that mattered.

Walking into the Target Center to face a Minnesota Timberwolves squad riding a five-game heater—and featuring arguably the most electric player in the league right now in Anthony Edwards—is no small ask. Yet, the Suns, playing without their usual star-studded safety net, clawed their way to a 108-105 victory that felt less like a basketball game and more like a street fight.

It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t perfect. But it was exactly the kind of gritty, “we’re not leaving without this” performance that defines a team’s character in the dog days of December.

Overcoming the Anthony Edwards Show

Let’s be honest: Anthony Edwards was spectacular. The 24-year-old superstar poured in 40 points, dazzling the 16,046 fans in attendance with the kind of athleticism that makes you question gravity. When Edwards is in that zone, stepping back for threes and driving into the teeth of the defense with reckless abandon, he feels inevitable.

But the Suns refused to be a footnote in his highlight reel. They weathered the storm. Every time Edwards punched, Phoenix counter-punched, not with a single superstar, but by committee. It was a collective digging in of heels.

“Everyone that was out there did a heck of a job to grind out a win,” the team shared via social media post-game, a sentiment that perfectly encapsulated the 48 minutes of basketball. It wasn’t about one hero; it was about five guys on the floor refusing to fold.

Mark Williams and the supporting cast step up

With the spotlight glaring elsewhere, Mark Williams quietly went to work. The big man was a force in the paint, tallying 22 points and pulling down 7 rebounds. He provided the stability the Suns desperately needed when the Timberwolves’ offense threatened to run away with the game.

But the real story of the night might be the bench mob and the role players. Collin Gillespie, often an unsung hero, erupted for 19 points, including a massive 12-point outburst in the fourth quarter. Gillespie hit shots when the air felt thin in the arena, silencing the crowd right when they were ready to explode.

Add in Dillon Brooks’ 18 points—bringing his trademark intensity and pestering defense—and you had a recipe for an upset. Brooks thrives in these hostile environments; he feeds off the boos, and tonight, he turned that energy into bucket-getting fuel.

The Turning Point: A Fourth Quarter Surge

The game hung in the balance entering the final frame, knotted at 84-all. This is usually where the home team, fueled by adrenaline and momentum, takes over. Instead, Phoenix flipped the script.

They opened the fourth quarter on a blistering 14-3 run. Suddenly, a tie game became a 98-87 lead. That burst was the cushion they needed, but they had to hold onto it for dear life.

The Timberwolves’ frustration boiled over earlier in the third quarter when Rudy Gobert was ejected for a flagrant foul. While Gobert had posted 15 points and 8 boards before his early exit, his absence left a gaping hole in the middle of Minnesota’s defense that Phoenix was all too happy to exploit down the stretch.

Surviving the Final Seconds

Even with the lead, nothing comes easy against Minnesota. The Wolves clawed back, cutting the deficit to a single possession. The tension in the Target Center was palpable as Jaden McDaniels launched a 3-pointer with just 3.7 seconds on the clock. It would have tied the game.

The ball hung in the air for what felt like an eternity before clanking off the iron. A collective groan from the home crowd, a collective exhale from the Suns bench. Phoenix survived.

Looking Ahead: NBA Cup Quarterfinals

This wasn’t just a regular-season win; it was a momentum builder. The Suns now head to Oklahoma City for a high-stakes NBA Cup quarterfinal matchup against the Thunder on Wednesday.

Going into OKC off a loss would have been tough. Going in after snapping a hot team’s win streak on their home floor? That gives you a different kind of swagger.

For Minnesota, it’s a tough pill to swallow. They visit Golden State on Friday, looking to start a new streak, knowing they let a winnable game slip through their fingers despite a heroic effort from their franchise star.

Tonight belonged to Phoenix. It wasn’t about flash. It was about heart. And sometimes, that’s more than enough.