The undermanned Portland Trail Blazers showed heart and pluck on the road against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night. In the end, those intangibles eventually succumbed to talent, as Portland fell 119-114.
Anfernee Simons and a tag team of role players fought the star-powered Wolves for 48 minutes. They answered every bell and run to maintain striking distance with the Western Conference juggernaut, forcing Minnesota to earn it.
Simons, the only regular starter in the lineup, registered 34 points on 13-26 shooting, five rebounds and a whopping 14 assists. Temporary starter Duop Reath also enjoyed a great night with 26 points on 10-14 shooting, including five triples.