The TD Garden has been a tough place to play for opponents over the years but no one has had it quite as tough in Boston as the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Celtics 107-105 win over the Wolves on Sunday afternoon continued the team’s absolute dominance over their Western Conference foe, giving them 18 consecutive wins over Minnesota in Boston. The Wolves had a chance to break the streak in the closing seconds on Sunday but Naz Reid missed a potential game-winning 3 as time expired.
The Celtics’ run of success over the Wolves dates back to March 2005 when Latrell Sprewell, Sam Cassell and Kevin Garnett helped the Wolves rally for a last-second win on the parquet.
Since then? It’s been an 0-18 run for the Wolves in Boston which incredibly isn’t their worst road losing stretch in progress. Minnesota has also lost 20 straight games against the Raptors in Toronto.
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The Wolves have had a few close calls in Boston over the years including a shorthanded overtime loss last January. Minnesota has also had a number of respectable playoff teams during that 18-game losing streak which makes their ugly streak even more puzzling.
On Sunday, they had nearly their full rotation outside of injured point guard Mike Conley but it wasn’t enough against Boston’s All-Star duo. The setback dropped Minnesota back to .500 on the season at 8-8, extending what has been an underwhelming start to the year. Minnesota’s blockbuster deal for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo just days before the start of training camp has not paid dividends just yet as the chemistry with Minnesota’s starters continues to be a work in progress.
The Celtics will face the Wolves in Minnesota on January 2 where they will look to avenge an overtime loss last year at the Target Center.
