After a monster Jaylen Brown first-half performance had the Boston Celtics up double digits in the first half against the Timberwolves, the offense cratered for most of the second half. A late 12-0 run backed by triples by Derrick White and Brown nearly brought Boston back from the dead — but it just wasn’t enough. 

Minnesota held on in the final minute thanks to a timely three by 37-year-old Mike Conely to earn a 119-115 win over the Celtics. 

Brown looked a couple steps slower after exploding for 27 first-half points, but the forward finished with an impressive 41 in a losing effort. 

Anthony Edwards took over in the second half, sparking Minnesota’s comeback with 39, 24 of those coming in the second half. The guard hit a hero-ball triple in the closing seconds to seal the win. 

The Timberwolves as a team were deadly from deep, especially in the second half. Minnesota finished with 21 triples of 44% shooting. 

Neemias Queta returned from a left ankle sprain and had a career day, setting career highs in points and rebounds. The big man controlled the paint with 19 and 18 rebounds. Queta picked apart Rudy Gobert in the first half, jumping out to a quick 13 points and 11 rebounds. 

The first half wasn’t a defensive masterclass by either side, but the Celtics took advantage of their ample opportunities in the first 24 minutes. 

Brown, who always appears to take any matchup with Edwards personally, was dominant to start, finishing the half with 27 points on 11-for-18 shooting. The forward added in five rebounds, five assists and three steals. 

Surprisingly enough, it was Queta who took the majority of the offensive load in the opening minutes. The big man didn’t appear to be bearing any lingering effects of the left ankle sprain that held him out of Wednesday’s game, scoring eight points and seven rebounds in his first six minutes. 

After Queta got the Cs going, Brown kept them rolling, showcasing an impressive arsenal of shotmaking. Brown sparked an 8-0 run in the closing minutes of the first, reaching deep in his bag to bank in a fade away. He followed that up by nailing a side-step triple in the closing seconds. 

With Brown on the bench to start the second, it was Boston’s reserve shooters who lengthened its lead. Baylor Scheierman and Sam Hauser connected on three-straight threes to give the Cs an eight-point second quarter lead. 

The Timberwolves did settle back into the game, going on a 12-2 run thanks to some strong three-point shooting themselves. 

In what was a tight game with 13 first-half lead changes, Boston finally created some separation as Hauser drained another triple. After struggling through most of November, Hauser finished the first half with 11 points. 

Just like they began the first half, the Cs were led by Brown and Queta to close out the second. Queta finished the half with a double double (13 points, 11 rebounds) and Brown continued to outplay Edwards, connecting on a side step triple to give Boston a 69-57 lead at the halftime break. 

In the third, Boston’s offense took a step back and Minnesota finally unlocked its shooting, spelling a rocky finish for the Cs. The Timberwolves erased a 12-point deficit, shooting their way into an 18-6 run. 

As a team, Minnesota caught fire from deep, hitting on 8-of-13 attempts. Edwards got going as well, scoring 10 in the frame to bring his total up to 25. 

Brown, who appeared to be heading for a career night — significantly slowed down in the third. The forward looked a couple steps slower after his heroic effort, only able to put up seven in the third. 

Boston continued to look inept on the offensive end through much of the fourth quarter, only scoring 10 points in the first nine minutes. The Timberwolves did take their foot off the gas, allowing the Celtics to go on a 12-0 run, backed by a pair of threes from White and Brown and tie the game at 110. 

Ultimately, the comeback attempt fell through as Conley buried a corner three in the final minute to retake a lead for the Timberwolves that they would never relinquish. Edwards added in another five points in the last 45 seconds to seal the win. 

The Celtics will have to quickly turn around and head to Cleveland for the second night of a back-to-back on Sunday night. Tipoff against the Cavs is set for 6:00 p.m.