There’s nothing quite like the feeling of victory being stolen from your hands in the final seconds. The Minnesota Timberwolves know that feeling all too well after Friday night’s heartbreaker in Phoenix. Up eight points with less than a minute remaining, talking smack, celebrating like it was already locked up and then watching it all crumble as the Suns orchestrated one of the wildest final-minute comebacks of the season.
Final score: Phoenix 114, Minnesota 113. The Suns are now 10-6 and riding a seven-win streak in their last eight games. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves are left wondering how they blew an eight-point lead in 60 seconds flat. This wasn’t just a comeback; it was a masterclass in refusing to lose.
When overconfidence becomes your worst enemy
Here’s the thing about talking smack too early in basketball: the basketball gods have a sense of humor. The Timberwolves were absolutely certain they had this one wrapped up, letting their confidence bleed all over the court. Dillon Brooks, the Suns forward who would become the hero of this story, saw it coming from a mile away. Sometimes when you’ve got eight points and the clock is your best friend, you can afford to relax. The Timberwolves decided to test that theory. Spoiler alert: it didn’t work out.
Brooks later explained the turning point perfectly: “Once the pressure starts heating up, their eyes start getting big, they start getting scared.” He wasn’t being cocky he was being observant. Championship teams (or teams channeling championship energy) know that panic is contagious. Minnesota caught it, and Phoenix ran with it.
The final 90 seconds that changed everything
Let’s break down how the Suns engineered the impossible. With 1:09 left and Minnesota up 113-105, Phoenix had zero business coming back. But they did. Brooks’ initial three-pointer clanked off the rim, but Royce O’Neale was there crashing the offensive glass for a putback. Suddenly it’s 113-107 with 49.3 seconds on the clock. The margin is tightening.
Then came the play that shifted momentum completely: Collin Gillespie yes, a backup guard stole the in-bounds pass. Brooks found Jordan Goodwin for a three-pointer, and just like that, it was 113-110. Still over 40 seconds remaining, but Minnesota’s breathing got heavier.
The Suns weren’t done. Brooks stole Julius Randle’s pass on the next possession. Goodwin converted a quick layup. Now it’s 113-112. Anthony Edwards missed two free throws with 12.7 seconds left, which meant the Suns had one final shot to end this thing. By this point, both Brooks and star guard Devin Booker had fouled out for Phoenix. The stage belonged to Gillespie.
The backup who refused to blink
This is where the story gets even better. Collin Gillespie, the third-year guard from Villanova, wasn’t supposed to be the hero. He wasn’t the star. He wasn’t the marquee name anyone tuned in expecting to decide the game. But with 6.4 seconds left and the Timberwolves’ season hanging by a thread, Gillespie didn’t flinch. He buried a contested 10-foot jumper to give Phoenix the 114-113 lead. Randle’s desperate three-pointer at the buzzer fell short, and suddenly, an entire team of unlikely heroes was mobbing Gillespie like he’d just won the Finals.
“We’re just super competitive; winners and want to play winning basketball,” Gillespie said afterward. “I think you saw a little of that at the end of the game. Just no quit. Fight until there’s no time left.” That’s the mentality of teams that win games they have no business winning.
The tale of two teams
For Minnesota, it was a complete meltdown. Coach Chris Finch didn’t mince words: “We lost our minds. Poor execution, turnovers, obviously, and just didn’t stay locked-in during the last 90 seconds.” When you turn the ball over multiple times in the final minute and your best shooter misses free throws, you deserve to lose.
Phoenix’s performance was equally fascinating from the opposite perspective. Devin Booker, the team’s star, finished with just 16 points on a brutal 4-of-18 shooting with a season-high nine turnovers. In a normal game, that’s a recipe for disaster. But this wasn’t a normal game. This was a collective effort where everyone stepped up when it mattered most. That’s the definition of “no quit.”
Why this win means everything for a team nobody believed in
Here’s the thing that makes this comeback even more significant: The Phoenix Suns were picked by many analysts to be one of the worst teams in the NBA. Instead, they’re 10-6 and building a reputation as the scrappiest, most competitive group that refuses to accept defeat. They’re proving that reputation and championship pedigree can overcome a slow start.
First-year coach Jordan Ott has instilled a culture that values grit over glamour. “Tough, gritty, competitive, together and selfless; that’s what we’ve seen from this group from Day 1,” Ott said. “Whatever it takes, whenever it takes, whoever is out there, just find a way to outscore the opponent.” That’s not just coaching speak it’s literally what we watched unfold in the final minute. Backups stepping up. Role players delivering. A team that plays as one unit instead of relying on individual brilliance.
The bigger picture
This loss stings for Minnesota because it was completely preventable. They weren’t beaten by a superior team executing the perfect offense. They were beaten by themselves turnovers, poor discipline, and lost focus when the pressure mounted. For Phoenix, it’s validation that this team is building something special. They’re not a collection of has-beens trying to recapture past glory. They’re a competitive unit that plays together and refuses to quit, even when the odds say they should.
The Suns have now won seven of their last eight games. That’s not luck that’s a team that’s figured out how to win close games. And that’s far more dangerous than any individual stat line.