BOSTON, MA – The Boston Celtics have spent this season being the team that beats you without its best players. They’ve weathered Jayson Tatum’s ten-month absence with a championship pedigree, a deep roster, and a resilience that has defined their identity. They’ve blown out quality opponents without their superstar, and they’ve done it with such regularity that it almost became expected.
On Sunday, the tables turned.
Mar 20, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla reacts during the fourth quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Timberwolves came to TD Garden without Anthony Edwards, their franchise cornerstone, and did exactly what the Celtics have been doing to opponents all season. They hung around, they competed, and then, in the fourth quarter, they delivered the knockout punch.
The final score was 118-108, but it wasn’t that close. The Timberwolves outscored Boston 26-15 in the final frame, and six of those 15 points came after the Celtics had already waved the white flag.
It was the kind of loss that stings—not because it was a blowout, but because it was a mirror.
The Fourth Quarter Collapse
Let’s start with the numbers. The Celtics entered the fourth quarter down eight, a manageable deficit for a team that has come back from worse. But instead of mounting a rally, they flatlined.
Minnesota’s 26-15 edge in the final quarter wasn’t a function of hot shooting or unsustainable runs. It was the product of execution, discipline, and a game plan that neutralized everything Boston tried to do. The Timberwolves knew exactly how to attack the Celtics’ frontcourt, how to disrupt their rhythm, and how to close out a game on the road.
And they did it without Anthony Edwards.
That’s the part that will haunt the Celtics. Edwards is a superstar, a player who can single-handedly take over games. His absence should have been a gift. Instead, Minnesota played like a team that didn’t need him.
The Frontcourt Problem
The Celtics have been playing with fire all season. With Kristaps Porziņģis recovering from a mysterious illness and Nikola Vučević sidelined with a fractured finger, Boston’s frontcourt rotation has featured Neemias Queta and Luka Garza as the primary big men.
Both have been serviceable. Queta has been a revelation, averaging 8.2 points and 6.1 rebounds in just 18 minutes per game. Garza has had his moments, including a 22-point outburst against Memphis.
But against the Timberwolves, the limitations were exposed. Minnesota knew how to nullify both big men. They attacked them in pick-and-roll, pulled them away from the basket, and exploited the mismatches that the Celtics have been able to hide against most opponents.
This isn’t a problem against every team. But the Timberwolves are one of the few rosters built to exploit that weakness. With Rudy Gobert patrolling the paint, Naz Reid stretching the floor, and Julius Randle attacking from the high post, they have the personnel to make life miserable for undersized or inexperienced big men.
The Season Series
With Sunday’s loss, the Celtics dropped both games to the Timberwolves this season. Minnesota won 112-99 in Minneapolis back in February, and they completed the sweep on Sunday.
It’s only two games. It’s a small sample size. But it’s also the kind of thing that sticks with you if these two teams meet again in June.
The Celtics and Timberwolves are both legitimate contenders in their respective conferences. Boston is the second seed in the East. Minnesota is the sixth seed in the West but has the talent to make a run. A Finals matchup between these two teams is not out of the question.
And if it happens, the Celtics will have to answer the question that Sunday’s game raised: can they beat the Timberwolves when it matters?
The Silver Lining
There are reasons for optimism. Nikola Vučević is expected to return soon from his finger injury. His presence would give the Celtics a different look in the frontcourt—a veteran who can score, rebound, and stretch the floor.
Jayson Tatum is also getting more comfortable with each game. He’s still working his way back from the Achilles injury that cost him most of the season, but his progress has been steady. By the time the playoffs arrive, he should be close to his peak.
And the Celtics have been here before. They’ve weathered adversity all season. They’ve won games without their best players. They’ve learned how to adjust, how to respond, how to fight.
Sunday’s loss was a wake-up call. It was a reminder that no matter how deep your roster is, no matter how resilient your culture is, there are teams built to give you trouble.
The Bottom Line
The Timberwolves did to the Celtics what the Celtics have done to so many opponents this season. They came into a hostile environment, played with discipline, and closed out a game without their best player.
It was a tough loss, a frustrating loss, a loss that will stick with Boston as they head into the final stretch of the season.
But it wasn’t a defining loss. The Celtics are still 47-24. They’re still the second seed in the East. They’re still getting healthier and more whole with each passing day.
The Timberwolves got them on Sunday. But the season is long, and the playoffs are a different animal.
The question is whether Boston learned the lesson that Minnesota taught them—or whether they’ll see it again when it matters most.