Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Date: February 22nd, 2026
Time: 6:00 PM CST
Location: Target Center
Television Coverage: FanDuel Sports Network – North
Radio Coverage: KFAN FM, Wolves App, iHeart Radio
The Wolves survived their first post–All-Star break game by taking what looked like a chill Friday night win over Dallas and turning it into a full emotional cardio session that required a late-game Anthony Edwards rescue mission.
Of course they did.
For a while, it looked like we were getting the “responsible adult” version of Minnesota that comes out humming, defending, sprinting, moving the ball, and stacking a lead. They jumped Dallas early, built a sizable cushion by the end of the first quarter, kept the momentum rolling into the second… and then the Rudy Gobert flagrant happened.
And I swear, the moment they went to the monitor, it was like someone hit pause on Minnesota’s soul.
The stoppage. The review. The weird dead-air energy that comes from watching referees freeze-frame a boxout like it’s the Zapruder film. The Target Center crowd going from “we’re cooking tonight” to “uh oh, we’ve seen this movie.” It’s the exact same script that played out when the Suns were in town and Gobert got hit with a flagrant two against Mark Williams.
When play resumed, the Wolves weren’t the same. Dallas suddenly had life. The lead started leaking. The Mavericks crept within 12 at halftime, and then came the third quarter. Minnesota came out flat, Dallas came out sharp, and that 18-point lead evaporated until the game was tied.
You could feel it. The Wolves were about to do the thing again. The thing where they take a game that’s supposed to be a comfortable cruise and turn it into a late-night therapy appointment. And then Ant checked in midway through the fourth, threw on the cape, and basically told Dallas, “This was fun, but I have stuff to do.”
That’s what stars do. They end the nonsense.
Ant picked Dallas apart from every level. He was getting downhill, finishing through contact, hitting the midrange stuff that feels like the final form of his offense, then pulling out those patented momentum threes.
This wasn’t just “Ant got hot.” This was controlled domination. The kind you only see from a guy who knows exactly where the game is going and decides he’s not letting it go there.
Rudy Gobert was also huge. The Mavericks had no answer for him on the glass. He cleaned up rebounds, finished putbacks, gave Minnesota easy points when the offense got a little sticky, and generally made life miserable around the rim. Which is why the flagrant is so brutal. Now that he’s suspended, Sunday against Philly beomes that much more difficult.
Naz was the third key performer, acting as the perfect antidote to the Wolves’ inevitable offensive lulls. Threes, paint buckets, quick-hitter offense. When the offense starts looking like it’s moving through wet cement, Naz is one of the few guys who can just… generate.
Now Comes the Sixers Game: No Rudy, No Excuses
So the Wolves get Philadelphia at Target Center on Sunday, trying to make it four straight, and they’ll have to do it without the guy who basically serves as their defensive operating system.
The loss of Gobert is monumental, especially for a team that has periodically treated defense like a suggestion this season. Without Rudy as the safety net, Minnesota’s margin for error gets smaller, and the habits become everything.
The good news? Sometimes the Wolves weirdly thrive when the situation gets harder. They’ll play like maniacs against OKC, then sleepwalk against the Jazz. They’ll show up for Denver, then treat New Orleans like a preseason scrimmage. It makes no sense, but it’s been real all season.
And with that, here are the keys to the game…
#1: Everyone Has to Defend Like Rudy’s Watching From the Stands
Without Gobert, Minnesota cannot afford lazy blow-bys, sloppy closeouts, or that “Rudy will clean it up” mindset, because Rudy will be in street clothes.
This becomes a perimeter accountability game.
Jaden McDaniels has to be a menace. Ayo Dosunmu has to pressure the ball. Ant has to lock in when he’s guarding a primary creator. Julius has to give real resistance instead of “turnstile-and-pray.”
Because if Philly starts living at the rim, Minnesota’s defense will unravel quickly.
#2: Julius and Naz Have to Own the Paint
No Rudy means the rebounding burden shifts immediately to Randle and Reid. They have to clean the glass like it’s their job, because for this game, it is. If the Wolves lose the paint battle and the rebounding battle, they’re basically spotting Philly extra possessions and extra confidence.
#3: Keep the Ball Moving
Minnesota actually did a solid job sharing the ball against Dallas. When the Wolves move it, they get cleaner looks, they play faster, and the offense feels inevitable. When the offense stagnates, it turns into late-clock Ant bailouts, Randle dribbling into traffic, contested jumpers, and turnovers that lead to runouts.
The Wolves don’t need “pretty.” They need connected. Make the extra pass. Keep everyone engaged. Make Philly guard actions, not just talent.
#4: Lean Into the Spacing Advantage
Here’s the weird silver lining: without Gobert, Minnesota can play five-out or at least five-threats lineups more often. That means the paint is less crowded. So instead of mourning what Rudy does offensively (putbacks, lobs), Minnesota needs to weaponize what his absence opens up: more driving lanes.
You can’t replace Gobert’s defense, but you can make Philly pay on the other end by spacing them out and attacking.
#5: Ant Has to Put His Superstar Stamp on This One
Ant followed up the All-Star MVP weekend with a 40-piece. Now he gets a real test: short-handed, higher stakes, tougher opponent, and momentum on the line.
He needs to outshine Tyrese Maxey. He needs to control the game emotionally and tactically. He needs to score and facilitate, because without Rudy, Minnesota’s safety net is gone. And when the safety net is gone, your superstar has to become the floor and the ceiling.
But here’s the important part: He needs to do it within the flow. No hero-ball spirals. No heat-check threes with 18 seconds on the shot clock because you’re mad about a missed call. Pick spots, bend the defense, make the right play, then punish them when they overreact.
This is what “face of the league” looks like in February: not highlights… control.
This Is a “Prove You’re Serious” Game
The league just tied a hand behind Minnesota’s back with the Gobert suspension. The Wolves don’t get to whine about it, not if they’re serious about climbing from the 6-seed into the home-court range.
This is a game that will tell us something. If Minnesota shows up locked in defensively, shares the ball, wins the rebounding battle by committee, and lets Ant steer the ship like a grown-up superstar? That’s a team building real momentum into March.
If they come out sloppy, casual, turnover-prone, and surprised that Philly doesn’t roll over? That’s the Wolves doing their thing again.
They don’t need perfection Sunday.
They need professionalism.
Because if you’re going to make a real run in April and May, you better learn how to survive a February game without your Defensive Player of the Year.