In one of the more maddening games of the year, the Phoenix Suns stole one from Minnesota late at Target Center, getting the game-winning jumper from Gerald Green with 3.9 seconds left in a 104-103 final.
Green, who played 29 games for Minnesota in the 2007-08 season, went baseline and hit a fallaway 18-footer after Ricky Rubio turned the ball over on the previous possession.
The jumper capped a comeback that saw Phoenix trail by six with 95 seconds to go, and Suns’ leading scorer Goran Dragic had 26 points and nine assists as Phoenix overcame not having point guard Eric Bledsoe for the fourth straight game.
All-in-all, it was a poor night for Minnesota’s stars, as Kevin Love, Nikola Pekovic, and Kevin Martin combined to shoot 16-of-52 from the field.
The one bit of good news for the Wolves was Chase Budinger’s return to the court, the first time he had appeared in a game all season after undergoing knee surgery three months ago.
Budinger entered late in the first quarter and played 11 total minutes, putting up six points.
The Wolves have now lost all 10 games decided by four points or less this season, and are 0-8 when trying to get back above the .500 mark.
Minnesota looks to bounce back Friday when the Charlotte Bobcats come to town.
