The timberwolves hit a harsh speed bump Sunday night, Feb. 22, 2026, after looking like they were building post–All-Star momentum. A minnesota timberwolves team missing key size and interior anchors fell hard at Target Center, turning what was billed as a statement opportunity into a warning flare about depth, discipline, and how thin the margin becomes when frontcourt plans change at the last minute. ()

Minnesota Timberwolves game result: a 135–108 loss that got away early

The minnesota timberwolves were routed 135–108 by the Philadelphia 76ers in a Sunday night game that tipped at 7:00 PM ET in Minneapolis. Philadelphia’s guards controlled tempo and spacing, and Minnesota never found a stable defensive base without its usual rim protection and rebounding backbone. ()

Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 28 points, but the night quickly became less about individual production and more about how the Timberwolves’ lineups held up when the paint became a problem area. ()

Timberwolves roster update today: Rudy Gobert suspended, Naz Reid ruled out

Two absences shaped the entire night for the timberwolves:

• Rudy Gobert missed the game due to a one-game suspension for accumulating his seventh Flagrant Foul point of the season. ()

• Naz Reid sat with right shoulder soreness/shoulder injury, removing another primary big-man option and forcing Minnesota into unfamiliar combinations. ()

With Gobert suspended and Reid out, Minnesota started rookie Joan Beringer at center, and the rotation had to bend in real time as foul trouble and matchup pressures mounted. ()

Timberwolves vs. 76ers: how the game tilted

Philadelphia’s perimeter play set the tone. Tyrese Maxey scored 39 points and added eight assists, repeatedly getting into the lane and creating clean looks from kick-outs and broken coverage. Rookie VJ Edgecombe knocked down six threes on the way to 24 points, and the 76ers’ supporting scoring kept Minnesota from loading up on any single threat. ()

For the minnesota timberwolves, the defensive identity looked different without their typical backline. The Wolves experimented with new lineups, including extended minutes for reserves, but the structure never fully stabilized. ()

Useful snapshot (Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026 — ET)

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Minnesota Timberwolves momentum check: from a big win to a reality test

The blowout loss landed right after Minnesota’s most electric post-break moment: Anthony Edwards’ 40-point night in a 122–111 win over Dallas on Friday, Feb. 20 (reported Feb. 21, ET), a performance that helped keep the Wolves climbing and reinforced Edwards’ current scoring peak. ()

That contrast is the story of the weekend: when the minnesota timberwolves can play their preferred style—pressure at the point of attack, size behind it, clean rebounding—they look like a team nobody wants in a series. When the big-man rotation collapses, the floor drops out fast.

What’s next for the Timberwolves: the immediate priorities

The timberwolves now face a short list of urgent fixes as they move into the next segment of the schedule:

• Rebuild the defensive spine: Gobert’s return should immediately tighten the paint, but the Wolves also need better first-contact defense to avoid constant rotations.

• Monitor the frontcourt health: Reid’s shoulder status matters because he’s the plug-and-play option that lets Minnesota survive foul trouble and matchup chess.

• Stay composed physically: Gobert’s suspension is a reminder that emotional games can create avoidable availability problems at the worst time.

For a minnesota timberwolves group that has shown high-end upside, Sunday’s game was a blunt reminder: contenders still need boring reliability—health, discipline, and a consistent defensive floor—especially in the grind right after the All-Star break. ()