# Where the Suns stand in West playoff chase after loss to Timberwolves

**By:** The Arizona Republic  
**Published:** 2026-03-18T15:41:17.670432042Z  
**Source:** [The Arizona Republic](https://azcentral.com/story/sports/nba/suns/2026/03/18/phoenix-suns-loss-minnesota-timberwolves-nba-west-playoff-race-devin-booker-jalen-green/89206682007)

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 Suns' Booker outlines failed late-game execution against Raptors
 Phoenix Suns' superstar guard Devin Booker outlines the team's late-game execution in a close loss to the Toronto Raptors.
The Phoenix Suns lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-104, marking their third consecutive loss.
Phoenix struggled in the second half, scoring only 41 points on 28.6% shooting.
MINNEAPOLIS — The Phoenix Suns started fast, but they fizzled in the second half of a 116-104 loss Tuesday, March 17, to the Minnesota Timberwolves before a crowd of 17,309 at Target Center.
The Suns (39-30) scored just 41 points in the second half on 28.6% shooting, going 4-of-14 from deep against the NBA’s ninth-best defense in defensive rating.
“Give them credit,” Suns coach Jordan Ott said. “We know their defensive stats coming into tonight, last handful of games, they know them better.”
 The T-Wolves (42-27) were 29 th in the league in defensive rating in their previous five games.
“Historically, being some of the best defensive teams in the league, I think they tapped into a piece of that identity, at least it felt like that in the second half,” Ott said. “Give them credit, I thought they were fantastic defensively.”
 The Suns, who dropped their third in a row on this six-game road trip, raced to an 11-point lead in the first quarter in the second of a back-to-back, but they trailed, 64-63, at halftime.
“We had another hot start,” Suns All-Star Devin Booker said “We just had to sustain the lead, keep doing what we were doing to get us the early lead that we had. Tough back-to-back, three-hour flight from Boston. We came in on a high, and I think, you know just slowly went away.”
 Booker scored a game-high 34 points on 11-of-27 shooting as the Suns were down Dillon Brooks (left hand fracture), Mark Williams (left foot third metatarsal stress reaction) and Grayson Allen (left knee soreness), who was downgraded from doubtful to out after suffering the injury in the first quarter at Boston.
“We just have to learn how to win together,” Booker said. “This is a first-year group that’s dealt with injuries and not much time to go through these stretches earlier in the season together and figure out what works. It’s obviously an important stretch, but we have something to learn from. There’s still time left in the season.”
 Suns big Oso Ighodaro posted a double-double of 16 points, with half coming in the first quarter, and 10 rebounds. His eight offensive boards tied a career high.
Collin Gillespie added 12 points on 4-of-13 shooting while Jalen Green scored just nine points on 3-of-17 shooting after averaging 27.5 points in his previous six games.
“Shots I normally make,” Green said. “Tough back-to-back. Little gassed out there. It is what it is. Next game.”
 Here are takeaways as the Suns conclude the road trip Thursday, March 19, against the San Antonio Spurs (51-18), who have the NBA’s best record since Feb. 1 at 19-2.
“Got to stay together,” Green said. “Guard our yard. Protect each other. They’re a fast team, too. It’s going to be a fast-paced game. I think that plays into our advantage.”
 What Tuesday’s loss meant
 The Suns are now three games behind the T-Wolves (42-27) for sixth, the Denver Nuggets (42-27) for fifth and Houston Rockets (41-26) for fourth in the Western Conference.
They own the head-to-head tiebreaker over Minnesota, 2-1, but Denver and Houston have the head-to-head tiebreaker over them. The Suns have one game remaining against each in Phoenix.
Denver is 2-0 against Phoenix, while Houston is 3-0.
The Suns should be kicking themselves for failing to close out two winnable games against the Toronto Raptors and Celtics. They’d really be in the mix for a top six seed right now.
With 13 games left, Phoenix has the eighth-toughest remaining schedule with an upcoming four-game homestand against the Milwaukee Bucks (28-40), Toronto Raptors (38-29), Nuggets and Utah Jazz (20-48).
The Suns began the road trip with a win over the Bucks, who had Giannis Antetotkounmpo.
The two-time MVP is expected to miss at least a week with a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise. Based on that timetable, he should miss the Phoenix rematch March 21.
Advantage Suns, but Minnesota just beat them without All-Star Anthony Edwards, who sat out with right knee inflammation and will be re-evaluated in one to two weeks.
The Suns should have extra incentive to top the Raptors and Nuggets.
As for the Jazz, well, it’s the Jazz.
Phoenix must win that one if it’s serious about playoffs.
The Suns can’t afford to fall to sub.500 teams in trying to land a top-six seed.
Without Edwards
 T-Wolves coach Chris Finch said pregame they wanted to spread the scoring production around to match the career-high 29.5 points Edwards is averaging this season.
Bones Hyland nearly did that by himself.
Coming off the bench, Hyland scored 22 points with 11 coming in the first quarter to offset Phoenix’s hot start. He went 3-of-4 from 3 as Minnesota trailed by only three points after one after falling behind 18-7 early.
“It felt good,” Hyland said. “Just getting out there being more comfortable, you know, I feel like I inject myself into the game more, but yeah it felt good, man. It felt good just to be out there, honestly.”
 Julius Randle scored a team-high 32 points for Minnesota. He led the comeback win, but Hyland gave the T-Wolves a much-needed spark after Phoenix’s fast start.
Williams injury update
 Ott addressed whether Williams could return next week. The 7-footer has missed eight consecutive games with a foot injury.
“You see him in the boot,” Ott said. “So anytime you see someone in the boot, you know there's going to be a ramp-up coming after it, especially with his history. He wants to be healthy. We want him to have long-term success.
"We'll continue to take that day-by-day, but when you see him in a boot, you obviously know we're trying not to load it as much."
 The Suns announced March 5 Williams would be re-evaluated in two to three weeks.
Having stayed relatively healthy most of the season after three injury-prone years with Charlotte, Williams will be a welcome addition for Phoenix.
Suns rookie Khaman Maluach is competing, but he lacks the strength right now to really battle on the inside and has struggled defending the 3 from stretch bigs.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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