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FINALOct 26Rocket Arena
Minnesota Timberwolves logo
MINMinnesota Timberwolves
125
Cleveland Cavaliers logo
CLECleveland Cavaliers
127Winner
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4OT1Final
MIN3129262712125
CLE2426362714127

Game analysis: Minnesota Timberwolves at Cleveland Cavaliers

How the Cavaliers Beat the Timberwolves

Cleveland's late-game execution carried it through a back-and-forth finish. The Cavaliers trailed by 10 at halftime before a 36–26 third quarter erased the deficit, including a 12–0 run that wiped out an 11-point Minnesota lead. After the Timberwolves answered with an 11–0 run to go up seven in the fourth, James Harden tied the game with 10.4 seconds left and Peyton Watson blocked Anthony Edwards with 4.4 seconds remaining to force overtime. Donovan Mitchell scored a team-high 26 points, while Evan Mobley had 18 points and 10 rebounds as Cleveland survived despite shooting worse overall, losing the rebounding battle and being outscored 58–44 in the paint.

The biggest reason

Clutch Execution

Late-game executionCLE 26vsMIN 21

Also mattered

  • +8%3PT shooting
  • +5Assists
  • 6 fewerTurnovers

Game flow

When the lead changed

MINCLE

MIN's biggest lead was 15 points · CLE's was 6 points · 18 lead changes

-150+15Q1 11:49 · MIN 0–CLE 2Q1 10:58 · MIN 1–CLE 2Q1 10:17 · MIN 1–CLE 4Q1 9:55 · MIN 3–CLE 4Q1 9:21 · MIN 3–CLE 7Q1 9:08 · MIN 5–CLE 7Q1 8:29 · MIN 7–CLE 7Q1 8:00 · MIN 10–CLE 7Q1 7:37 · MIN 12–CLE 7Q1 7:11 · MIN 12–CLE 9Q1 6:45 · MIN 14–CLE 9Q1 6:19 · MIN 16–CLE 9Q1 5:35 · MIN 18–CLE 9Q1 5:08 · MIN 20–CLE 9Q1 4:47 · MIN 20–CLE 11Q1 4:21 · MIN 22–CLE 11Q1 3:46 · MIN 23–CLE 11Q1 3:39 · MIN 23–CLE 13Q1 3:00 · MIN 25–CLE 13Q1 2:31 · MIN 25–CLE 16Q1 2:18 · MIN 27–CLE 16Q1 1:45 · MIN 29–CLE 16Q1 1:24 · MIN 29–CLE 19Q1 57.8 · MIN 31–CLE 19Q1 39.8 · MIN 31–CLE 21Q1 14.2 · MIN 31–CLE 24Q2 11:28 · MIN 33–CLE 24Q2 11:15 · MIN 33–CLE 26Q2 10:51 · MIN 35–CLE 26Q2 10:36 · MIN 35–CLE 27Q2 10:12 · MIN 35–CLE 30Q2 9:54 · MIN 38–CLE 30Q2 9:40 · MIN 38–CLE 32Q2 9:22 · MIN 41–CLE 32Q2 9:09 · MIN 41–CLE 34Q2 8:48 · MIN 43–CLE 34Q2 8:04 · MIN 45–CLE 34Q2 7:50 · MIN 46–CLE 34Q2 7:23 · MIN 46–CLE 35Q2 7:02 · MIN 46–CLE 37Q2 6:43 · MIN 48–CLE 37Q2 6:18 · MIN 50–CLE 37Q2 5:46 · MIN 50–CLE 39Q2 5:30 · MIN 52–CLE 39Q2 5:03 · MIN 54–CLE 39Q2 3:24 · MIN 54–CLE 41Q2 3:13 · MIN 54–CLE 42Q2 3:03 · MIN 56–CLE 42Q2 2:56 · MIN 56–CLE 44Q2 1:40 · MIN 56–CLE 46Q2 1:28 · MIN 57–CLE 46Q2 1:28 · MIN 58–CLE 46Q2 54.3 · MIN 58–CLE 49Q2 27.2 · MIN 59–CLE 49Q2 25.4 · MIN 59–CLE 50Q2 3.4 · MIN 60–CLE 50Q3 11:35 · MIN 60–CLE 51Q3 11:35 · MIN 60–CLE 52Q3 10:20 · MIN 63–CLE 52Q3 9:52 · MIN 65–CLE 52Q3 9:39 · MIN 65–CLE 53Q3 9:39 · MIN 65–CLE 54Q3 9:26 · MIN 66–CLE 54Q3 9:26 · MIN 67–CLE 54Q3 8:25 · MIN 67–CLE 56Q3 7:49 · MIN 67–CLE 57Q3 7:49 · MIN 67–CLE 58Q3 7:31 · MIN 69–CLE 58Q3 7:19 · MIN 69–CLE 60Q3 6:12 · MIN 69–CLE 63Q3 5:31 · MIN 69–CLE 66Q3 5:02 · MIN 69–CLE 67Q3 5:02 · MIN 69–CLE 68Q3 4:29 · MIN 69–CLE 70Q3 4:09 · MIN 72–CLE 70Q3 3:21 · MIN 72–CLE 73Q3 2:55 · MIN 74–CLE 73Q3 2:43 · MIN 74–CLE 75Q3 2:35 · MIN 76–CLE 75Q3 2:24 · MIN 76–CLE 78Q3 2:09 · MIN 79–CLE 78Q3 1:46 · MIN 80–CLE 78Q3 1:46 · MIN 81–CLE 78Q3 1:33 · MIN 81–CLE 80Q3 1:03 · MIN 81–CLE 83Q3 36.7 · MIN 83–CLE 83Q3 30.5 · MIN 83–CLE 86Q3 11.4 · MIN 85–CLE 86Q3 11.4 · MIN 86–CLE 86Q4 11:30 · MIN 88–CLE 86Q4 11:16 · MIN 88–CLE 89Q4 9:53 · MIN 88–CLE 91Q4 9:39 · MIN 90–CLE 91Q4 9:24 · MIN 90–CLE 94Q4 9:06 · MIN 93–CLE 94Q4 8:25 · MIN 96–CLE 94Q4 7:42 · MIN 99–CLE 94Q4 6:57 · MIN 101–CLE 94Q4 6:31 · MIN 101–CLE 97Q4 5:56 · MIN 101–CLE 99Q4 5:39 · MIN 104–CLE 99Q4 4:59 · MIN 104–CLE 101Q4 4:19 · MIN 104–CLE 104Q4 2:15 · MIN 106–CLE 104Q4 1:45 · MIN 108–CLE 104Q4 1:30 · MIN 108–CLE 107Q4 1:16 · MIN 110–CLE 107Q4 1:03 · MIN 110–CLE 109Q4 38.7 · MIN 112–CLE 109Q4 26.4 · MIN 112–CLE 111Q4 25.8 · MIN 113–CLE 111Q4 10.4 · MIN 113–CLE 113OT1 4:45 · MIN 113–CLE 119OT1 4:30 · MIN 113–CLE 116OT1 4:13 · MIN 113–CLE 113OT1 4:00 · MIN 113–CLE 116OT1 3:38 · MIN 113–CLE 113OT1 3:31 · MIN 113–CLE 116OT1 3:14 · MIN 113–CLE 113OT1 3:14 · MIN 113–CLE 117OT1 3:03 · MIN 113–CLE 113OT1 2:58 · MIN 113–CLE 117OT1 2:52 · MIN 116–CLE 113OT1 2:21 · MIN 118–CLE 113OT1 2:00 · MIN 118–CLE 116OT1 1:47 · MIN 118–CLE 119OT1 1:26 · MIN 118–CLE 113OT1 1:12 · MIN 118–CLE 115OT1 1:02 · MIN 121–CLE 115OT1 1:02 · MIN 121–CLE 118OT1 34.0 · MIN 122–CLE 118OT1 13.0 · MIN 122–CLE 119OT1 13.0 · MIN 122–CLE 120OT1 3.9 · MIN 122–CLE 123OT1 3.9 · MIN 122–CLE 124OT1 0.0 · MIN 125–CLE 127OT1 0:00 · MIN 125–CLE 127Q1Q2Q3Q4OT1

Quarter-by-quarter momentum

Quarter winners and scoring margin
  1. Q1
    Minnesota Timberwolves logoMIN31
    Cleveland Cavaliers logoCLE24
    MIN won by 7
  2. Q2
    Minnesota Timberwolves logoMIN29
    Cleveland Cavaliers logoCLE26
    MIN won by 3
  3. Q3Biggest margin
    Minnesota Timberwolves logoMIN26
    Cleveland Cavaliers logoCLE36
    CLE won by 10
  4. Q4
    Minnesota Timberwolves logoMIN27
    Cleveland Cavaliers logoCLE27
    Quarter tied
  5. OT1
    Minnesota Timberwolves logoMIN12
    Cleveland Cavaliers logoCLE14
    CLE won by 2

Game turning points

Moments identified from the scoring timeline
  1. Largest deficitQ2 · 5:03

    Cleveland Cavaliers trailed by 15 at its deepest point before going on to win.

    Minnesota Timberwolves logoMIN 54CLE 39Cleveland Cavaliers logo
  2. Late-game pressureOT1 · 1:02

    The game was within five points late, with Minnesota Timberwolves ahead.

    Minnesota Timberwolves logoMIN 121CLE 118Cleveland Cavaliers logo
  3. Final lead changeOT1 · 3.9

    Cleveland Cavaliers went ahead and did not trail again.

    Minnesota Timberwolves logoMIN 122CLE 123Cleveland Cavaliers logo

Momentum swings

Key runs

4 runs · 7+ unanswered points
  1. Q1 · 9:08–7:37
    Minnesota Timberwolves logoMinnesota Timberwolves9–0run

    MIN 3 – CLE 7MIN 12 – CLE 7

  2. Q1 · 6:45–5:08
    Minnesota Timberwolves logoMinnesota Timberwolves8–0run

    MIN 12 – CLE 9MIN 20 – CLE 9

  3. Q3 · 7:19–4:29Largest run
    Cleveland Cavaliers logoCleveland Cavaliers12–0run

    MIN 69 – CLE 58MIN 69 – CLE 70

  4. Q4 · 9:06–6:57
    Minnesota Timberwolves logoMinnesota Timberwolves11–0run

    MIN 90 – CLE 94MIN 101 – CLE 94

Players who shaped the game

Player impact

From the box score
Minnesota Timberwolves logo

Minnesota Timberwolves

MIN
  1. Leading scorerAnthony Edwards
    47PTS4REB4AST2STL2BLK
  2. Impact contributorRudy Gobert
    5PTS20REB2AST1STL1BLK
  3. Impact contributorTerrence Shannon Jr.
    14PTS4REB5AST1STL0BLK
Cleveland Cavaliers logo

Cleveland Cavaliers

CLE
  1. Leading scorerDonovan Mitchell
    26PTS5REB7AST2STL1BLK
  2. Impact contributorJames Harden
    19PTS5REB9AST2STL0BLK
  3. Impact contributorPeyton Watson
    15PTS8REB1AST3STL4BLK

Team performance

Biggest advantages and setbacks

What the winner did best—and what it overcame

Advantages

  1. TurnoversWinner edge

    Cleveland Cavaliers committed 6 fewer turnovers than Minnesota Timberwolves.

    MIN 18CLE 12
  2. Three-point shootingWinner edge

    Cleveland Cavaliers had a 8 percentage points edge in three-point shooting.

    MIN 32%CLE 40%
  3. StealsWinner edge

    Cleveland Cavaliers had a 3 edge in steals.

    MIN 7CLE 10

Setbacks

  1. Points in the paintOpponent edge

    Cleveland Cavaliers trailed in points in the paint by 14.

    MIN 58CLE 44
  2. Points off turnoversOpponent edge

    Cleveland Cavaliers trailed in points off turnovers by 8.

    MIN 19CLE 11

The numbers behind the win

Evidence

5 signals

Late-game execution

Cleveland entered the supplied clutch stretch trailing by three, recovered to force overtime and ultimately finished with the scoring advantage across that stretch.

Minnesota Timberwolves logoMIN21
Cleveland Cavaliers logoCLE26

Three-point shooting

The Cavaliers were more accurate from beyond the arc, helping offset Minnesota's advantages in overall shooting and interior scoring.

Minnesota Timberwolves logoMIN32%
Cleveland Cavaliers logoCLE40%

Third-quarter comeback

Cleveland erased its 10-point halftime deficit and pulled level before the fourth quarter.

Minnesota Timberwolves logoMIN26
Cleveland Cavaliers logoCLE36

Ball movement

Cleveland generated more assists, with James Harden and Donovan Mitchell combining for 16.

Minnesota Timberwolves logoMIN25
Cleveland Cavaliers logoCLE30

Turnover control

The Cavaliers committed six fewer turnovers, although Minnesota still held the advantage in points scored off turnovers.

Minnesota Timberwolves logoMIN18
Cleveland Cavaliers logoCLE12

This game’s Winning DNA

How Cleveland Cavaliers got it done.

The winning formula behind this game.

Cleveland Cavaliers logo

Cleveland Cavaliers

Clutch Execution
40%
3PT Shooting
30%
Playmaking
20%
Turnovers
10%

Editorial weights for this game — not fan-vote percentages or official NBA statistics.

Team Comparison

Minnesota Timberwolves logoMinnesota Timberwolves125 PTSVSRocket ArenaCleveland Cavaliers logoCleveland Cavaliers127 PTS
49-102FG46-102
13-403PT18-45
14-22FT17-23
53REB50
25AST30
7STL10
7BLK9
18TO12

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