Timberwolves after beating 76ers: ‘It was time for us to play to another level’

Nickeil Alexander-Walker reacts after Wolves beat 76ers

The Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Philadelphia 76ers 126-112 Tuesday night at Target Center. After the game, FOX 9's Pierre Noujaim caught up with guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who had 20 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals off the bench.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Timberwolves did what they had to do to beat a depleted Philadelphia 76ers squad 126-112 Tuesday night at Target Center.

The win was sparked by a 43-poing fourth quarter after the Timberwolves had just a two-point lead after three. They pulled away as seven players scored in double figures. Naz Reid had a team-high 23 points, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker had 20 off the bench. FOX 9’s Pierre Noujaim caught up with Alexander-Walker after the win.

"I think we turned our energy up. Coach said before the game ‘Who does this game mean more to?’ For where we’re trying to go, everybody realized that in that moment, it was time for us to play to another level," Alexander-Walker said.

NAW’s key play

What happened:

The Timberwolves started to pull away with the help of a sequence from Donte DiVincenzo and Alexander-Walker. DiVincenzo, who had 12 points on four 3-pointers, hustled to create a loose ball and got the steal, then fed Alexander-Walker for the lay-up with a little more than seven minutes to play. It brought the Target Center crowd to its feet.

The playoff chase

Why you should care:

With the win, the Timberwolves improved to 34-29 and jumped from the No. 9 spot in the Western Conference to the No. 7 spot. They’re a half game out of the No. 6 spot and 3.5 games behind Houston for No. 5.

With 19 regular season games left, the Timberwolves are looking to lock up a top-six spot in the West and avoid a play-in series in the NBA Playoffs.