The Wolves came out and played a sound offensive game Friday at Talking Stick Resort Arena. They kept it close through part of the second half.
Heck, they even got back on defense for a change, limiting the Suns to just eight fast-break points.
But like so many games this season, anything Minnesota (6-32) did right was overshadowed by the final result. In front of 17,441 fans, the Suns (24-18) put the rebuilding Wolves back where they've been most of the year.
The loss column.
1 big moment: Breaking open a contest that was close for 2 1/2 quarters, the Suns put together a 14-6 run to close the third and take an 86-75 lead into the fourth. Miles Plumlee and Marcus Morris each connected on back-to-back baskets during the jaunt.
2 top performers: Compared to his last outing, Minnesota point guard Mo Williams' 26 points and five assists were merely pedestrian. But the 32-year-old kept his hot streak going after Tuesday's 52-point jaw-dropper, making 10 of 22 field-goal attempts and 5 of 12 3-point tries. Phoenix point guard Goran Dragic, meanwhile, carved up the Wolves for 21 points and eight helpers.
3 key stats: For a while, beleaguered power forward Thaddeus Young was on triple-double watch with 13 points, eight rebounds and six assists. But he went quiet in the final frame as coach Flip Saunders went with Anthony Bennett the entire quarter, and that's where Young's totals on the night remained.
The Suns shot 63 percent in the third quarter and 55.2 percent overall. They're the 19th opponent to shoot 50 percent or better against the league's worst defense.
The Wolves are the only team in the NBA that hasn't won at least two games in a row this season.
Said: "That's the biggest thing. Your shooting percentage goes down on contested shots. We just want to play the percentages." -- Williams on Minnesota's defense trying to contest shots, something Saunders emphasized in two practices in Phoenix this week
Seen: Rookie forward Andrew Wiggins (17 points, five rebounds, three assists) left with an illness in the fourth quarter and didn't return.
Next: Minnesota's four-game road trip is halfway over. The Wolves travel to Denver on Saturday night before a Monday matinee at Charlotte.
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