Timberwolves 88 - 83 Hornets
Final
  for this game

Timberwolves best lowly Bobcats

Mar 29, 2012 - 2:49 AM Charlotte, NC (Sports Network) - Kevin Love scored 40 points and pulled down 19 rebounds, as the Minnesota Timberwolves bested the lowly Charlotte Bobcats, 88-83, at Time Warner Cable Arena.

Luke Ridnour posted a double-double of 15 points and 14 assists for the Timberwolves, who won for just the second time in their last eight road games. Minnesota avoided a fifth consecutive road loss to the Bobcats.

"I thought he was terrific tonight," Minnesota head coach Rick Adelman said about Love. "The way he's been able to sustain it night-after-night really says a lot about his conditioning."

Corey Maggette had 22 points and rookie Kemba Walker scored 20 off the bench for Charlotte, which has dropped five in a row.

Love led all scorers with 11 points in a first quarter that ended with Minnesota holding a 24-21 lead. A 9-0 run by the Timberwolves broke a tie and put them ahead 36-27 on Malcolm Lee's dunk with 7:50 remaining in the second quarter.

But Charlotte erased the deficit and Minnesota wound up falling behind by four before a floating jump shot by Ridnour closed the gap to 47-45 at halftime.

After a back-and-forth start to the third quarter, the Timberwolves built an eight-point lead, going up 67-59 on a layup by Love. The Bobcats were down only three heading into the fourth quarter, but Minnesota opened up a double- digit lead when Ridnour converted two free throws that made it 88-77 with three-plus minutes remaining.

"We just didn't execute properly [down the stretch] and our defense wasn't really that good," said Charlotte head coach Paul Silas.

Game Notes

The Timberwolves improved to 2-6 all-time on the road against the Bobcats. They notched their only previous win on New Year's Day 2007...Minnesota snapped a four-game losing streak to Charlotte on February 15...Anthony Tolliver had 11 points and 11 rebounds in a reserve role for Minnesota...Love made 4-of-7 three-pointers...Charlotte's Gerald Henderson contributed 15 points and six boards.






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