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Suns outlast Timberwolves in OT

Feb 27, 2013 - 5:54 AM Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Marcin Gortat scored 14 points, including the game-tying layup at the end of regulation to lead the Phoenix Suns to an 84-83 overtime win against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday.

Wesley Johnson scored 14 points and pulled down nine rebounds and Markieff Morris added 14 points and six rebounds for the Suns, who had dropped three straight entering the contest.

"We made it a little tougher on ourselves, but we will take it. We still have a lot to work on. I think learning how to build on leads and learn how to close quarters," said Suns coach Lindsey Hunter.

Derrick Williams scored 21 points to go with 12 rebounds and Nikola Pekovic added 18 points and 12 boards for the Timberwolves, losers in three straight.

"We started off slow again. We're not making shots like we know we can but we did a good job in the fourth quarter," Williams said.

The Wolves trailed 58-51 entering the final frame, but used a 15-11 flurry to pull within 69-66 with 5:39 left.

Johnson stopped the bleeding with a putback dunk, but Minnesota scored five straight to tie the game at 71-71.

Minnesota finally took the lead on Cunningham's three-point play with 1:30 left. Rubio split a pair of free throws with 25 seconds left to make it 77-75, but Gortat tied the game with 13.6 ticks left.

Goran Dragic dribbled to his left before going around a Gortat screen at the top of the key. Dragic then hit Gortat with a bounce pass as the big man cut to the hoop and layed it in to tie it at 77-77.

The Suns opened the bonus period on a 7-3 surge to take an 84-80 lead with 45.5 ticks left.

Williams, though, drained a 3-pointer with 30.7 seconds left.

Johnson's short jumper was stuffed by Pekovic, but Alexey Shved missed a tough layup on the other end with three seconds remaining.

Morris missed a pair of free throws with 0.5 seconds left, but the Wolves were unable to get a desperation shot off at the buzzer.

Phoenix led 16-15 after the first quarter, and took a 47-33 lead into the break. Minnesota outscored the Suns 18-11 in the third to go into the period trailing 58-51.

Game Notes

The Suns are 2-2 in overtime this season ... Dragic had 10 points and seven assists ... The Wolves are 0-12 when scoring less than 90 points this season.