Final
Timberwolves edge Suns
Feb 21, 2015 - 5:08 AMVideo
Andrew Wiggins tallied 20 points and Ricky Rubio checked in with 10 points and 14 assists for the Timberwolves, who snapped a two-game losing streak.
"We're a special team, we're getting better every game," Wiggins said.
Phoenix began life without point guards Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas on Friday. The Suns shipped Dragic to the Heat in a three-team deal with New Orleans, and Thomas was sent to Boston.
Brandon Knight, who was acquired by Phoenix in a three-team deal with Milwaukee and Philadelphia, was not active against the Timberwolves.
Markieff Morris led all scorers with 31 points in the loss, while Archie Goodwin had 14 and Eric Bledsoe added 12 points with seven rebounds and six assists. Phoenix has dropped three straight.
"We just made some bad plays down the stretch, our defense has to get better," Bledsoe said.
The Timberwolves led by three after three quarters, but they trailed by one after a Morris jumper with 3:20 to play in the game.
Nikola Pekovic, who had 16 points with 11 rebounds, netted a pair of baskets over the next two-plus minutes to give the hosts a 106-103 lead.
Each team traded free throws before Morris knocked down two free throws to cut the deficit back to one with 34.3 seconds on the clock. Rubio found Wiggins inside at the other end for a layup that kept Minnesota up three with 17.6 ticks left.
Bledsoe missed a point-blank layup out of a timeout, Gorgui Dieng corralled the rebound and the Timberwolves held on.
Minnesota led 26-24 after the first quarter, then opened it up a bit midway through the second.
The Timberwolves went on a 13-0 run to make it a 46-32 game. Phoenix was held without a field goal for a 6:32 span in the second, going 0-for-11 in the process. Alex Len's three-point play ended the drought and cut the Phoenix deficit to 46-36 and it trailed by 10 at the break.
P.J. Tucker knocked down a 3-pointer to start a 13-2 run that he capped with a layup and tied the game at 62-62 with over five minutes to play in the third.
Minnesota brought an 80-77 lead into the fourth quarter.
Game Notes
Phoenix acquired Marcus Thornton from the Celtics, John Salmons from the Pelicans, Danny Granger from the Heat and Kendall Marshall from the Bucks at the deadline ... Minnesota's lone splash of the trade deadline was bringing back veteran Kevin Garnett from Brooklyn in exchange for forward Thaddeus Young. Garnett was drafted fifth overall by Minnesota in the 1995 draft and spent his first 12 seasons with the Wolves. He was not active on Friday ... The Suns had won three straight in this series ... Minnesota held a 20-10 edge on the fastbreak ... There were 15 ties and 15 lead changes ... Dieng finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds off the bench in the win.
- PHOENIX: 109
MINNESOTA: 111
Final
Feb 20 10:36 PM - 158
roots - PHOENIX: 77
MINNESOTA: 80
End of 3rd
Feb 20 9:52 PM - PHOENIX: 42
MINNESOTA: 52
Halftime
Feb 20 9:09 PM - PHOENIX: 24
MINNESOTA: 26
End of 1st
Feb 20 8:36 PM - PHOENIX: 0
MINNESOTA: 0
1st Quarter - 12:00
Feb 20 8:10 PM
Related News
- NBA Injury Updates: Karl Anthony Towns and Ben Simmons to Miss Significant Time Mar 7
- Should we be worried that people with the Phoenix Suns can “feel the frustration with Durant”? Dec 26
- Suns vs. Mavs Final Score: Phoenix continues to struggle, lose 128-114 to Dallas Dec 26
- Suns JAM Session Podcast: Suns (14-15) vs. Mavs Post Game Podcast Dec 26
- Open Thread: Mavericks vs. Suns Dec 25
- Game Preview: Struggling Suns face struggling Mavericks in Christmas Day showdown Dec 25
- Stephen’s Study: Scouting Udoka Azubuike’s minutes against the Sacramento Kings Dec 25
- The Beal gamble isn’t paying off Dec 24
- Suns Week 9 Stock Exchange: Udoka gives us hope while coaching and three-point shooting do not Dec 24
- Wolves 110, Kings 98: Ant Crowned the King Dec 24
- Suns Injury Update: Bradley Beal wants to be ready to go for Christmas Dec 23
- Vogel: “I’m not doing a good enough job in making sure [Eric Gordon]’s involved in the offense” Dec 23