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Aldridge leads Blazers over Timberwolves

Dec 1, 2014 - 6:34 AM Portland, OR (SportsNetwork.com) - LaMarcus Aldridge had 26 points and 15 rebounds and the Portland Trail Blazers led for the final 28 minutes of the game in a 107-93 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.

Wesley Matthews scored 23 and Damian Lillard had 17 points and eight assists for the Blazers, who bounced back from Friday's streak-stopping loss to Memphis to win for the 10th time in their last 11 games.

Shabazz Muhammad scored a career-high 28 points off the bench to lead the Timberwolves, who fell to 2-9 in their last 11. Mo Williams added 21 points and 11 assists and Thad Young scored 14 in the loss.

"We played really hard," said Timberwolves head coach Flip Saunders. "Didn't always play smart."

The Blazers led by 16 in the fourth quarter and fended off a mini rally by the Timberwolves, who pulled as close as seven.

Lillard had a big play when he knocked down a straightaway 3-pointer after a Minnesota turnover despite being fouled, giving Portland an 11-point lead with 4:10 remaining.

It didn't get closer than eight after that.

"It was a struggle for most of the night just kind of getting into a rhythm," said Portland coach Terry Stotts. "When we were able to get some stops in the second and third quarter, that was important for us. That's when we're at our best, when we get some stops.

"I'm disappointed that they scored 32 in the fourth quarter. I would have liked to have a better defensive fourth quarter. ... But it's hard to be too disappointed with a win."

Williams scored 11 points and the Timberwolves led by as many as seven in the first quarter while turning the ball over just once.

But the Blazers moved the ball well in the second and erased an eight-point hole with an extended 17-6 run keyed by two 3-pointers by Allen Crabbe that helped them take the lead for good with 3:50 remaining in the first half.

They stretched the advantage to 48-40 at the break behind nine second-quarter assists and 16 points from Aldridge in the half.

The Timberwolves were never closer than six in the third. Portland scored the last eight points of the quarter -- Aldridge had five of them -- to take a 75-61 lead into the fourth.

Game Notes

Portland has won four straight and 25 of the last 28 meetings between the teams ... The Blazers play in Denver on Tuesday ... The Timberwolves will finish a three-game road trip on Monday against the Clippers in LA.