Suns 106, Timberwolves 97
Markieff Morris scored 24 points on 10-of-15 shooting as host Phoenix upended Minnesota.
T.J. Warren added a career-high 17 points on 8-of-10 shooting for the Suns, who were without injured point guard Brandon Knight (ankle). Eric Bledsoe had 18 points and nine assists and Marcus Thornton scored 14 points.
Kevin Martin scored 16 points for the Timberwolves, who lost for the sixth time in seven games. Justin Hamilton added a career-best 15 points while filling in for Nikola Pekovic, who played just eight minutes before leaving with an ankle injury.
Minnesota crept within six points on Martin’s basket with 4:43 remaining before Morris scored consecutive baskets to push the margin back to 10. The Timberwolves were within nine when Warren scored the next five of his team’s points as the Suns put the contest away and moved within 2 1/2 games of eighth-place New Orleans in the Western Conference race.
Phoenix led by as many as 11 points in the first quarter and Minnesota recovered to tie the game in the second quarter before Warren scored the final six points of the half to give the Suns a 50-44 lead. Ricky Rubio’s basket tied the score at 65 with 4:09 left in the third quarter before Phoenix scored the next nine points and the Suns possessed a 78-69 lead entering the final stanza.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Warren is 13-of-19 shooting over the past two games. … Timberwolves PF Kevin Garnett (rest) sat out the contest. … The Suns collected 16 offensive rebounds while posting a 45-34 edge on the boards.