Timberwolves 100, 76ers 95
MINNEAPOLIS -- For the Minnesota Timberwolves, it was a chance to finally please their home fans. And for the Philadelphia 76ers, it was more of the same.
Forward Andrew Wiggins scored 32 points as Minnesota rallied for a 100-95 victory over Philadelphia on Monday night, giving the Timberwolves their first home win of the season.
Center Gorgui Deng and guard Zach LaVine each added 12 points off the bench for Minnesota (6-8), which trailed by more than a dozen in the first half and by six in the fourth quarter but stormed back, improving to 1-6 at Target Center.
Rookie center Jahlil Okafor led the 76ers with 25 points, but Philadelphia remains in search of its first win of the season.
Forward Robert Covington added 18 points for Philadelphia (0-15), which clawed back late in the third quarter after seeing a big lead slip away but could not hold the advantage in the final minutes.
The score was tied 91-91 with barely a minute to play when Wiggins hit two free throws, giving him 15 points in the quarter, and guard Kevin Martin hit a 3-pointer with 28 seconds on the clock, putting the game away.
Billed as a head-to-head matchup between two high 2015 draftees -- Okafor, the third overall pick from Duke and Minnesota forward Karl-Anthony Towns, the top pick from Kentucky -- this one was a mismatch. Okafor was dominating offensively, but Towns got in early foul trouble and finished with six points.
While Towns was picking up three first-half fouls and scoring just two points, Okafor was putting on a show. Philadelphia led 52-46 at halftime thanks in large part to 19 points from Okafor. The 76ers hit 15 of 17 free throws in the opening half.
Philadelphia led by as many as 13 before Minnesota went on a late 8-2 run. But Okafor's dunk with 2.3 seconds on the clock was a fitting exclamation point on his first half. He led all rebounders with nine, and Philly hit five 3-pointers in the half.
Towns hit a jumper to open the second half for Minnesota, then picked up his fourth foul less than two minutes into the third quarter, forcing him back to the bench.
With two more losses, Philadelphia can match the worst start in NBA history by the New Jersey Nets, who began the 2009-10 season 0-18.
NOTES: Before the game, Sixers coach Brett Brown said comparing the progress his team has made since last season to what Minnesota has done so far is premature. "I respect where they're at. They're further along than we are," Brown said. "So we're in a different place by design. It's a challenge, especially right now, but we're comfortable where we're at." ... The Timberwolves will show their thanks to 100 current conflict soldiers and veterans on Tuesday by hosting an open practice at the team's training facility adjacent to Target Center. Minnesota coaches and wives will serve brunch prior to the practice, which expected to involve a game of H-O-R-S-E between players and a few service members. ... Minnesota concludes its current three-game homestand on Wednesday, hosting the Atlanta Hawks. ... Philadelphia, which is in the midst of a six-game road trip, next heads to Boston for a Wednesday night meeting with the Celtics.