Timberwolves 99, Hawks 95
MINNEAPOLIS -- Guard Zach LaVine scored 18 points and Minnesota's reserves provided a spark in the Timberwolves 99-95 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday.
Forward Andrew Wiggins added 15 points despite shooting just 5-of-17 from the floor, and forward Damjan Rudez had a season-high 13 points as part of a Timberwolves bench that scored 58 points and outlasted the Hawks in the game's final minutes.
Guard Jeff Teague paced Atlanta in the first half. Teague had 13 points at the half to lead all scorers, including 10 points in the second quarter alone. He had a stretch in which he scored 10 straight Hawks points to tie the game at 38-38. Teague finished with 22 points, while forward Paul Millsap also scored 22.
Teague had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds, but his 3-point attempt fell short and Minnesota collected the rebound. Guard Kevin Martin's free throw sealed the win for the Timberwolves.
The same two teams played Nov. 9 with Minnesota taking a 34-point lead before nearly letting it slip away. The Timberwolves went on to a 117-107 victory.
Wednesday's game was never one-sided. Neither team led by more than 10 points when Minnesota held a double-digit edge early in the second quarter after a LaVine 3-pointer.
The seldom-used Rudez gave a big lift off the bench in the fourth quarter. He hit back-to-back 3-pointers to put Minnesota up 84-80 with 6:32 remaining.
Wiggins saved his biggest shot of the night for late in the fourth quarter on a layup that drew a foul and elicited a howl from the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year. He missed the free throw but gave Minnesota a four-point lead with 1:25 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio did not play down the stretch due to a sore left ankle. Rubio finished with five points and six assists in 21 minutes.
NOTES: Timberwolves F Nemanja Bjelica was inactive for Wednesday's game with a left knee contusion. It's the third straight game he has missed. Bjelica, in his first season with Minnesota, is averaging 7.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game this year. ... Atlanta G Kent Bazemore (right ankle sprain) and F/C Tiago Splitter (right hip) were both ruled out for Wednesday's game. Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer wasn't sure if either will return to action on Atlanta's current road trip. "I think with both of them, we'll just have to wait and see how the next two (games) go." ... Hawks G Kyle Korver entered Wednesday's game just five 3-point field goals shy of tying Peja Stojakovic for 10th in NBA/ABA history with 1,760.