Timberwolves 112, Bulls 105
MINNEAPOLIS -- Andrew Wiggins made three big shots in the final minutes to lift the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 112-105 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night.
Wiggins' biggest shot of the night was a jumper with 19.5 seconds remaining that gave Minnesota a 110-105 lead, just moments after Chicago forward Pau Gasol missed a 3-point try that would have tied the score.
Wiggins also put the Timberwolves up by a point when an earlier jumper made it 106-105.
Gasol scored a team-high 25 points and point guard Derrick Rose added 18 points and 10 assists for the Bulls, which dropped their second road game in as many nights.
In a game that was close from start to finish, Minnesota waited until the final minute to secure its biggest lead of the night. Center Gorgui Dieng's dunk capped his 24-point night and finished the scoring.
No team led by more than six points before the fourth quarter. Chicago had a 55-49 lead at halftime but never stretched the margin to more than that the rest of the way.
The Timberwolves tied the score at 96 on two Wiggins free throws, but a 3-pointer by guard E'Twuan Moore and a long jumper by Gasol put Chicago back up by five.
Thanks to Wiggins, Minnesota regained the lead with 1:24 remaining. He scored once again on a spin in the paint to put the Timberwolves up 108-105 with 48.5 seconds left.
Minnesota had five players score in double figures, led by rookie center Karl-Anthony Towns with 26. Dieng completed the double-double by grabbing 10 rebounds to go along with his 24 points. Wiggins finished with 21 points and point guard Ricky Rubio had 14 points and six assists.
Chicago was playing short-handed after leading scorer Jimmy Butler did not suit up. He injured his left knee in Friday's game. Butler, selected to the NBA All-Star Game, is averaging a team-high 22.4 points. His status for next weekend's All-Star Game remains a question mark.
Towns needed 14 rebounds to average 10.0 rebounds per game this season. He finished with 17 boards and is now averaging a double-double in his rookie campaign.
Saturday marked the second day of a back-to-back for Chicago. The Bulls lost 115-110 on Friday in Denver. Chicago's loss to Minnesota was its sixth straight road game, the longest stretch away from United Center this year.
NOTES: Bulls G/F Jimmy Butler missed Saturday's game with a left knee strain. He was injured Friday against Denver. Coach Fred Hoiberg said Butler flew back to Chicago on Saturday and will meet with team doctors on Sunday. Butler will also miss Monday's game in Charlotte, Hoiberg said. ... Timberwolves F Kevin Garnett did not play Saturday, the seventh consecutive game he has missed with a sore right knee. ... Hoiberg coached his first game at Target Center on Saturday. He played for Minnesota from 2003 to 2005 and worked in the Timberwolves' front office from 2006 to 2010. "I've got great memories of my time in Minnesota, my seven great years here," he said.