Timberwolves 132, Nets 118
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Timberwolves enjoyed the comforts of home and the Brooklyn Nets looked like a road-weary bunch.
Rookie star Karl-Anthony Towns added to his campaign as the NBAs top newcomer, scoring 28 points in Minnesota's 132-118 win on Saturday night.
The Timberwolves never trailed and got 26 points from Andrew Wiggins, who was one of five Minnesota players scoring in double figures.
As a team, Minnesota (20-43) shot 68.4 percent from the field, hitting 52 of 76 shots, which set a franchise record.
Brooklyn, which has lost three of its last four while enduring a three-week road trip, got 23 points from Markel Brown and a career-high 19 points from Sean Kilpatrick.
But the Nets fell behind early and could not close the gap. Thomas Robinson was the game's leading rebounder with 17.
The Nets (18-45) trailed 97-79 after three quarters, then went on a 19-7 run with the Timberwolves' starters resting, cutting the deficit to eight. But Minnesota guard Ricky Rubio stopped Brooklyn's momentum, hitting a 3-pointer and two free throws to boost the lead back to double digits.
Minnesota, which had lost its last three in a row, came out firing, putting up 37 first-quarter points while shooting nearly 74 percent from the field and doing an impressive job sharing the ball.
The Timberwolves' 14 assists in the first quarter were their most in a quarter since April 2003.
Minnesota went on a 15-2 run in the second quarter and led by as many as 20 at one point before Brooklyn scored the final five points before halftime.
The Timberwolves led 68-51 at the break, with Wiggins' 16 points pacing all scorers.
Minnesota's Zach LaVine put on a show late in the half as well, hitting two 3--pointers and a fast-break dunk to finish with 15 points in the half.
Willie Reed led the Nets with 10 points in the first half. Reed ended up with career highs in assists, blocks, rebounds and points in the game.
NOTES: The Timberwolves honored the high school basketball teams from Waseca, Minn., and Marshall, Minn., for their recent memorable game that was featured on several national highlight shows. On Thursday, the schools played a four-overtime thriller featuring three buzzer-beaters. Waseca prevailed 103-100 on a last-second shot to earn a trip to the Minnesota state tournament. ... Nets coach Tony Brown announced before the game that C Brook Lopez and F Thaddeus Young would sit out Saturday's game for rest. ... C Willie Reed made his first start for Lopez and F Thomas Robinson started in place of Young. ... In the midst of their season-long nine-game road trip, the Nets have two more games away from home next week. They will visit Toronto on Tuesday and Philadelphia on Friday before their next game in Brooklyn. Minnesota heads out on the road next, facing the Hornets in Charlotte on Monday.