Timberwolves 121, Suns 116
MINNEAPOLIS -- Andrew Wiggins led all scorers with 32 points to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 121-116 win over the Phoenix Suns at Target Center on Monday.
Minnesota won for the third time in four games and is averaging 122 points per game in each of those wins.
The Timberwolves led by as many as 20 late in the third quarter but watched the Suns go on a 23-4 run over the final minute of the third and first half of the fourth quarter.
Ronnie Price's steal and slam gave the Suns their first lead since the first quarter at 109-108 with four minutes left in regulation. A 19-foot jumper by Wiggins gave Minnesota the lead back before Devin Booker and Ricky Rubio traded 3-pointers, giving Minnesota a one-point lead with just over two minutes remaining.
Phoenix trailed by three in the final 15 seconds, but Mirza Teletovic's ill-advised 3-pointer from the left corner with eight seconds still on the clock missed short.
Karl-Anthony Towns scored 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Minnesota, who had all five starters finish in double figures.
Booker and Brandon Knight each had 30 points for the Suns; Knight was 10 of 16 from the floor, including 7 of 11 from beyond the arc.
Following a sluggish offensive outing in a 94-83 loss to the Utah Jazz on Saturday, the Timberwolves were on point offensively from the beginning against the Suns.
Towns had 18 points on 6 of 9 shooting in the first quarter alone, eight more points than the 10 Minnesota had against the Jazz.
Knight was also going good early, scoring the Suns' first 10 points and making his first five shots of the night, including three 3-pointers, giving Phoenix a one-point lead less than four minutes into the game.
Minnesota maintained a 66-61 lead at the half behind 22 from Towns. Knight scored 27 of his points before the break.
NOTES: Suns C Tyson Chandler returned to the starting lineup after missing the last three games with back spasms. Chandler is averaging 6.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game this season. ... Suns F Jon Leuer was active after missing one game because of illness. ... Minnesota will play the final game of a three-game homestand on Wednesday when it hosts the Los Angeles Clippers at Target Center. ... Phoenix will cap a quick two-game road trip the same night when it plays at Milwaukee against the Bucks at BMO Harris Bradley Center.