T-Wolves cruise past Bulls
MINNEAPOLIS -- Andrew Wiggins scored 27 points and Karl-Anthony Towns added 22 as the Minnesota Timberwolves cruised to a 117-89 win against the shorthanded Chicago Bulls on Sunday afternoon.
Chicago played without starters Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade, as well as backups Nikola Mirotic and Paul Zipser. Minnesota took advantage with Ricky Rubio adding 17 points, 11 assists and six rebounds for the Timberwolves (21-34), who had lost five of their past six games.
Doug McDermott started for Butler and had 16 points for Chicago (26-29), which lost its third straight game. Michael Carter-Williams had 12 points, a team-high seven rebounds and six assists in a spot start for Wade. Bobby Portis had 16 points and six rebounds off the bench.
Minus their two starts and at the end of a six-game road trip, the Bulls were flat as Minnesota charged out of the gates. The Timberwolves started the game with a 19-5 advantage that grew to 19 in the first quarter as they shot 63.6 percent from the field and Chicago had six turnovers in the opening period.
Wiggins, who likely would have been matched up with Butler, was aggressive early. He scored 14 points in the first.
Without their two top scorers, the Bulls had trouble finding a go-to player on the offensive end and shot 7 of 21 in the first. The lead ballooned to 26 in the second before Chicago finished the half on a 13-6 run.
The Bulls managed to chip away at the lead in the third as they hit their first five 3-pointers, including three by McDermott. Carter-Williams hit a 3 to end a 21-9 run as Chicago got within 13 points at 75-62.
Minnesota countered with a 9-1 run of its own and never looked back.
The Timberwolves shot 54.3 percent, scored 56 points in the paint and outrebounded the Bulls 46-35.
Chicago had 18 turnovers. They shot 10 of 25 from 3, the seventh time this season they've had double-digit 3s in a game.
Butler missed his third game in four contests because of a heel injury and Wade injured his wrist in a fall during Friday's game. Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg hoped some rest would leave Butler with the opportunity to play at home Tuesday against Toronto.
NOTES: Without starters F Jimmy Butler and G Dwyane Wade, Chicago started Jerian Grant, Michael Carter-Williams, Doug McDermott, and regular frontcourt players, Taj Gibson and Robin Lopez. ... The Bulls are 0-3 this season without Wade and Butler. ... Minnesota had its first sellout of the season for the Sunday matinee. There was even a "Let's Go Bulls" chant midway through the third as Chicago went on a run... Butler has a career-high 38 games with at least 20 points this season. He ranks 12th in the league in scoring (24.5 points per game), sixth in steals (1.82) and seventh in minutes (36.5). ... The Timberwolves had recorded 20-plus assists in 25 straight games, the team's longest streak since 2000-01 when it did so in 25 consecutive games. ... Minnesota F Andrew Wiggins has scored 20-plus points in 13 straight games, the longest streak of his career. ... The Wolves wrap up their homestand by hosting Cleveland on Tuesday. The Bulls return home on Tuesday against Toronto.