Timberwolves at Nuggets
All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns is expected to miss his second straight game when the Minnesota Timberwolves visit the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday. Towns injured his right knee during Saturday's win over the Washington Timberwolves but an MRI exam didn't reveal serious damage.
Towns sat out Sunday's 103-92 win over the visiting New York Knicks after it was determined he merely aggravated previous knee soreness. "We have very smart medical people here and we have people who make informed decisions on things," Towns told reporters. "We have good communicators so we're all going to communicate that and make sure everybody is on the same page." The Nuggets trail first-place Golden State by 1 1/2 games in the Western Conference race after dropping a 122-105 decision to the host Warriors on Friday. The Nuggets have dropped four of their past five games as they begin a three-game homestand that includes contests against the Dallas Mavericks and Indiana Pacers.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (32-35): Veteran power forward Taj Gibson scored a season-best 25 points on 11-of-15 shooting against the Knicks and also collected eight rebounds. "He's really a stabilizer for us," interim coach Ryan Saunders told reporters. "You can say that in whatever role he's in, whether it's him starting, him coming off the bench or him having to come in and fill an offensive role." Rookie forward Keita Bates-Diop scored a season-best 18 points in 35 minutes against the Knicks in his first career start.
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (43-22): All-Star center Nikola Jokic (16 points) and point guard Jamal Murray (11) were the only starters who scored in double digits against the Warriors as the Denver reserves (58) outscored the starters (47). "If it wasn't for our bench we would have gotten completely blown out," Nuggets coach Michael Malone told reporters. "Our bench at least kept it respectable." Guards Malik Beasley and Monte Morris scored 17 points apiece with Beasley knocking down five 3-pointers.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Nuggets won the first two meetings - both in Minnesota - by a combined three points.
2. Timberwolves SF Andrew Wiggins (thigh) could return after sitting out against New York.
3. Denver swingman Will Barton had just five points on 2-of-11 shooting against Golden State after scoring 23 points two nights earlier against the Los Angeles Lakers.