Cavaliers 93, Timberwolves 92
C.J. Miles scored 19 points off the bench and Cleveland survived a frantic Minnesota rally to snap the Timberwolves’ season-opening three-game winning streak.
Kyrie Irving had 15 points, eight rebounds and six assists as the Cavaliers evened their record at 2-2. Minnesota ended the game with a 17-2 surge and Cleveland emerged victorious as Kevin Love missed a 3-point attempt with two seconds remaining.
Kevin Martin scored 23 points and Love had 17 points and 13 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who lost for the first time during the second-best start in franchise history. Minnesota shot just 36.2 percent from the field.
The Timberwolves trailed by 23 before using a 20-6 burst to pull within 78-69 early in the fourth quarter. The Cavaliers answered the run to take a 16-point lead with 5:07 to play before Minnesota controlled the rest of the contest and moved within one on Love’s basket with 38.9 seconds left.
Minnesota shot just 29.3 percent from the field in the first half and Cleveland shot 54.5 percent en route to a 55-38 lead at the break. The lead topped out at 72-49 when Alonzo Gee drained a 3-pointer with 5:11 left in the third quarter.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The Timberwolves were just 5-for-28 from 3-point range, with Martin sinking all five. … Irving committed nine of Cleveland’s 24 turnovers. … Minnesota’s best start is a 6-0 run in 2001-02.