Timberwolves 98, Nets 91
Timberwolves 98, Nets 91: Kevin Martin scored 26 points and rookie Andrew Wiggins added 17 as visiting Minnesota outscored Brooklyn 9-0 down the stretch.
Nikola Pekovic added 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Timberwolves. Ricky Rubio just missed his fourth career triple-double, finishing with 14 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds.
Joe Johnson scored 22 points and Deron Williams had 19, but missed seven of his last eight field-goal attempts for Brooklyn. Jarrett Jack added 14 points to pace the reserves for the Nets.
Pekovic’s three-point play with 48 seconds left gave the Timberwolves a 94-91 lead and Brooklyn couldn’t answer. Minnesota took a six-point lead into the fourth quarter but went scoreless the first 4:14, allowing Brooklyn to slip ahead by four before it went back-and-forth from there.
The Nets fell behind 17-2 during the first six minutes, clawed back to within three heading into the second quarter and managed to take a 48-47 lead into the break. Johnson left with his fourth foul with the score tied at 56 and 6:39 left in the third quarter and the Timberwolves followed with a 13-4 run.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Minnesota had four starters with at least seven rebounds. … The Timberwolves shot 7-for-17 from 3-point range to keep their season percentage at 41.2 percent. … Nets C Kevin Garnett, who played his first 12 seasons in Minnesota, shot 1-for-7 from the field but collected a team-high 11 rebounds.