Timberwolves 112, Pistons 101
Timberwolves 112, Pistons 101: Nikola Pekovic scored a season-high 29 points as visiting Minnesota beat Detroit for the 10th straight time.
Kevin Martin added 24 points, nine rebounds and three steals as all five starters scored in double figures for Minnesota, which played without starting point guard Ricky Rubio, who has not been cleared to play in back-to-back games after missing three months earlier this season with an ankle injury. Andrew Wiggins contributed 18 points, eight rebounds and five assists, Thaddeus Young scored 16 points and Mo Williams, starting in place of Rubio, finished with 11 points and nine assists for Minnesota.
D.J. Augustin had 20 points and eight assists to lead the Pistons. Andre Drummond finished with 17 points and 14 rebounds, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Greg Monroe and Anthony Tolliver tallied 15 points apiece for Detroit, which never led in the game.
The Timberwolves led by as much as 19 in the third quarter but made one field goal over the final five minutes, allowing the Pistons to trim the deficit back to eight entering the fourth, and Detroit then scored the first four points of the final quarter to pull within four. Wiggins connected on a 3-pointer to push the lead back to seven and Young connected from beyond the arc a few minutes earlier for an 11-point lead with 5:46 left, and Detroit was out of comebacks.
Minnesota used a 9-0 run late in the first quarter to take its biggest lead at 32-22 and maintained an eight-point edge entering the second. The lead swelled to as much as 13 in the second frame before the Timberwolves took a 10-point cushion into the half, and a 13-4 run to start the second half extended the advantage to 19 with 7:22 remaining.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Minnesota has won three straight games for the first time since Feb. 25 - March 3 of last season, when it beat the Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings and Denver Nuggets. … The Pistons shot 10-for-31 from 3-point range after coming in averaging 8.7 made 3s a game, which would be their highest average in franchise history. … Timberwolves G Shabazz Muhammad missed his 16th straight game with a strained oblique, but could return Monday against the Atlanta Hawks.