Timberwolves 97, Wizards 77
Kevin Martin scored 28 points and Kevin Garnett returned in style as Minnesota turned away visiting Washington.
Garnett made his Timberwolves debut for the second time in his career and contributed five points, eight rebounds and two blocks in 19 minutes. Andrew Wiggins scored 19 points and Nikola Pekovic collected 15 and 13 rebounds as Minnesota won for the second time in three games.
Otto Porter Jr. scored 13 points and Nene added 12 for the Wizards, who have lost five straight and 10 of 12. Marcin Gortat grabbed 15 rebounds while John Wall struggled to five points on 2-of-10 shooting and handed out 10 assists for Washington.
Garnett found Martin for a 3-pointer and scored during an 11-0 run that put the Timberwolves on top 57-48 midway through the third, and Wiggins scored seven straight points to help push it to 70-54. Minnesota settled for a 14-point advantage heading into the fourth and stretched it to 82-64 on Martin’s basket with 8:57 to play before cruising to the finish.
Garnett received a huge ovation from the fans before the game and nearly every time he touched the ball, but the Timberwolves struggled with the veteran forward back in the lineup and did not make a field goal until 5:26 left in the first quarter as the Wizards jumped to a 13-1 lead. Minnesota chipped away as Martin got hot in the second quarter and knotted it at 42 heading into the break.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Wizards F Kris Humphries sat out the second half after suffering a strained left groin. … Washington F Paul Pierce, who played with Garnett in Boston and Brooklyn, was a late scratch due to a bruised knee and is day-to-day. … Martin has scored at least 21 points in each of the last six games.