Timberwolves 95, Nuggets 78
DENVER -- Center Karl-Anthony Towns scored 28 points and grabbed 14 rebounds and the Minnesota Timberwolves spoiled the Denver Nuggets' home opener with a 95-78 win Friday night.
Guard Andrew Wiggins added 18 points for the Timberwolves, who will take a 2-0 record into their first home game against Portland on Sunday.
Rookie guard Emmanuel Mudiay led Denver with 15 points but had just two assists.
Guard Will Barton had 14 points off the bench and forward Kenneth Faried had 15 rebounds for the Nuggets, who struggled to score two nights after beating Houston by 20 points. Denver shot just 30 percent and trailed the entire night.
Towns, who had 14 points and 12 rebounds in his NBA debut on Wednesday, was dominant in the third quarter when the Timberwolves led by as many as 21 points. He was 5-for-5 from the field, hit two free throws and grabbed four rebounds in the period.
The scoreboard above both baskets went out in the third quarter, and it cost Denver a possible fast-break basket late in the period when Barton heaved a shot from half court with 11 seconds left and the Nuggets trailing by 14.
The clock began working again in the fourth quarter.
With Towns on the bench, Denver pulled within 12 early in the fourth and had several chances to get closer but Barton missed three straight shots and a turnover kept Minnesota's lead in double digits.
Barton finally got the Nuggets within 10 midway through the fourth but they again missed three straight shots and committed two turnovers with a chance to get closer.
Towns then hit a shot to start an 8-3 run that put Minnesota ahead 91-76.
Towns, with 14 points, was the only player in double figures at halftime and was two rebounds shy of a double-double. He also had two blocked shots to help Minnesota hold Denver to 31 percent shooting in the first two quarters.
NOTES: There was a moment of silence for former Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders, who passed away Sunday. The late coach is the all-time leader in wins in Timberwolves history. ... Nuggets F Wilson Chandler will miss several weeks with a hip injury. ... Minnesota C Nikola Pekovic is out indefinitely with a right Achilles tendon injury. Pekovic had surgery on the tendon April 8. ... Denver G Emmanuel Mudiay's nine assists in Wednesday's win over Houston was a franchise record for a rookie. ... Timberwolves G Tyus Jones was inactive for the second straight game. The rookie has yet to play in an NBA regular season game.