Magic 104, Timberwolves 101 (OT)
ORLANDO -- Forward Evan Fournier scored 26 points, including a game-winning 3-pointer with 3.1 seconds remaining in overtime to lead the Orlando Magic to a 104-101 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves Wednesday night at Amway Arena.
Point guard Elfrid Payton added 24 points, including five in the overtime period.
Guard Andrew Wiggins had 28 points and hit 12 of 14 free throws to lead the Timberwolves. Rookie Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points and 12 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the season. Guards Zach LaVine and Kevin Martin added 14 and 12 points respectively.
Forward Tobias Harris had 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Magic. Little-used forward Andrew Nicholson, who had played only seven minutes this season before Wednesday, scored all eight of his points in the fourth quarter to key a Magic comeback.
Payton finished a 3-point play with 48 seconds remaining remaining for the 101-99 lead. Towns tied the game with a pair of free throws just eight seconds later.
Towns sent the game into overtime when he blocked a two-foot jumper by Harris as time expired in regulation. Wiggins hit a running layup with two seconds remaining that tied the game after the Magic had led through much of the fourth quarter.
The Magic made a 7-0 run early in the fourth period that included back-to-back baskets from Payton for an 83-81 lead. Nicholson hit his second 3-pointer of the period to extend the Magic lead to 89-82 with 4:10 remaining.
After a woeful start and desperate for a spark, the Magic started a different lineup in the second half, adding Channing Frye and Dewayne Dedmon in place of center Nikola Vucevic and guard Victor Oladipo.
The Magic made a 15-0 run midway in the third period, helping turn the 14-point halftime deficit into a 71-68 lead. Fournier had 11 points in the period while the Wolves committed seven turnovers.
Towns had 13 points and seven rebounds by halftime, leading the Timberwolves to a 52-38 advantage. The Magic shot poorly in the first two periods, making just 17 of 53 shots (32.1 percent).
NOTES: Timberwolves F Kevin Garnett sat out his second game of the season Wednesday night and was replaced in the starting lineup by Adrien Payne. Garnett, 39, played 14 minutes Tuesday in Miami. The team's plan is to hold him out when the Wolves play on back-to-back nights, hoping to preserve him for later this season. ... Magic G Victor Oladipo returned to the lineup after missing the previous two games under the NBA's concussion protocol. He was hit in the head by teammate Dewayne Dedmon last week. ... Magic reserve C Jason Smith, who missed the previous four games with a sore left knee, also returned and played 26 minutes ... Orlando F Evan Fournier, who battled cold and flu symptoms the past few days, was asked how he would defend Wolves leading scorer Andrew Wiggins. "I'll cough on him," Fournier said. ... The Wolves are 0-5 at home, but they won five of seven road games.