Nuggets 112, Timberwolves 100
MINNEAPOLIS -- Kenneth Faried had 19 points and 10 rebounds and backup guard Randy Foye added 19 points off the bench as Denver took down Minnesota by a 112-100 final Tuesday at Target Center.
Six Nuggets scored in double-figures. Danilo Gallinari had 14 points, while guard Will Barton chipped in 14. The Nuggets came into Tuesday's game shooting just 42.8 percent from the floor, 25th in the league. But against the Timberwolves, Denver shot 56.2 percent -- and 55.6 percent from 3-point range.
Second-year forward Andrew Wiggins led Minnesota with 23 points on nine-of-17 shooting. Guard Zach LaVine added 20 points and five assists off the bench in the loss. Rookie Karl-Anthony Towns had 18 points despite taking just seven shots. He made all eight of his free throws.
The Timberwolves forced 15 Denver turnovers but converted them into just 10 points. The Nuggets cashed in on Minnesota's 10 turnovers for 18 points.
Denver used a 12-0 run in the second quarter to build a 63-49 halftime lead. Foye, a former member of the Timberwolves, tormented his old team during that stretch and throughout the first half. Foye had 17 points at halftime and was perfect on all five of his shot from beyond the arc.
Minnesota managed to cut Denver's lead to nine points with 4:59 remaining in the fourth after a pair of Ricky Rubio free throws, but the Nuggets pulled away in the game's final minutes. Veteran guard Jameer Nelson hit a trio of shots to extend Denver's lead as part of his 10-point night.
The Nuggets (11-14) won for the second day in a row after beating Houston on Monday. Denver has now won five of its last six games after enduring an eight-game losing streak.
The loss is Minnesota's second in as many games. The Wolves dropped a road contest in Phoenix on Sunday in overtime. Minnesota has now lost six of its last seven to drop to 9-15.
NOTES: Denver G Emmanuel Mudiay did not play in Tuesday's game because of a right ankle sprain. Mudiay also missed Monday's win at Houston. Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said Mudiay is day-to-day and received treatment before Tuesday's game. Denver hopes Mudiay might be able to return Friday in Utah. ... Tuesday marks the third time already this season that these two teams have faced off. Minnesota won the first matchup back on Oct. 30 in Denver, while the Nuggets beat the Timberwolves in overtime at the Pepsi Center on Dec. 11. ... Timberwolves rookie PG Tyus Jones is averaging 21.3 points, 5.0 assists and 1.7 steals per game in his first three games with the Idaho Stampede of the NBA Development League. He was assigned to Idaho on Dec. 5.