Nets pull away late from Timberwolves
NEW YORK -- Brook Lopez scored 26 points as the Brooklyn Nets made enough plays down the stretch in a 119-110 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday.
Trevor Booker added 15 points for the Nets (3-3), who shot 55 percent and were 12 of 33 from 3-point range. Sean Kilpatrick contributed 14 points while Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Bojan Bogdanovic had 13 apiece.
Andrew Wiggins scored a career-high 36 points for Minnesota, which has opened the season with five losses in six games. Wiggins made a career-high six 3-pointers but also shot 13 of 29 from the floor.
Karl-Anthony Towns scored 19 of his 21 points in the first half and was saddled with foul trouble after getting his fourth early in the final period. Zach LaVine added 17 points for the Timberwolves, who shot 42 percent.
Minnesota took a 102-100 lead with 5:54 remaining on Wiggins' sixth 3-pointer. After Lopez missed from behind the arc, LaVine grabbed the rebound and moments later Wiggins nailed an open 3-pointer from the right side.
The lead was short-lived for Minnesota. Coming out of the timeout, Lopez hit a 13-footer and, following a missed layup by Wiggins, Kilpatrick gave Brooklyn a 104-102 edge with a fast-break layup with 5:16 to go.
The game was tied one more time on two free throws by Wiggins with about four minutes left, but on the next possession, Hollis-Jefferson hit a baseline six-footer for a 108-106 lead. Wiggins had a chance to tie the game for the ninth time with 3:32 left but missed two free throws.
With 3:08 remaining, Lopez gave the Nets a 110-106 edge by going around Towns and LaVine for a layup. The Nets took a 112-108 lead on two free throws by Kilpatrick with 94 seconds left and, following a Wiggins basket with 56.4 seconds left, Bogdanovic hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 37 seconds left to make it 115-110.
NOTES: G Ricky Rubio (sprained right elbow) missed his fourth straight game. Minnesota coach Tom Thibodeau said Rubio is getting better and will be re-evaluated before Wednesday's game with Orlando. ... Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said he has not decided if G Jeremy Lin (strained left hamstring) will travel on the upcoming road trip. Atkinson also said the Nets will decide Wednesday if C Brook Lopez plays at New York on the second end of a back-to-back. Lopez sat out the second part of a back-to-back Oct. 28 in Milwaukee. ... The Timberwolves had two days off in New York and spent Sunday attending a performance of the Broadway hit musical "Hamilton."