Wiggins erupts for 47, Timberwolves drub Lakers
MINNEAPOLIS -- Andrew Wiggins scored a career-high 47 points and Karl-Anthony Towns added 22 points and 12 rebounds as the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Los Angeles Lakers 125-99 on Sunday night.
Ricky Rubio had season highs with 10 points and 10 assists while Nemanja Bjelica scored a career-high 24 with five 3-pointers in a rare start for Minnesota (3-6), which has won two of three.
Lou Williams had 17 points off the bench to lead the Lakers, who were coming off an impressive win a night earlier at New Orleans. It's the eighth time in 11 games a reserve led the team in scoring.
Julius Randle had 14 points and a team-high six rebounds for Los Angeles (6-5).
The league's top scoring team in the first quarter, the Timberwolves were stronger early as both teams were playing the second game of a back-to-back situation. Minnesota had lost to the Los Angeles Clippers at home a night earlier, while the Lakers had to travel after their Saturday win.
With Wiggins scoring 13, the Timberwolves led 26-13 after the first quarter and were shooting 54.2 percent with just one turnover. Wiggins drained a banked 3-pointer at the end of the first half to give Minnesota a 69-46 lead at halftime.
Wiggins has been more assertive on the offensive end this season and entered Sunday averaging a career-high 23.8 points. He's scored 36 points or more in two of the past four games.
Slowly, Los Angeles began to chip away at the lead with the production coming from its usual spot: the bench.
The Lakers began the night averaging 51.2 points per game from their bench, the highest total in the NBA. A night earlier, Los Angeles' bench contributed 73 points in the win.
Williams started the night with the league's second-highest scoring average as a reserve. He hit a 3 with about 10 minutes remaining to close the margin to eight points. But Wiggins and Bjelica regained momentum for the Timberwolves, who pulled away late.
Bjelica earned the start because Minnesota was without starting guard Zach LaVine and backup swingmen Shabazz Muhammad and Brandon Rush.
Minnesota entered Sunday with the league's top 3-point accuracy at 40.8 percent. Andrew Wiggins is first individually in the league at 57.7 percent (15 of 26).
NOTES: Timberwolves starting G Zach Lavine and reserve F Shabazz Muhammad missed Sunday's game. The team said both players are dealing with a sore right knee. Brandon Rush missed his second straight game with a sprained right big toe. ... Lakers rookie F Brandon Ingram was available after rolling his ankle and leaving Saturday's game in New Orleans early. ... Los Angeles won its sixth game of the season in New Orleans. It took the Lakers until their 33rd game last season to win six games. ... Minnesota entered Sunday with the league's top 3-point accuracy at 40.8 percent. Andrew Wiggins is first individually in the league at 57.7 percent (15 of 26).