McCollum's career night rallies Blazers past Wolves
MINNEAPOLIS -- C.J. McCollum scored a career-high 43 points to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 95-89 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.
McCollum surpassed his previous career-high of 37 points set in two previous games. He shot 16 of 25 from the field, setting a career-high for field goals.
It was the seventh time McCollum scored at least 30 points this season and fourth straight game over 20 in place of Damian Lillard (left ankle sprain). McCollum is averaging 27.1 points in his last eight games.
Andrew Wiggins led the Timberwolves with 24 points. Minnesota's young trio of Wiggins, Karl-Anthony Towns and Zach LaVine combined for 48 points after getting 73 Friday against Milwaukee.
Towns finished with 11 points and 12 rebounds for his fourth straight double-double and 24th of the season.
Portland quickly rallied from a 12-point halftime deficit with a 14-2 run to tie the game at 51-51 on a McCollum's jumper. McCollum scored 16 points in the third and the Trail Blazers took a 69-64 lead into the fourth
Portland never trailed in the fourth and led by as many as eight points in the final 12 minutes. LaVine's three pointer with 54 seconds to go got Minnesota within four at 91-87 but McCollum hit a jumper 20 seconds later and the Blazers finished the game at the line.
McCollum scored 13 points and made five of six shots as Portland held a one-point lead after the first quarter. Minnesota opened the second quarter with a 13-4 run punctuated and Minnesota stretched the lead to as much as 14 before finishing the half up 49-37.
NOTES: Minnesota's Karl-Anthony Towns has recorded a double-double in each of his five career games against Portland. He averaged 21.5 points and 10 rebounds in four games against the Trail Blazers last season. ... Portland was without point guard Damian Lillard (left ankle sprain) for the fourth straight game. Lillard, who was listed as doubtful for tonight's game, scored at least 20 points in six of his past nine games against Minnesota (four games of 30-plus points). ... With six 3-pointers on Friday, Minnesota's Zach LaVine set a new franchise record for 3-pointers made in a month with 53, eclipsing Kevin Love's 48 in March of 2012. LaVine's eight games with five or more made 3-pointers is second only to Golden State's Stephen Curry (10) in the NBA this season. ... Portland concludes a three-game road trip on Wednesday at Golden State while Minnesota travels to Philadelphia for a Tuesday meeting with the Sixers.