Towns, Edwards Lead Timberwolves To 136-130 Win Over Nuggets
DENVER (AP) — Karl-Anthony Towns scored 32 points and the Minnesota Timberwolves overcame Nikola Jokic's 38-point, 19-rebound performance in a 136-130 win over the Denver Nuggets on Friday night.
D'Angelo Russell added 24 points and Anthony Edwards scored half of his 18 points on a trio of clutch 3-pointers in the closing minutes to help the Wolves fend off Denver's comeback.
Jokic also had eight assists, two shy of a triple-double. Aaron Gordon scored 24, including a reverse alley-oop dunk, and Monte Morris had 23.
The Timberwolves (44-34) still are long shots to avoid a play-in scenario but they gave themselves a shot by taking three of four in the season series with Denver (46-32), which fell a half-game behind Utah in the Northwest Division.
Taurean Prince sank a pair of free throws with 19.8 seconds left after the Nuggets had pulled to 133-130 on Will Barton's 3-pointer and Edwards added a free throw to cap the scoring.
The Timberwolves took a 70-65 lead into the locker room after Edwards blocked Morris, who bypassed open teammates in both corners to take it to the hoop against two defenders, and Prince scored at the other end.
Before tip-off, Nuggets coach Michael Malone was blunt about how his team has been pulling out games in which they played poorly.
"The reality is this, no disrespect to Oklahoma City, Charlotte or Indiana, but we've won three in a row and have not played good basketball," Malone said.
QUESTIONABLE CALLS
There were several questionable calls in the game, including one in the third quarter when Russell lost the handle on the ball and Gordon was whistled for fouling him although replays appeared to show no contact.
TIP-INS
Timberwolves: G Malik Beasley returned after missing two games with an ankle injury. ... Minnesota was 20 of 22 from the free throw line in the first half. ... The Timberwolves hit 12 of their first 16 shots. ... Towns (6 for 6) and Russell (4 for 4) were perfect from the field in the first quarter and each swished both of their free throws in the opening quarter as well.
Nuggets: F JaMychal Green returned to action after missing two games with a wrist injury. ... Jokic didn't grab his first rebound until the 3:09 mark of the first quarter. ... DeMarcus Cousins picked up four fouls and a technical in just 2 minutes, 6 seconds spanning the first and second quarters. One of them was as charge that negated a basket. He finished with 3 points and 5 fouls in just 4 1/2 minutes. ... Rookie Bones Hyland missed his first four 3-point attempts but he blocked Towns after his fourth miss and swished a 3 at the other end moments later.
UP NEXT
Timberwolves: Wrap up their road schedule at Houston on Sunday night before finishing with three home games.
Nuggets: Visit the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday afternoon before finishing up with three home games.
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