Minnesota Timberwolves 100
Brooklyn Nets 85
Karl-Anthony Towns had 24 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 100-85 win over the Brooklyn Nets Sunday in Brooklyn.
1. Ahead the whole way
Minnesota led pretty much the entire game, going up 10 points at the end of the first quarter and holding a 52-43 lead at halftime.
The margin stayed about the same through the third quarter, but in the fourth, the Wolves pulled further ahead thanks in part to a 12-3 spurt, which included two 3-pointers by Kevin Martin.
Andrew Wiggins scored 16 points, while Ricky Rubio had 15 assists along with eight points and four steals.
Ricky Rubio is a wizard out there! 😳👀😳 #NoLookPasshttps://t.co/KaPafKhOJa
— Bleacher Report NBA (@BR_NBA) December 20, 2015
2. Bench strength
Head coach Sam Mitchell pulled his starters during the fourth quarter and the reserves responded, with Gorgui Dieng getting 20 points and 10 rebounds. Martin scored 16 points and Zach LaVine had 10.
Brook Lopez had 20 points, 12 rebounds and five assists for the Nets.
3. Towns, Garnett homecoming
Towns, who is from New Jersey, was playing a home game of sorts with some friends and family in attendance – including his grandmother. He also had dinner Saturday with his parents, the Associated Press notes.
.@KarlTowns 'ecstatic' about @Timberwolves win in front of family, home crowd https://t.co/OZ8GI4iixf
— FanDuel Sports Network North (@FanDuelSN_NOR) December 20, 2015
And it was Kevin Garnett’s first game back in Brooklyn since the Nets traded him to the Timberwolves last year. He didn’t score any points but had seven rebounds.
It was the first of two straight games for Garnett against his former teams. The Timberwolves visit Boston, where he won an NBA championship in 2008, on Monday.
Tweet of the day:
Sir Paul was in attendance at the game, and apparently was pretty darn happy to get a free Nets t-shirt!
When you love the #Nets t-shirt toss, but you're also @PaulMcCartney 🙌🏽 pic.twitter.com/SthCYRyAxC
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) December 20, 2015
Up next:
The Timberwolves (11-15) play in Boston on Monday.
