Another tough night for the Timberwolves as they fell to 0-7 on the road this season with a 114-109 loss to the Lakers in Los Angeles.
Derrick Rose led Minnesota with 31 points while hitting a career-high seven 3-pointers, and every other Wolves starter scored in double-figured – all five doing so by halftime – but a lack of rebounding and inability to get stops on the defensive cost the Wolves in the fourth quarter.
“Very, very frustrating to know we were that close, and all we have to do is rebound the basketball,” Jimmy Butler said, via ESPN. “But that’s been the story for us so far. We’ve been right there. We’ve been outrebounded. We have to figure out a way to go get the ball.”
The Wolves were outrebounded 47-40 for the game, but they gave up two big offensive boards to Tyson Chandler late in the game that proved costly.
Karl-Anthony Towns got off to a hot start for the Wolves but hit just 1-of-9 shots in the second half, including just two attempts in the final quarter. It’s the second straight game Towns essentially disappeared in the fourth quarter.
He finished with 13 points and nine rebounds on 5-of-16 shooting.
Butler finished with 24 points on 9-of-18 shooting in 43 minutes.
The Wolves hit a season-high 20 3-pointers, including 11 in the first half to set the team record for most 3s in a single half.
Minnesota wraps up their road trip at Sacramento on Friday. No word if Butler plans to play or will require more “precautionary rest.”
