132 Points for Timberwolves
March 5, 2016
The Minnesota Timberwolves’ 20th win (against 43 losses) of the season came at the expense of the equally sorry Brooklyn Nets March 5 at Target Center by the All Star Game-like score of 132 to 118.
This was hardly a defensive battle as players on both sides put up shots with few hands in their faces. The Timberwolves shot 68 percent from the field (a franchise record), the best in the NBA since March of 1998 when the Los Angeles Clippers shot a percentage of 69 percent;
Both teams had played the night before and apparently were too tired to put in a defensive effort. In fact, the Nets center, Brook Lopez, never left the bench despite a scoring average of 20.5 points per game. Brooklyn coach Tony Brown benched Lopez, saying he was concerned about the big man’s “physical well-being.” Apparently, Brown was unaware that Lopez’s twin brother Robin had romped to 26 unimpeded points against the Wolves on February 20 in a 103-95 New York Knick victory.
Without a Lopez twin to bother him, Minnesota rookie center Karl-Anthony Towns pleased the crowd of 15,987 with 28 points. He was followed closely behind by Andrew Wiggins with 26 points. Zach LaVine chipped in with 21 points.
Minnesota interim coach Sam Mitchell finally has hit on a productive starting lineup of Towns, Wiggins, LaVine, Ricky Rubio, and Gorgui Dieng. Those five breezed through token Net defenses in the first quarter for 37 points hitting on 74 percent of their shots from the field (17 out of 23).
Team records were in sight when the Timberwolves scored 31 points in the second quarter for a 68-51 lead. Wiggins had 16 points before halftime, LaVine 15.
The second half was more of the same as the lead grew to 85-64 on a successful Dieng jump shot. The home crowd came alive in loud support of a team that only wins about half the time it plays.
“It seemed like every time one of our guys let the ball go, it was going in,” beamed Mitchell after the game. When the lead hit 23 points, the Wolves backed down somewhat for the final 14-point victory margin. Rubio finished with 16 points and reserve Shabazz Muhammad 15. Minnesota had 36 assists to go against 12 turnovers.
Markel Brown led Brooklyn with 23 points off the bench.