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Timberwolves 110, Suns 101
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
PHOENIX — Minnesota center Kevin Love had 33 points, 13 rebounds and barely missed his second triple-double in a week with nine assists as the Timberwolves rallied from eight points down in the fourth quarter and beat the Phoenix Suns 110-101 on Tuesday night.
Love’s six straight games with 30 or more points extended his own franchise record. It was also his 11th straight double-double.
Rookie forward Shabazz Muhammad added a career-high 20 points and forward Corey Brewer had 18 for the Timberwolves, who won for the fourth time in the last five games.
Forward Markeiff Morris had 24 points off the bench to lead the Suns, who lost back-to-back home games after winning three straight coming out of the All-Star break. Guard Gerald Green added 19 points and guard Goran Dragic had 16 — although he missed part of the second half with a sprained ankle and fouled out of the game with 3:46 left.
The Suns led 91-86 after a 3-point play by guard Ish Smith with 7:57 left. But Minnesota outscored the Suns 24-6 down the stretch, as the Suns had four of their 19 turnovers in a two-minute span during the Timberwolves winning run. Forward Dante Cunningham had 12 points and gave Minnesota the lead for good at 98-97 on a 21-foot jumper with 3:04 left.
Love took 10 shots in the first quarter and collected 14 points and five rebounds as the Timberwolves led by as many as eight points. Cunningham added eight points, including a 19-footer with 4.9 seconds left to give Minnesota a 34-28 lead.
But the Phoenix bench answered in the second period. Markieff and brother forward Marcus Morris had 11 points during a 15-8 run to open the half, with a Marcus Morris 3-pointer giving the Suns a 43-42 lead. Guard Archie Goodwin, who had played in just one game since Feb. 1, had 10 first-half points and teamed with Smith to help the Suns to 18 fastbreak points in the half.
The Suns led 57-51 before a 3-pointer from Brewer and Love free throw cut the deficit to 57-55 at the half.
NOTES: Minnesota is still without G Kevin Martin (left thumb), C Nikola Pekovic (right ankle) and C Ronny Turiaf (right knee). All of them are on the trip and close to returning. … Neither team has been blown out often this season. Phoenix’s 22 losses have come by an average of 7.5 points and Minnesota’s 29 losses are by an average of 7.8 points, raking third and fourth-best in the league. … G Goran Dragic put up a career-high scoring game twice in the last 12 games, including his 35-point effort in Sunday’s loss to Houston. He has averaged 23.7 points, 6.7 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.8 steals in those 12 games. … Minnesota coach Rick Adelman said the Suns are more than just an offensive team. “They are very physical defensively,” he said. “They grab, they hold, they do a good job of being physical with you.” … The Timberwolves are 9-0 this season when shooting at least 49 percent from the field, and the Suns are 12-0 when shooting 50 percent or better.
