NBA News Wire
Suns 127, Timberwolves 120
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
MINNEAPOLIS — Forward Markieff Morris scored 25 points and grabbed eight rebounds, and the Phoenix Suns rallied for a 127-120 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.
The Suns trailed after each of the first three quarters, but they outscored the Timberwolves 34-17 in the fourth quarter.
Phoenix began the final period with a 14-3 run, and guard Goran Dragic’s 3-pointer put the Suns on top 107-106. The lead changed hands five more times, and the game was tied heading into the final minute.
With 48 seconds to play, guard Eric Bledsoe made a driving layoff to put Phoenix on top 120-118. Two foul shots by Suns guard Gerald Green increased the margin to four before Minnesota guard Kevin Martin responded with two free throws.
In the final 24 seconds, the Suns sank five of six foul shots to seal the win, while Martin and Minnesota forward each missed 3-point attempts.
Love emerged with game-high totals in points (36) and rebounds (14), and he tied for the game high with nine assists. Martin added 25 points, and Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio had 19 points and nine assists.
Bledsoe scored 21 points, and Suns forward P.J. Tucket scored 19. Dragic contributed 18 points and six assists.
Phoenix (41-29) earned its third win in a row and its fifth in six games.
Minnesota (34-34) lost its second in a row.
NOTES: Wolves backup PG J.J. Barea played Sunday despite a sprained foot that limited him to 15 minutes in Thursday’s loss at Houston. He said it has been bothering him for more than a week and playfully denies he hurt it while attempting a startling tip-dunk against the Rockets. He was whistled for basket interference instead. “That’s the first time I was hanging on the rim,” Barea said. “I was just surprised. I surprised myself, I’m telling you. It was like, ‘What am I doing up here?'” … The Wolves put up 41 first-quarter points Sunday. They lead the league in 30-point first quarters this season with 32 and have so their last five consecutive games. They have scored 40 points in a quarter four times this season, and all four of them were in the first quarter. The Wolves have scored 40 points in a first quarter 11 times in their history and 40 points in any quarter 29 times now. … Suns coach Jeff Hornacek intended to catch some of alma mater Iowa State’s NCA Tournament game against North Carolina late Sunday afternoon after his team’s game, even though the Suns had a flight to Atlanta awaiting.
