PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Karl-Anthony Towns had 23 points and 10 rebounds, and the Minnesota Timberwolves snapped a five-game losing streak with a 116-111 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night.
Anthony Edwards had 24 points for Minnesota, which also ended an eight-game losing streak in Portland.
The loss was Portland’s fifth straight. Anfernee Simons had a season-high 26 points off the bench for the Blazers, and Damian Lillard returned from an abdomen injury to score 24 points and grab 11 rebounds.
Minnesota led by as many as 12 points in the third quarter but Portland chipped away at the lead and went up 100-93 with 7:51 left in the game when Nassir Little followed a 3-pointer with a two-handed dunk.
D’Angelo Russell’s 3-pointer tied it at 104 and Towns’ basket gave Minnesota a 106-104 lead with 3:04 left.
Larry Nance Jr. dunked for the Blazers but Jarred Vanderbilt answered with a dunk for the Timberwolves. After Edwards made free throws, Patrick Beverly’s layup stretched Minnesota’s advantage to 112-106 with less than a minute to go and Portland couldn’t catch up.
Portland had played without Lilliard for the five games because of lower abdominal tendinopathy. But the Blazers were still without CJ McCollum, who has a collapsed lung, and Cody Zeller, who has a right patellar fracture and will be evaluated in a week.
For the Timberwolves, Russell was questionable going into Sunday’s game with right ankle soreness. Like Lillard, he started, and finished with 18 points.
Malik Beasley’s 3-pointer and a free throw from Towns gave Minnesota a 33-26 lead going into the second quarter, but back-to-back three pointers for the Blazers closed the gap. Portland pulled in front 38-36 on Lillard’s 3, but Minnesota went into the half ahead 56-55.
A 12-0 run early in the third quarter put Minnesota up 68-56. The Blazers drew within 74-72 on Lillard’s 3-pointer. Portland took a 92-89 on Simons’ 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter.
The five-game losing streak is Portland’s longest of the season.
First-year coach Chauncey Billups shook up the starting lineup, giving Larry Nance Jr. the nod over Robert Covington.
