NUGGETS 113, TIMBERWOLVES 107: Ty Lawson collected 24 points, eight assists and five rebounds and Danilo Gallinari scored seven of his 18 points in the final 4:16 as host Denver stayed in the race for the No. 6 spot in the West. Minnesota has dropped seven straight.
Arron Afflalo added 21 points and Kenneth Faried chipped in 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Nuggets, who remain tied for sixth in the West with the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets.
The Timberwolves received a combined 55 points from Derrick Williams and Anthony Randolph off the bench to spark a second-half comeback.
The Nuggets dominated the first half, shooting 59 percent en route to a 68-47 lead at the break behind 14 points and 10 boards from Faried. Afflalo’s 3-pointer at the start of the third quarter made it a 24-point gap before the Timberwolves began to fight back.
Randolph, who entered the game averaging 5.3 points and had barely gotten off the bench since January, suddenly caught fire. Randolph scored nine points and Williams scored 10 straight during a 25-12 run that closed the frame and brought Minnesota within single digits.
Randolph and Williams combined for 11 more points in the first 6:27 of the fourth quarter before Anthony Tolliver buried a 3-pointer to tie it at 97-97 with 4:58 left.
The Timberwolves would tie it again at 105-105 but never managed to take the lead.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Timberwolves F Kevin Love took an elbow to the head and in the first quarter and suffered a mild concussion. He was taken to a hospital for observation. … The Nuggets have won five of their last seven. … Minnesota will try to snap its slide against the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday.
Minnesota | Denver | |
Anthony Randolph 28 | Scoring | Ty Lawson 24 |
Jose Juan Barea 15 | Assists | Ty Lawson 8 |
Derrick Williams 8 | Rebounds | Kenneth Faried 12 |
Anthony Randolph 6 | Free Throws Made | Kenneth Faried 6 |
Martell Webster 2 | Steals | Corey Brewer 3 |
Anthony Randolph 5 | Blocks | JaVale McGee 3 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Minnesota | 107 | 50.0 | 8-24 | 15-18 | 27 | 36 | 9 | 5 | 15 |
Denver | 113 | 50.0 | 9-22 | 22-31 | 28 | 34 | 7 | 7 | 13 |