Minnesota Timberwolves: Towns, Wiggins key easy win over Lakers

The Minnesota Timberwolves jumped on the Los Angeles Lakers early and won their Sunday matinee with ease behind big games from Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins.

The Minnesota Timberwolves jumped out to a 26-5 lead over the Lakers in their Sunday matinee at Target Center and never looked back.

Los Angeles, who was playing without LeBron James for the sixth-straight game, never pulled within 16 points after trailing by 21 early in the first quarter and the Wolves had the game entirely in hand early in the fourth and final frame.

Andrew Wiggins was awesome early, leading the team in scoring at halftime. Jeff Teague was also key in jumping out to the big lead.

The second half featured Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored on soaring dunks, deft post moves, quick darts to the basket, and he knocked down a 3-pointer for good measure. Ultimately, Towns had yet another impressive line, putting up 28 points, 18 rebounds, four blocks, three assists, and two steals. Wiggins had 28 points of his own, although it took him 23 shots to get there.

The Wolves’ benefited from Jeff Teague’s aggression early, as for the second consecutive game the opponent chose to leave Teague open and drop underneath screens. Teague made both teams pay, hitting a bevy of mid-range jumpers against Orlando on Friday and knocking down a pair of threes early against the Lakers.

The Lakers, who were also without Rajon Rondo and Kyle Kuzma, appeared to be fairly disinterested and didn’t put up much of a fight outside of a couple of short flurries that came in the second and third quarters.

Video of the Game

Star of the Game

Karl-Anthony Towns: 28 points (11-20 FG, 1-4 3P, 5-5 FT), 18 rebounds, 4 blocks, 3 assists, 2 steals

Towns was sensational once again. Although his outside shot wasn’t falling early — a carryover from Friday night — he scored inside and was extremely aggressive on the glass in the first half.

In the second half, the Wolves shifted their offensive focus to Towns and he was able to score almost at will against the likes of Ivica Zubac and Moritz Wagner in the post. He continues to pass the ball well and make smart decisions, which is perhaps the most exciting development in recent weeks.

Notable Timberwolves Box Score Lines

• Andrew Wiggins: 28 points (9-23 FG, 3-10 3P, 7-11 FT), 5 rebounds, 2 assists, one block
• Jeff Teague: 15 points (6-13 FG, 3-6 3P), 11 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals
• Taj Gibson: 12 points (6-8 FG), 11 rebounds, one block
• Tyus Jones: 3 points (1-6 FG, 0-2 3P, 1-1 FT), 6 assists, 4 steals, 2 rebounds

Wiggins was great in the first half and certainly was not shy. He showed clear want-to on the boards and defensively, which is always key for Andrew.

Teague was fantastic in the first quarter and Gibson turned in another double-double in less than 30 minutes of play. Jones was a ball-hawk on defense, ending up with four steals.

What’s Next?

The Timberwolves head down I-35 to take on the Thunder in Oklahoma City on Tuesday night on a quick one-game road trip. The game tips off at 7 p.m.