Miami's short bench comes up big in 114-106 win over Pacers

By MICHAEL MAROT
AP Sports Writer

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Miami found out an eight-man rotation might be just as effective as a full bench.

Sometimes, it can even be better.

Goran Dragic scored 20 points and backup Wayne Ellington made the decisive 3-pointer with 25.5 seconds left Wednesday night to help the Heat fend off a late charge to hold on for a rare 114-106 victory at Indiana.

"None of these wins are going to come easy, but I think it just says a lot about how tough we are," Josh Richardson said after scoring 14 points and shooting 3 of 4 from 3-point range. "Every night, we have to scratch and claw for everything and it's paying off."

This game might have been their most impressive yet.

With four players sitting out because of injuries, Tyler Johnson not expected to dress and James Johnson suspended by the league for throwing punches in a victory over Toronto, the Heat showed up at Bankers Life Fieldhouse expecting only seven players to be available for their second road game in two nights.

Tyler Johnson, it turns out, managed to play through a sprained left shoulder giving coach Erik Spoelstra one more body to divvy up the minutes.

And he needed every one.

Ellington, Johnson and Bam Adebayo all played more than 30 minutes, all scored 15 points off the bench and all made key plays throughout the game as Miami won its sixth in a row and snapped a 10-game road losing streak against the Pacers.

Hassan Whiteside added 16 points and 15 rebounds.

"We knew it was going to be tough here. (Indiana) plays extremely well at home," Spoelstra said. "They're athletic. They have great team speed. It wasn't a perfect game by any means, but it was probably a little bit more to our pace and our liking."

It was good enough to fend off the hard-charging Pacers, who had won their previous two games.

Victor Oladipo had 26 points, seven rebounds and four assists and Lance Stephenson gave Indiana a late boost of energy that nearly led Indiana back from a 10-point deficit in the final 9:57. Stephenson wound up with 15 points, eight rebounds and four assists.

Miami showed no sign of fatigue early, shooting better than 60 percent for most of the first two quarters and took a 58-47 lead at halftime.

And when Indiana used a 14-2 run to get within 65-63, the Heat fought through the weariness again.

Indiana blew its first chance to tie the score, or take the lead, when Al Jefferson drew an offensive foul late in the third. The Heat then retook an 84-78 lead after three and extended the margin to 90-80 early in the fourth on a basket by Adebayo.

That's when the Pacers turned it on. They scored six straight to make it 92-89 and used another 6-0 spurt to finally tie it at 97 on Stephenson's 18-footer with 5:09 left.

But Miami broke the tie on Johnson's 3 and put it away when Ellington's shot dropped in for to make it 109-103.

"They hit some tough shots," Oladipo said. "They've been hitting tough shots every win, the last three or four wins, down to wire and they executed again. Credit them, they did a great job."

TIP-INS

Heat: Dragic also finished with nine assists. ... Miami has won 13 consecutive games in January including last season, the longest active streak in the league. ... The home team had won 18 of the previous 20 regular-season games in this series.

Pacers: Missed their first 10 3s and wound up 1 of 18 from beyond the arc. Indiana also went 19 of 29 from the free-throw line. ... Thaddeus Young had 12 points and nine rebounds. ... Domantas Sabonis had 18 points and seven rebounds after replacing Myles Turner in the starting lineup.

TURNER OUT

Turner injured his right elbow Monday night after making a dunk in the victory over Milwaukee.

The team announced he wouldn't play Wednesday morning and said he would miss at least one more game as he continues to be evaluated. He showed up in street clothes and wore a protective brace over his sport coat on the bench. Turner was averaging 2.24 blocks per game, second in the league.

"We'll get more information after Friday's game," coach Nate McMillan said.

UP NEXT

Heat: Return home to face Milwaukee on Sunday.

Pacers: Are seeking their third straight win against Cleveland this season when the Cavaliers come to town Friday.

Rubio, Jazz drop turnover-plagued Wizards 107-104

By BENJAMIN STANDIG
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Washington Wizards had every reason to take the Jazz seriously after they were routed by 47 points in Utah last month.

Nonetheless, their uneven play against inferior opponents continued.

Ricky Rubio scored 21 points, Donovan Mitchell had 16 and the short-handed Jazz completed a season sweep of the Wizards with a 107-104 win on Wednesday night.

Ekpe Udoh scored 16 points and Joe Johnson had 16 off the bench for the Jazz, who had lost 13 of 16 in between meetings with Washington. The Wizards (23-18), who were embarrassed 116-69 in Utah on Dec. 4, fell to 11-10 against teams with losing records.

"That is something you never stop thinking about as a competitor," Washington forward Kelly Oubre Jr. said of the previous drubbing, "and that's why it hurts even more to lose this one."

Utah played without two starters, and second-leading scorer Rodney Hood was ejected in the second half.

"We had a great effort from a lot of guys and I think at the end there's just a determination," Jazz coach Quin Snyder. "We were fortunate that a few shots missed and we made a couple big ones when we needed to. I thought we made some of our own luck tonight."

Washington did not have John Wall in the first meeting with Utah. The four-time All-Star had 35 points and 11 assists but committed eight of the Wizards' season-high-matching 23 turnovers.

Bradley Beal had 23 points, but lost the ball with 2.9 seconds remaining while attempting a game-tying 3-pointer.

"You're not going to win a game if you turn it over that many times," Beal said.

Washington shot 8-for-22 in the fourth quarter.

"We know on offense you can make or miss shots but on defense you've got to make stops at the end," Rubio said, "and I think we did it tonight and that's why we got the win."

The Wizards shot 52.6 percent from the field but lost their second straight after winning their previous four. Utah (17-24) got just its fourth road win of the season.

Washington trailed by 10 early in the fourth quarter before Wall hit a pair of 3-pointers during an 11-3 surge that gave the Wizards a one-point lead.

Joe Ingles responded with a 3-pointer that put Utah ahead 104-102 with 1:09 remaining. Washington's defense erred with an ill-advised double-team on Mitchell's penetration.

"It was good in the first half, (but) in that third quarter, and then the last two minutes we made so many mistakes. ... It cannot happen," Wizards coach Scott Brooks said.

Washington led most of the first half and 50-46 at halftime, but Utah seized momentum with a 16-3 run in the third quarter, during which Hood received his second technical foul. Rubio's jumper after one of the Wizards' nine turnovers in the quarter put the Jazz up 83-75.

TIP-INS

Jazz: Utah outscored Washington 37-27 in the third, and Udoh scored 10 points in the period. . Ingles had 10 points. ... Already without C Rudy Gobert, Utah played without F/C Derrick Favors (right ankle sprain).

Wizards: F Otto Porter (hip, back) had 14 points after missing Saturday's game against Milwaukee. Oubre had 12 points. ... The team handed out All-Star Game promotional boxes with images of Wall and Beal on the front. Items inside included M&Ms with pictures of each guard and "(hash)NBAvote" on the back. ... F Devin Robinson, Washington's lone two-way contract player, joined the Wizards for the first time this season.

FLIP PHONE

Walking off the court following his ejection with 2:21 remaining in the third, Hood smacked a phone out of the hands of a fan in the stands. The Jazz responded with a 9-0 run.

FOURTH QUARTER FLOP

Beal's run of poor shooting late in games continued. Washington's leading scorer missed 6 of 7 shots in the final period after going 0-for-8 in his previous two fourth quarters.

UP NEXT

Jazz: Close their four-game trip at Charlotte on Friday night.

Wizards: Continue their homestand Friday against Orlando.

Barnes, Ferrell lead Mavericks past Hornets 115-111

By STEVE REED
AP Sports Writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Mavericks point guard Dennis Smith Jr. had a simple strategy in the fourth quarter when it came to Harrison Barnes.

"Give him the ball and get out of the way," Smith said.

Barnes had 13 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, Yogi Ferrell made seven 3-pointers and scored 22 points and the Mavericks fended off fatigue to beat a fresh Charlotte Hornets team 115-111 on Wednesday night. Barnes made all five of his shots in the fourth quarter and added 11 rebounds for the Mavericks, who won on back-to-back nights.

Barnes said he liked his matchup against Frank Kaminsky in the fourth quarter.

"I just tried to be aggressive and attack the rim," Barnes said. "I saw a few shots drop and I was kind of in a rhythm after that. Coach kept going to me and just kept on converting."

Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle called Barnes' game "absolutely brilliant."

"He hit on a variety of shots - 2s, 3s, drives," Carlisle said. "Look that's what great players do. Really proud of him. He had a pretty good rhythm going all night. We just needed to get the ball in his hands."

Dirk Nowitzki added 19 points - one shy of his season high - and Smith had 15 points and six assists.

It was a crushing loss for the Hornets, who were coming off a 3-1 West Coast road trip that included a win over the Golden State Warriors.

Kemba Walker had 41 points on 16-of-28 shooting for the Hornets. Dwight Howard had 15 points and 12 rebounds for Charlotte, but was an anemic 5 of 18 from the foul line, which proved costly in a close game.

The Mavericks were playing their third game in four days, while the Hornets were coming off a four-day layoff. But Dallas showed no signs of wearing down in the fourth quarter, repeatedly thwarting Charlotte's attempts to take the lead.

Charlotte trailed by six entering the fourth quarter, but Jeremy Lamb buried a 3-pointer from the right wing to pull the Hornets even with 9 minutes left.

But the Hornets could never grab the lead.

The big play came with 2 minutes remaining when Salah Mejri ripped an offensive rebound away from Howard and kicked the ball out to Ferrell, who buried a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give the Mavericks a 5-point lead.

Barnes followed with a long 3 on the next possession.

"I told him, if you aren't getting the ball enough, let me know," Smith said. "I will do whatever it takes to get it to you, especially if you are in a groove like that. That's what he does, he closes."

TIP INS:

Mavericks: The team was awarded two-way forward Jalen Jones on a waiver claim. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. In a related move, the Mavericks also requested waivers on two-way guard Kyle Collinsworth.

Hornets: Hornets associate head coach Stephen Silas said backup center Cody Zeller is "not very close" to returning to action following his left knee injury. "He just started doing some spot shooting, but he's not very close," Silas said.

DIRK DOES IT AGAIN: Yes, it's painful to watch him run up and down the court, but Nowitzki still finds a way to be productive in his 20th season. He repeatedly hit big shots - both 3s and fadeaways - at clutch times.

"Dirk's really one of the most amazing athletes I've ever seen or been around," Carlisle said. "To perform like this at the advanced age of 39 in the NBA is just unbelievable."

HORNETS `DIRE' WITHOUT WALKER: The Hornets (15-24) are struggling, but Silas said things would be "pretty dire" to imagine the team without Walker, who is second in scoring among point guards in the Eastern Conference.

"He does everything," Silas said. "He comes up with big steals. He goes for charges. He makes every big pick and roll play, every shot, every play for everybody else."

UP NEXT:

Mavericks: Host Lakers on Saturday.

Hornets: Host Jazz on Friday.

Drummond's double-double leads Pistons past Nets 114-80

By MICHAEL SCOTTO
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) -- Andre Drummond and Tobias Harris carried Detroit to an easy road win in Brooklyn.

Drummond scored 22 points and grabbed 20 rebounds, Harris had 22 points, and the Pistons beat the Nets 114-80 on Wednesday night.

"I'm not a real creative offensive guy, as you guys all know," Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy joked after the game. "If we find something that's working, I tend to just keep going to it. Tobias got off to a great start. I thought Andre Drummond was outstanding all night."

Dwight Buycks added 17 points for the Pistons.

"I thought from the jump we got good defensive stops," Harris said. "We were able to get out in transition. Andre was a big focus, especially for them, so we were able to get some open looks and just capitalize off that."

Allen Crabbe scored 20 points and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson had 15 points for the Nets, who have lost three in a row.

"They were just the aggressor, more physical," Crabbe said. "They made us turn the ball over. They basically had control of the game for the majority of the game. Trying to play catch up in this league is not easy. They kept their foot on the gas and we just couldn't win through the storm."

Detroit took a 90-61 lead heading into the fourth quarter and led by as many as 40 points, 104-64, with 8:20 remaining.

Drummond led Detroit with 18 points and 13 rebounds at the half as the Pistons took a 63-41 lead into the locker room. Crabbe paced Brooklyn with 14 points at the half.

Harris led Detroit with 14 points in the first quarter as the Pistons took a 34-26 lead.

TIP-INS

Pistons: Van Gundy praised Buycks' recent play in the past five games after being inactive for the first 32 games of the season. "I think he's played well," Van Gundy said. "He's attacked, he's played aggressively and he can score the ball." ... Jon Leuer (sprained left ankle) and Reggie Jackson (sprained right ankle) were out.

Nets: Coach Kenny Atkinson was asked about Brooklyn earning the respect from officials after several controversial calls recently. "I think you earn respect with your play," he said. "It's like when you were a seventh grader and you go to the playground, and the big kids are pushing you around or maybe making all the calls. As you get better, as you improve your game somehow that turns the other way. We've got to earn our respect through our play. That's the way we feel." . DeMarre Carroll (right knee sprain), D'Angelo Russell (left knee surgery), Isaiah Whitehead (G-League assignment) and Jeremy Lin (ruptured patella tendon, right knee) were out.

UP NEXT

Pistons: Visit Chicago on Saturday. It's the final game of a three-game road trip for Detroit.

Nets: Visit Atlanta on Friday. It's the start of a two-game road trip for Brooklyn.

Markkanen, Dunn help Bulls outlast Knicks 122-119 in 2 OTs

By BRIAN MAHONEY
AP Basketball Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Lauri Markkanen had knocked down eight 3-pointers and almost knocked out his coach with a soaring slam, but Kris Dunn couldn't get anything to fall.

He kept shooting, and eventually hit the shot that put the Bulls on top for good.

Markkanen scored a season-high 33 points, Dunn shook off a nightmarish shooting night to make the tiebreaking basket in the second overtime, and Chicago beat the New York Knicks 122-119 on Wednesday night.

"It was a hard-fought win," Markkanen said. "We could have ended it a little bit earlier, but (that's) just how we won."

Dunn had missed 14 of his first 17 shots before banking in a runner with just under a minute left in the second extra period and Markkanen finished it off by making two free throws with 6.8 seconds remaining.

The rookie added 10 rebounds.

"For Lauri to come in on the big stage, the World's Most Famous Arena, and hit eight 3s and play against arguably the best power forward in the league in Porzingis, play 46 minutes and hit those big free throws late, just tells you everything you need to know," coach Fred Hoiberg said.

Robin Lopez and Denzel Valentine each scored 20 points for the Bulls in their third narrow victory over the Knicks this season. Markkanen was 8 of 15 behind the arc though his highlight play was at the rim, when he threw down a dunk over Knicks center Enes Kanter .

"I damn near passed out when he dunked that one," Hoiberg said.

"When he took that full court and just cocked it back, I was speechless. I got chills. It was crazy."

Michael Beasley 26 points and 12 rebounds off the bench for the Knicks, who lost for the eighth time in 10 games. Kristaps Porzingis finished with 24 points, including a dunk at the buzzer to force the second OT.

`We had opportunities. We didn't get stops at crucial times," Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said.

Lopez then had the first two baskets of the second OT, and after the Knicks got the next two, Dunn made his shot to make it 118-116. He'd had plenty of easier looks that didn't fall, but his teammates and coaches told him to keep shooting.

"The mid-range, that's my shot, and I kept getting to my spots," Dunn said. "I liked the shot and it wasn't falling, and the fact that the sky floater goes in is just like, all right, if that's going to go in, then we're going to have to accept it."

Jarrett Jack had 16 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for his first triple-double in six years, but threw away a pass after coming up with a steal with the Knicks down two late in the second OT.

TIP-INS

Bulls: Nikola Mirotic missed his second straight game with an illness. ... Chicago ended a four-game losing streak in New York.

Knicks: Beasley was back after missing a game with a sprained left ankle. ... The Knicks unveiled their City Edition alternate uniform, which is a tribute to firefighters and their families . The uniform they will debut against Brooklyn on Jan. 30 is dark blue in a nod to the firefighters' dress uniforms, and the shorts feature the logo of the Uniformed Firefighters Association.

ZACH'S ALMOST BACK

Zach LaVine is scheduled to make his Bulls debut Saturday against Detroit after recovering from left ACL surgery. LaVine, acquired in the trade for Jimmy Butler, hoped to play in this game, but neither the Bulls nor their G League affiliate had enough practice days between games to get him ready enough.

"For him to come play in this game, really he would have only had one practice in the last five days," Hoiberg said.

LaVine will practice with the Bulls on Thursday and Friday. Hoiberg said he has been working with the first and second unit.

HARDAWAY'S HEALTH

Tim Hardaway Jr. took part in a full practice this week and will do so again Thursday as he nears his return from a stress injury to his lower left leg. Hardaway last played Nov. 29 and Hornacek said he would slowly increase his workload when he returns to game action - though Hornacek wasn't sure when that would be.

"Tim's itching to go. That's his nature, his mentality," Hornacek said. "But we do have to listen to doctors. We've got to be careful with it and that's why he's been going through this gradual buildup."

MOMS' NIGHT OUT

A number of Bulls players had their mothers watching from the Madison Square Garden seats. The organization held its first "mom's trip" and hosted 11 moms seated together in section 117.

UP NEXT

Bulls: Host Detroit on Saturday.

Knicks: Visit Minnesota on Friday.

Paul's season-high 37 leads Rockets over Blazers 121-112

By KRISTIE RIEKEN
AP Sports Writer

HOUSTON (AP) -- With James Harden injured, the Houston Rockets are figuring out different ways to make up for the offense the league's leading scorer normally provides.

On Wednesday night, that meant Chris Paul took 29 shots and finished with a season-high 37 points to help the Rockets to a 121-112 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Paul tied his career high for field-goal attempts in a regulation game. He took 33 shots and scored 42 points in a double-overtime game with New Orleans in 2008.

His 37 points were the most by a Rocket besides Harden since Jeremy Lin had 38 against San Antonio on Dec. 10, 2012.

Paul, who made 13 field goals, was asked if he realized he'd come close to taking the most shots in his career.

"I don't know," he said. "It kind of felt like it. Like goodness. I missed a lot, too. That's what I'm mad about."

Portland coach Terry Stotts said Paul was tough to stop.

"He was exceptional," Stotts said. "He really controlled the game, like he can do. His shot-making was as good as I've seen."

Eric Gordon added 30 points as the Rockets withstood a late run to win their second straight.

The Blazers used a big run to cut a 14-point deficit to three with about three minutes left. Houston responded with a 6-2 run, capped by a 3-pointer from Paul, to make it 111-104 about a minute later.

Damian Lillard made a layup on the other end, but Paul cut through three defenders to make an off-balance layup to push the lead to 113-106.

The Blazers couldn't get the ball in after a timeout, Houston got the ball back and Clint Capela added two free throws to secure the victory.

The Rockets won their second straight and improved to 3-2 in five games without Harden, who is out for at least two weeks with a hamstring injury.

Lillard scored 29 after missing the last two games with a strained right calf, and C.J. McCollum added 24 points as the Blazers saw a three-game winning streak snapped.

Paul had 11 assists, seven rebounds and three steals, and Capela added 13 points with eight rebounds.

Gerald Green scored all of Houston's points in a 5-2 run that extended the lead to 103-89 midway through the fourth period. He finished with 12 points and has scored in double digits in seven straight games for the first time since 2015.

"We're having to manufacture points in different ways," Paul said. "Gerald continues to be great and be aggressive. ... James averages 30 and we're just doing it by committee."

Lillard scored the first seven points of an 11-0 spurt that got the Trail Blazers within 103-100 with about 3 1/2 minutes left.

Paul received a technical in that span for arguing about a foul called on P.J. Tucker.

The Rockets led by nine entering the fourth quarter and were up by 11 with about 7 1/2 minutes remaining after Gordon scored four points. He made a layup before missing a shot on the next possession, only to grab it with one hand and finish with a dunk that made it 98-87.

Portland's Ed Davis was called for a flagrant foul late in the third when he hit Tarik Black in the right eye as Black dunked. Black remained on the court for a couple of minutes before being helped to his feet and escorted to the locker room, holding a towel over his right eye. The team said he had an abrasion to his right eye and he'll miss Friday's game.

Paul made the free throw on that play, and Tucker added a layup after that to extend the lead to 84-74.

The Rockets led 55-45 at halftime.

TIP-INS

Trail Blazers: Lillard had eight assists and five rebounds and made 10 of 12 free throws. ... Portland had six blocks, led by Jusuf Nurkic's three.

Rockets: Black tied a season high with 13 points. ... Nene missed his fourth straight game with a bruised right knee. ... Gordon has scored 20 or more points in 21 games this season after doing so in only 19 games last season.

NICE PUTBACK

Gordon's teammates were impressed with his dunk in the fourth quarter. Paul called it "sick."

"I surprise myself sometimes," Gordon said with a laugh. "When I saw it floating in the air, I just went after it."

HE SAID IT

Lillard on being unable to combat Houston's runs: "When you're dealing with a team that shoots 3s as much as them and as well, you can't give them extra possessions and I thought we did that on too many occasions."

UP NEXT

Trail Blazers: Visit New Orleans on Friday.

Rockets: Visit Phoenix on Friday.

Butler scores 26 to lead Timberwolves past Thunder 104-88

By BRIAN HALL
Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Taj Gibson and his teammates knew the Minnesota Timberwolves' four-game homestand was going to be tough.

After all, New Orleans, Cleveland, Oklahoma City and New York were coming to town. Well, three games in, Minnesota has answered the challenge and demonstrated how much it has grown this season.

Jimmy Butler scored 26 points, grabbed seven rebounds and had eight assists for the Timberwolves in a 104-88 win against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night.

"We were shaking our heads and just hoping that we can do well," Gibson said. "But the way we've been playing, we have a lot of confidence."

Andrew Wiggins added 19 points, and Karl-Anthony Towns had 18 points and 12 rebounds as Minnesota pulled away in the second half to win its third game in a row and 10th in its last 13 overall.

Taking the season series 3-1 from division foe Oklahoma City capped a stretch in which the Timberwolves beat New Orleans by 18 points and Cleveland by 28. Minnesota led by at least 34 in each of those games.

Wednesday proved to be a bit tougher against the physical Thunder, but the Wolves outscored Oklahoma City 29-19 in the third and led by as many as 16 in the fourth.

"Guess we're, I don't know, growing a little bit," Butler said. "For us to go out there and guard the way we did, do what we talked about in shootaround and the day before in practice, it's huge for us. We're growing as a unit."

Russell Westbrook had 38 points and 10 rebounds, but the rest of the Thunder had a tough time shooting. Westbrook was 15 of 23 from the field, while his teammates were 17 of 56 (30.3 percent).

Carmelo Anthony scored 15 points on 5-of-19 shooting, while Paul George finished 5 of 14 for 13 points for Oklahoma City, which has lost five of seven.

"We've got to lock in and get a win," Westbrook said. "That's all I can say."

George scored just two points in the first half.

"We were getting good looks," George said. "I thought we got shots that we'd been shooting all season. A lot of catch-and-shoot opportunities. It's like that. I think personally, I should've tried to play around the basket a little more, just to get something early, see the ball go down and work my way up."

The Thunder shot 28.6 percent in the third quarter (6 of 21). Meanwhile, the Wolves hit 62.5 percent (10 of 16) to take control.

NOT CLOSE THIS TIME

The first three games between the teams were decided by a combined nine-point margin. Minnesota won the first two games by a total of five points. Oklahoma City came back with a four-point win at home on Dec. 1 as George scored 36 points.

"I think both teams are probably a lot different today than when we faced all the way back in the beginning of December," Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. "I think maybe early in the year, they were maybe not as great defensively and now they're getting better. I thought tonight they played well."

TIP-INS

Thunder: G Andre Roberson missed his sixth straight game with left patellar tendinitis and coach Billy Donovan said he would also miss Saturday's game. ... Oklahoma City tied a season high with 20 turnovers. ... In the first three meetings, Thunder C Steven Adams was 27 of 33 from the field for a combined 64 points. He scored eight on 2-of-5 shooting on Wednesday.

Timberwolves: Minnesota held its opponent under 100 points for the seventh straight game. The last time the Wolves have held teams under 100 in seven consecutive games was Jan. 5-Feb. 8, 2007. ... Minnesota had its fifth consecutive sellout, the first time for the franchise since March 21-April 4, 2004. The Wolves won their sixth straight home game, the longest streak since the team won 14 in a row from Dec. 16, 2003-Feb. 6, 2004.

TEAGUE RETURNS

Minnesota point guard Jeff Teague returned after missing seven games with a sprained MCL in his left knee. Teague played 26 minutes and scored eight points with four rebounds and three assists.

Including a four-game absence for a sore right Achilles, Teague has missed 11 games this season. The Wolves are 6-5 without Teague and 20-11 with him in the lineup.

In his first season in Minnesota, Teague entered the night averaging 13.4 points and a team-high 7.3 assists per game.

UP NEXT

Thunder: Play at Charlotte on Saturday.

Timberwolves: Host the New York Knicks on Friday.