Wizards stay hot, take down Timberwolves
FILE – Washington Wizards guard Russell Westbrook (4) celebrates with Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) against the Brooklyn Nets in the fourth quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Backcourt mates Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook continued to terrorize opponents Saturday night, combining for 53 points, 22 rebounds and 18 assists in a 128-112 win over the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves.
Beal finished with a game-high 34 points while Westbrook recorded a second straight triple-double with 19 points, a game-high 14 rebounds and a game-high 12 assists as the Wizards won for the seventh time in their last eight games.
Article continues after this advertisementMake it 7 wins in the last 8 games for the @WashWizards! #DCAboveAll @RealDealBeal23: 34 PTS@russwest44: 19 PTS, 14 REB, 12 AST pic.twitter.com/XXMTEd6ZIv
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Karl-Anthony Towns had a team-high 23 points, with 11 rebounds and a team-high five assists to lead Minnesota, which lost its seventh straight.
After a tight battle into the early part of the third quarter, with the Timberwolves leading 67-63, Beal and Westbrook combined for a 9-0 surge that gave the Wizards the lead for good.
Article continues after this advertisementMinnesota still was within 74-71 after a Ricky Rubio 3-pointer, before Davis Bertans exploded for four 3-pointers over the final 5:03 of the period, helping Washington seize complete control at 98-81.
The Timberwolves got no closer than 10 in the fourth quarter.
Beal topped 30 points for the 20th time in 29 games this season, and found time for eight rebounds and six assists for Washington, which won its fourth straight at home.
Westbrook’s triple-double was the fifth in his last seven games and gave him a league-best 10 for the season.
Bertans finished with 19 points, Garrison Mathews 18, Moe Wagner 12 and Alex Len 10 for the Wizards, who completed a season-series sweep of the Timberwolves after recording a 130-109 win at Minnesota on Jan. 1.
The Wizards outshot the visitors 44.9 percent to 43.2 percent, and outscored them 39-33 on 3-pointers. Bertans had five of Washington’s 13 makes from distance.
Rookie Anthony Edwards backed Towns with 21 points for Minnesota, which completed a winless four-game trip that began in New York, Milwaukee and Chicago.
Jarred Vanderbilt had a second Timberwolves double-double with 11 points and a team-high 12 rebounds, while Naz Reid added 17 points, Jaylen Nowell 15 and Josh Okogie 12.
