D’Angelo Russell leads Timberwolves past Bucks
Karl-Anthony Towns #32 and D’Angelo Russell #0 of the Minnesota Timberwolves during the game against the Houston Rockets at Target Center on October 20, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Harrison Barden/Getty Images/AFP
D’Angelo Russell scored a team-high 29 points and had six assists, and the Minnesota Timberwolves held on for a 113-108 win over the host Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night.
Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards finished with 25 points apiece for Minnesota, which won its first road game of the season. Jarred Vanderbilt posted a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds in his first start of the season.
Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 40 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists for Milwaukee. Khris Middleton added 16 points and Grayson Allen 13.
Patrick Beverley made a difference off the bench for Minnesota as he finished with six points, six rebounds and seven assists in 21 minutes.
Minnesota led 94-79 entering the fourth quarter. The Timberwolves led by six with 8:04 left in the third quarter and increased their lead with a 21-12 run to end the period.
This @Timberwolves trio drops 25+ each to win in Milwaukee. 🔥@Dloading: 29 PTS, 6 AST@KarlTowns: 25 PTS, 3 BLK@theantedwards_: 25 PTS, 7 REB pic.twitter.com/r4gGW0QVhu
— NBA (@NBA) October 28, 2021
Russell helped Minnesota maintain a double-digit advantage late into the fourth quarter. He turned to his left hand for a driving layup that put the Timberwolves on top 108-97 with 2:59 remaining.
The Bucks quickly responded with a 9-0 run to trim the deficit to 108-106. Antetokounmpo started the run with a slam dunk, and George Hill followed with a 3-pointer as Milwaukee chipped away at the lead.
Minnesota held firm in the final minute. Edwards made a driving layup on one possession and hit a pair of free throws on another as the Timberwolves maintained a narrow lead the rest of the way.
The Timberwolves led 66-58 at the half.
Minnesota led by as many as 15 points during the first quarter. Towns buried a 3-pointer off an assist from Beverley to put the Timberwolves on top 39-24 with 2:03 to go in the opening period.
The trend continued to start the second quarter, as Minnesota increased its advantage to 54-34 with 9:47 remaining. A 3-pointer by Beverley gave the Timberwolves their 20-point lead.
The Bucks responded with a 16-2 run to slice the deficit to 56-50 with 6:12 left in the half. Jordan Nwora capped the outburst with a 3-pointer that was assisted by Antetokounmpo.
