NBA: High-scoring first half propels Wolves past Thunder
Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the Minnesota Timberwolves reacts during the second half against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on January 18, 2022 in New York City. The Timberwolves won 112-110. Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFP
Karl-Anthony Towns and Naz Reid scored 20 points each to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 138-101 road win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday.
The Timberwolves came into the game with the highest-scoring road offense in the NBA, and once again they put on an offensive show away from home.
Six players scored 15 or more points for Minnesota, which won for the third consecutive game.
Naz Reid.
That's all. pic.twitter.com/nA9RnRUgIN
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) March 5, 2022
Over their last eight games on the road, the Timberwolves have averaged 127.6 points per contest.
Minnesota put up 32 points in the first quarter but still trailed by two after 12 minutes.
The Timberwolves exploded in the second, shooting 72.7 percent from the floor (16 of 22), to score 45 points. The scoring output was Minnesota’s second-most in a second quarter in franchise history.
Ten players scored for the Timberwolves in the period.
Minnesota started the quarter on a 19-6 run, getting eight points from Taurean Prince in that span.
The Timberwolves led by 17 at halftime, scoring 77 points before the break, the second-highest first-half total in club history.
Prince finished the night with 18 points off the bench, helping Minnesota’s reserves outscore Oklahoma City’s 74-18.
Reid hit all eight of his shots for the Timberwolves, who shot 54.4 percent from the floor.
The Timberwolves have won the first three of the teams’ four scheduled meetings this season.
we playing 7 on 5 right now?? 😳 pic.twitter.com/dfivaW0Twf
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) March 5, 2022
Late in the third quarter, Minnesota’s Jordan McLaughlin picked off a pass near midcourt and went barreling up the floor.
However, McLaughlin ran into the cleanup crew wiping down the floor underneath the basket, missed his shot and then D’Angelo Russell missed the putback and the game continued.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander turned in yet another big game for the Thunder, scoring a game-high 33 points on 14-of-21 shooting. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 33.4 points per game in five games since returning from injury.
Isaiah Roby, who scored a career-high 26 points in Oklahoma City’s win at Denver on Wednesday, put up 21 points. Roby hadn’t scored more than 17 points in a game this season before the last two.
For the second consecutive game, the Thunder had just nine players available due to a spate of injuries. Oklahoma City took its fourth loss in six games.
Minnesota was without Anthony Edwards (knee tendinitis) for the second game in a row.
