NBA: Timberwolves dominate Pacers to win fifth straight
Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the Minnesota Timberwolves dunks during a game against the Orlando Magic at Amway Center on November 16, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images/AFP
Rudy Gobert went for 21 points and 16 rebounds, Karl-Anthony Towns flirted with a triple-double, collecting a team-high 23 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists and the Minnesota Timberwolves snapped the Indiana Pacers’ five-game winning streak with a 115-101 decision on Wednesday in Indianapolis.
Gobert and Towns led a dominant Minnesota attack inside the lane, shooting 9 of 11 and 8 of 11 from the floor, respectively, to contribute to the Timberwolves’ overwhelming 74-38 advantage for points in the paint.
Article continues after this advertisementJaden McDaniels also did his part in Minnesota’s outstanding offensive performance with an 8-of-11 shooting effort en route to 18 points. In total, the Timberwolves were a blistering 47-of-77 shooting from the floor.
McDaniels delivered a big night on the defensive end, as well, blocking four shots. D’Angelo Russell made three steals, complementing a 15-point, 12-assist performance on the offensive side.
Anthony Edwards rounded out the Minnesota starters, all five of whom scored in double figures, posting 19 points of 7-of-14 shooting, including a team-best 3-for-5 from beyond the 3-point arc.
Article continues after this advertisementThings we are thankful for: DUBS.
KAT – 23 PTS / 11 REB / 8 AST / 2 BLK / 2 STL
Rudy – 21 PTS / 16 REB / 2 AST
Ant – 19 PTS / 7 REB / 2 AST / 1 STL
Jaden – 18 PTS / 3 REB / 3 AST / 4 BLK
DLo – 15 PTS / 3 REB / 11 AST / 1 BLK / 3 STL pic.twitter.com/qcgsRgLKWJ— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) November 24, 2022
Myles Turner shot 7 of 9 from 3-point range for Indiana, recording a game-high 31 points in the process. The Pacers doubled up the Timberwolves from deep, hitting 16 3-pointers to Minnesota’s eight, but it was not enough to overcome the visitors’ dominance on the interior.
Bennedict Mathurin added 21 points and Tyrese Haliburton finished with a double-double of 10 points and 14 assists.
Indiana shot just 37-for-96 from the floor, which included critical dry spells. After cutting the deficit to two points in the third quarter, the Pacers scored just three points in a stretch spanning more than three minutes.
Minnesota capitalized, extending its lead to 10 points by the end of the period. The Timberwolves’ advantage grew to as many as 17 points in a contest they led almost wire-to-wire.
The win marked Minnesota’s fifth straight, and fourth consecutive on the road.
