MINNEAPOLIS — The luck of the Timberwolves.
Not a phrase you might have heard much the last few years. But when it comes to being lucky and good, lately, the Wolves have had a bit of both.
Which brings us to Saturday's game with Milwaukee at Target Center, when it was announced prior to the game that Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was out with a sore right knee. Coach Chris Finch talked about the team having to pivot after devoting a good 80% of their game plan to the the Milwaukee star.
They managed.
Going 21 for 45 on 3-pointers — nine players hit at least one — and leading from late in the first quarter on, shooting better than 50%, the Wolves beat the Bucks, 138-119. Minnesota (42-30) has now won four straight and 10 of 11.
It was a high-intensity game, one that featured a shoving match, matching technicals and ejections for Patrick Beverley and Milwaukee's George Hill and, later, matching technicals on Naz Reid and Bobby Portis, Jr.
It only seemed to energize the Wolves, who led by four after a quarter, by 10 at the half and by 22 entering the fourth quarter.
Karl-Anthony Towns scored 25 points with 11 rebounds, hitting 4 of 6 3s. Anthony Edwards hit 5 of 10 threes on the way to 25 points. D'Angelo Russell had 16 points and nine assists.
Four of five starters were in double figures for Milwaukee (44-27), with Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez scoring 15 each.
The Timberwolves' knack of getting opponents — even good ones — at the right time continues. As does their knack for taking advantage of it.
The first quarter had it all. A strong Milwaukee start, an Edwards-inspired run, a fracas, everything
The Bucks led by seven early in the quarter when Edwards scored 12 straight Wolves points as the Wolves surged into the lead.
Minnesota led by four with 2:11 left in the quarter when Minnesota's Taurean Prince and Milwaukee's Serge Ibaka started pushing each other on a made free throw by Towns.
Then Beverley went up and shoved Ibaka from behind, drawing Hill into the situation. The result: double fouls on Ibaka and Prince, technical and ejections for Beverley and Hill.
It inspired the Wolves, particularly Towns, to finish the quarter strong, taking a 34-28 lead into the second quarter, with Edwards (12) and Towns (11) already in double figures.
With Reid scoring 12 points in the opening minutes of the second quarter, the Wolves pushed their lead to 10. It was still at 10 with 4:29 left in the half.
But, over the next couple minutes the Bucks chipped away, pulling within 61-56 on Pat Connaughton's 3 with 2:20 left.
But the Wolves scored the final seven points of the half: two Towns free throws, a Russell 3-pointer and Malik Beasley's put-back with 5.7 seconds left, putting the Wolves up 68-56.
Just four-plus minutes into the second half that lead was 20. Minnesota opened the third quarter on a 19-9 run — Edwards had nine of them — to go up 87-67 on Jarred Vanderbilt's fast-break basket.
The Wolves never really let up in the quarter. They combined to go 9 of 14 on 3-pointers in the third quarter — Edwards was 3 for 3 and Towns 2 for 3 — in a 38-26 quarter that had their lead at 106-82 entering the fourth.
