LDN - Sports

Timberwolves end Blazers' six-game winning streak

[April 04, 2017] MINNEAPOLIS -- The Portland Trail Blazers are still in position to make the playoffs.

The Minnesota Timberwolves, meanwhile, have to be content with playing the role of spoiler.

That was exactly what Minnesota did on Monday as the Wolves held on for a 110-109 win over the Blazers, whose six-game winning streak ended.

With Portland trailing by one point in the closing seconds, Blazers point guard Damian Lillard had a good look at a game-winner. However, his shot bounced off the rim as time expired, giving the Blazers their first loss since March 21.

"You just want to win this game," Lillard said. "We've been on a roll. Coming in against a team that doesn't really have anything to play for, you want to come in here and take advantage of that."

Karl-Anthony Towns scored 34 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, and Andrew Wiggins added 29 points to lift the Timberwolves to the one-point win. Minnesota shot 49.4 percent from the floor and overcame an eight-point halftime deficit.

Minnesota was officially eliminated from playoff contention on Saturday when Portland beat the Phoenix Suns. This year marks the 13th straight season the Wolves will not make the postseason, something that has the young roster hungry for more.

"I don't think about spoilers. I think we're building something," Towns said. "Regardless of what our record is, we've got to go out there and play basketball the right way. ... Every game, every second, every practice, every workout is valuable to building a championship team, and that's how we need to look at it."

With big man Jusuf Nurkic sidelined with a broken foot, Portland didn't have much of an answer for Towns. The second-year center shot 15 of 25 on the night and scored 14 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter.

"We have to take advantage of that," Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio said of the size advantage. "I mean, they're playing small, we have a big who can guard smalls and play like a big at the other end. That's big for us."

Rubio contributed 11 points and 16 assists.

Towns hit a big one-handed shot with 57.3 seconds to play to give Minnesota (31-45) a five-point lead. The Towns basket came after Portland's CJ McCollum missed a wide-open 3-pointer at the other end that would have tied the game at 105.

Portland (38-39) is in eighth place in the Western Conference, 1 1/2 games ahead of the Denver Nuggets. The Blazers' next three games against playoff-bound teams.

"Every game is important," said Portland head coach Terry Stotts. We're approaching every game as we've got to find wins to make the playoffs."

Towns capped his night with a two-handed slam over Al-Farouq Aminu to give Minnesota a 110-106 lead with 35 seconds remaining. After Wiggins' shot with 4.9 seconds to play went out of bounds, Portland had one last chance. Lillard, who finished with 25 points, couldn't get it to fall.

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Timberwolves forward Andrew Wiggins (22) looks to pass as Portland Trail Blazers guard Allen Crabbe (23) defends in the second half at Target Center. The Timberwolves won 110-109. Mandatory Credit: Marilyn Indahl-USA TODAY Sports

Aminu added 20 points off the bench, while McCollum and Maurice Harkless each scored 17.

Portland led by as many as 12 points in the third quarter before Minnesota stormed back to take a three-point lead after three quarters. The Trail Blazers used a 7-0 run to regain the lead, capped by a 3-pointer by Allen Crabbe.

The Blazers will now have to find a way to defend their opponents' big men without Nurkic, something they couldn't do against Towns and Minnesota on Monday night.

"Obviously he's a big part of what we've done for the last six weeks, and we miss him," Stotts said. "But he's not here. He's not going to be here for a while, so we've got to find ways to win without him."

Monday's game was a makeup of a game that was postponed on March 6. That game had to be rescheduled after condensation on the court was deemed unsafe. An ice rink underneath the basketball court at the multi-purpose arena, coupled with unseasonably warm weather in Minnesota, resulted in the moisture on the court.

NOTES: Blazers G Damian Lillard on Monday was named the NBA Western Conference Player of the Month for March. Lillard averaged 29.1 points, 6.0 assists and 4.4 rebounds in 16 games during March. It's the first time in his five-year career that Lillard has won the monthly award. ... Portland's Terry Stotts was honored Monday as March's NBA Western Conference Coach of the Month. Stotts led the Blazers to a 13-3 mark in March as Portland eyes a spot in the playoffs. "I'm just proud of my team," Stotts said Monday. "When coaches get awards like this, it's because the players are playing well and the team is playing well." ... With a technical free throw in the third quarter, Wolves G Ricky Rubio has now made 49 consecutive technical free throws, the longest active streak in the league. ... Minnesota C Karl-Anthony Towns registered his 57th double-double of the season.

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