The Minnesota Timberwolves earned their third straight win , as they defeated the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder , 96 - 86 , at Target Center on Friday evening . After the Timberwolves won the first quarter , the Thunder battled back to take a 50 - 45 lead into halftime . However , the Timberwolves were not deterred , as they came out of the dressing room with a fire lit beneath them . They fought to regain the lead with 6:24 left in the third and did not look back , leading the entire fourth quarter , while stretching the deficit to as many as 14 in the quarter . This marks the third win in a row for the Timberwolves ( 14 - 26 ) , who have now knocked off two of the more dangerous teams in the league , defeating Houston and Oklahoma City in the matter of a few days . Despite being notoriously poor in second halves early in the season , the Timberwolves used a 51 - 36 second half to bury the Thunder in this one . Karl-Anthony Towns led the charge , with a game - high 29 points , to go along with 17 rebounds , three blocks , two steals and one assist , in 37 minutes . Andrew Wiggins added 19 points , while Ricky Rubio chipped in 14 points and dished 14 assists . The Timberwolves gave up 16 turnovers , but forced 19 out of their opponent , while they shot 45 percent from the field and managed to hold the Thunder to only 39 percent . The T-Wolves are now 9 - 13 at home and can look ahead to their next game on Sunday in Dallas . Meanwhile , the Thunder ( 24 - 17 ) saw their three - game win streak come to an end , as they were stifled by the determined Timberwolves . The Thunder struggled from long range , going only 3 - of - 20 . Russell Westbrook had a quiet night in the points column , by his standards that is , as he finished with 21 points . Westbrook added 12 assists and 11 rebounds to notch his 19th triple - double of the season , which is a career - high for him . Enes Kanter continued his solid play , as he added 21 points , in 30 minutes off the bench , while the only other player to score in double digits for the Thunder was Victor Oladipo , who finished with 19 . The Thunder will look to bounce back as they take on the Kings in Sacramento on Sunday , which will mark the second game of their current six - game road trip .

Karl-Anthony Towns led the way for the winners , as he poured in 29 points on 11 - of - 17 shooting , to go along with 17 rebounds , three blocks , two steals and one assist , in 37 minutes . Andrew Wiggins followed up with 19 points on 9 - of - 22 shooting , and added six rebounds , one assist , one steal and one block , in 36 minutes . Ricky Rubio was solid as he chipped in 14 points and dished 14 assists , to go along with four steals and four rebounds , in 36 minutes . The only other player to score in double digits for the Timberwolves was Brandon Rush , who finished with 11 . Meanwhile , Russell Westbrook filled the stat sheet as usual , with 21 points , 12 assists and 11 rebounds to notch his 19th triple - double of the season . However , Westbrook gave up a disturbing 10 turnovers , in 36 minutes . Enes Kanter added 21 points , while Victor Oladipo chipped in 19 points .


Karl-Anthony Towns put up a monsterous stat line to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a three point victory over the Denver Nuggets . Towns scored 32 points , to go along with 12 rebounds , seven assists and four blocks on 13 - of - 19 shooting across 40 minutes of action . The sophomore center was aided by Andrew Wiggins ' 24 points on 10 - of - 19 shooting and Shabazz Muhammad 's 20 points on 9 - of - 14 shooting . The Nuggets saw their best performance from Gary Harris , who led all Denver scorers with 22 points , six rebounds , three assists and one steal . Jamal Murray added another strong performance in 20 minutes off the bench , where the rookie scored 17 points , to go along with five rebounds and three assists . The Timberwolves got the better of Denver with their team shooting , as Minnesota knocked down 54 percent of their shots from the field and 40 percent of their shots from behind the arc .

The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Denver Nuggets 111 - 108 at Target Center on Sunday . Karl-Anthony Towns led the way for Minnesota 15 - 28 ) after putting up 32 points , to go with 12 rebounds , seven assists and four blocks in the impressive all around effort . The back and forth affair came down to the wire , as the Nuggets ( 18 - 24 ) were within striking distance until the final seconds of regulation . Following a pair of Tyus Jones free throws , Jameer Nelson answered for Denver with a driving layup to bring the score within one point . Andrew Wiggins went on to miss one of the free throws on the following possession , but Nelson was unable to hit the 17 - foot jumper and the Timberwolves came away with the win . Wiggins knocked down 10 shots and finished with 24 points , while Kris Dunn added 10 points , nine assists , eight rebounds and three steals across 34 minutes . Shabazz Muhammad contributed 20 points on 9 - of - 14 shooting to lead the Minnesota bench . As for the Nuggets , Gary Harris led the way with 22 points , while Jamal Murray had an efficient outing across 20 minutes , as the rookie posted 17 points , five rebounds and three assists . Both teams play on Tuesday , as the Timberwolves visit the Phoenix Suns , while the Nuggets host the Utah Jazz .


Thursday 's contest between the Pacers and Timberwolves all came down to whose role players could produce more . With each team 's big three having very productive nights , the deciding factor between the two teams ended up being what everyone else could do . For the Pacers , Paul George , Myles Turner and Jeff Teague produced 75 points , while Karl-Anthony Towns , Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine combined for 77 points for the Timberwolves , making the trios essentially dead even . And while neither side got anything noteworthy from any other player , be it a starter or a reserve , the ability of Indiana 's role players to put up 34 points to Minnesota 's 26 gave the game to the Pacers . Additionally , it is worth noting that both teams rank in the bottom - half of the NBA in bench scoring per game , with the Timberwolves ranking dead last .

The Indiana Pacers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 109 - 103 Thursday at Target Center . The Pacers ( 23 - 22 ) came into Thursday 's matchup as one of the worst road teams in the NBA , boasting a 6 - 16 record away from home . They were , however , able to end a three - game losing streak and pull this one out , but it did n't come without a few heroic offensive performances . Paul George led the way with a team - high 32 points , five assists and four rebounds in 37 minutes , while young star Myles Turner an efficient 23 points on 10 - of - 14 shooting from the field on top of six rebounds . But in the backcourt , point guard Jeff Teague put together one of the best all - around performances of his first season with the Pacers , scoring 20 points , dishing out 13 assists and grabbing what ended up being a team - high eight rebounds . The three ended up accounting for 75 of the team 's 109 points , with no other Indiana player managing to score in double figures . In the end , the Pacers won the game through their play on the perimeter , with the team shooting an impressive 10 - of - 18 ( 56 percent ) from downtown . As for the Timberwolves ( 17 - 29 ) , the biggest issues they 've faced all season - - poor defense and lack of depth - - surfaced in Thursday 's contest . Despite getting three stellar performances from their three young stars , they got no help from any of their teammates , and no one could stop the Pacers ' offensive attack . Karl-Anthony Towns finished with a game - high 33 points on top of 10 rebounds and four assists , while Zach LaVine added 23 points and Andrew Wiggins posted 21 of his own . Their Minnesota teammates , however , managed to score just 26 points , causing them to fall just short and putting their three - game win streak to an end . Up next , the Pacers will head home Friday to take on the Kings , while the Timberwolves will look to get back on the right track Saturday against the Nets .


Karl-Anthony Towns went off for 37 points on 15 - of - 26 shooting , to go along with 13 rebounds and four blocks , to lead the way for the young Timberwolves . Andrew Wiggins followed up with 23 points , four assists and three rebounds , while Zach LaVine added 20 points , six rebounds , two assists and two steals . Shabazz Muhammad came up big with 18 points off the bench to give the T-Wolves an added boost . Meanwhile , Brook Lopez was the Nets ' only truly effective player , as he poured in a team - high 25 points , to go along with seven rebounds and two blocks , in 30 minutes . Sean Kilpatrick was the next highest scorer for Brooklyn , as he chipped in 14 points off the bench . Rookie Caris LaVert added 11 points , four rebounds and two steals , in 27 minutes off the bench .

The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the visiting Brooklyn Nets , 129 - 109 at Target Center on Saturday evening . Karl-Anthony Towns imposed his will on this one , as he poured in a game - high 37 points to help the Timberwolves dominate , as they won every quarter on their way to the 20 - point win over the struggling Nets . The Timberwolves ( 18 - 29 ) shot 51 percent from the field , as all five starters scored in double digits to lead the way . Karl-Anthony Towns grabbed 13 rebounds and recorded four blocked shots , to go along with his game - high 37 points . Andrew Wiggins followed up with 23 points , while Zach LaVine chipped in 20 . Shabazz Muhammad came up big off the bench for Minnesota , as he finished with 18 points and seven rebounds . The Timberwolves will look to keep rolling , as they play host to the Magic on Monday . The Nets ( 9 - 38 ) outscored the T-Wolves 58 - 48 in the paint and 23 - 12 in fast - break points but were not able to compete as efficiently , as they shot 48 percent from the field , and 33 percent from deep , compared to the 45 percent the T-Wolves hit from deep . Brook Lopez was the high - point man for the Nets , with 25 points , to go along with seven rebounds . Three other players scored in double digits for Brooklyn , including Sean Kilpatrick , who added 14 points , in 25 minutes off the bench . The Nets will look to bounce back , as they visit Miami on Monday .


The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Orlando Magic , 111 - 105 , in overtime Monday at Target Center . The Timberwolves ( 19 - 29 ) , now winners of five of their last six , actually found themselves down for most of Monday 's game before opening up a lead in the fourth quarter as large as nine points . The Magic ( 19 - 31 ) managed to storm back , however , closing the gap and even taking the lead with under a minute remaining . But Andrew Wiggins would n't let the game end there , as his 21 - foot jumper with 10 seconds remaining ultimately sent the game into overtime . At that point , there was no stopping Minnesota as they pulled away in the five - minute period . Wiggins finished the outing with a game - high 27 points , while Karl Anthony-Towns added yet another double - double of 23 points and 12 rebounds on top of seven assists . Ricky Rubio came close to a triple - double of his own , recording 22 points , eight rebounds and eight assists . As for the Magic , they put together a valiant effort just one night removed from upsetting the Toronto Raptors . And it was an all - around team effort Monday night , as all five starts and six total Orlando players managed to score in double figures . It was the starting backcourt , however , that led the way , with Elfrid Payton recording a team - high 21 points , four rebounds , four assists and three steals , while C.J . Watson scored 18 points of his own . In the end , the Magic just left too many points at the free throw line , hitting just 13 - of - 19 shot from the charity stripe for the game , which ended up being the difference . Up next , the Timberwolves will head to Cleveland on Wednesday to take on the Cavaliers , while the Magic will head home Wednesday and play the Pacers .

Andrew Wiggins has established himself as a pure scorer in the NBA , but his field goal percentage this season - - 45 percent - - is likely lower than the Timberwolves would like . However , over this hot stretch where Minnesota has won five of their last six games , Wiggins has not only been scoring at a high rate , but an efficient rate as well . Following his 27 - point performance Tuesday against the Magic , Wiggins has averaged 26 points per game over the last six games after a so - so start to January . But more importantly , Wiggins shot over 47 percent from the field five times in those six game - - those five times led to five wins for the Timberwolves , while in the one game he shot a lesser 41 percent from the field , Minnesota fell by nine to the Pacers .


Despite Minnesota leading by 16 points at the end of the first quarter , Memphis prevailed with a huge road win . Getting to the free - throw line was the difference in the game , with the Grizzlies hitting 33 - of - 39 from the charity stripe , while Minnesota went 19 - of - 24 . Defense was key as well for Memphis , as they held Minnesota to under 42 percent from the field and won the turnover differential . JaMychal Green stepped up in the absence of Marc Gasol and Chandler Parsons , as he scored a career - high 29 points to add to his six boards . Mike Conley was second on the team , finishing with 20 points , three rebounds and eight assists . Karl-Anthony Towns carried the load for Minnesota , as he totaled 27 points and 16 rebounds . Andre Wiggins was second on the team , providing 23 points and five assists .

The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the host Minnesota Timberwolves , 107 - 99 , at Target Center on Saturday . This was a game full of swings , as the Grizzlies made a huge comeback , despite playing with a depleted roster . After trailing by 16 points in the first quarter , Memphis outscored Minnesota by 24 points over the final three quarters to pull out a comeback win . Defense was key for the Grizzlies , as they won the turnover differential and forced Minnesota to shoot 42 percent from the field . Free-throw shooting was decisive as well , with the Grizzlies hitting 33 - of - 39 , while Minnesota went 19 - of - 24 . The Grizzlies ( 31 - 22 ) rested Marc Gasol and Chandler Parsons for this game , but they still walked away with a huge road win . JaMychal Green was the star , as he scored a career - high 29 points to add to his six rebounds . Mike Conley was second on the team , finishing with 20 points , three rebounds and eight assists . James Ennis III started for Parsons and accrued 13 points , six rebounds and two steals . Vince Carter and Troy Daniels were important off the bench , as they scored 11 points a piece . On deck for the Grizzlies is a home matchup against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday . The Timberwolves ( 19 - 32 ) continue to disappoint fans , as they blew a 16 - point first quarter lead to a depleted Memphis squad . Karl-Anthony Towns did all he could for Minnesota , as he led the team with 27 points and 16 rebounds . Andrew Wiggins was second on the team , tallying 23 points and five assists . Ricky Rubio accumulated 14 points and six assists , while Gorgui Dieng provided two points and 13 rebounds . The Timberwolves will look to get out of this slide on Monday against the scorching - hot Miami Heat .


The Miami Heat defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves , 115 - 113 , at Target Center on Monday . Late in the contest , with 17.0 seconds left , the Heat ( 22 - 30 ) held an eight - point lead and were seemingly well on their way to their 11th straight victory . But then , a couple of Miami turnovers and a few big plays from Andrew Wiggins later , the Timberwolves ( 19 - 33 ) had one last chance to either tie or take the lead with eight seconds remaining in the game . However , Wiggins ' fallaway mid-range jumper would not go down and the time would expire , and the Heat 's miraculous win streak remained alive . In the end , it was the Goran Dragic show in Minneapolis , with the point guard hitting nearly everything he threw up and finishing with a team-high 33 points on 13 - of - 17 shooting from the field and 7 - of - 9 shooting from behind the arc on top of nine assists . And that hot shooting was contagious , as the rest of the Miami players launched from three - point land with plenty of confidence and the team shot an astounding 53.6 percent from long range , solidifying them as one of the hottest teams in basketball . As for Minnesota , they got impressive performances out of their two stars in Karl-Anthony Towns and Wiggins , but they were unable to walk away with the victory in their second game without Zach LaVine , who is out for the season with a torn ACL . Towns finished with a game-high 35 points and eight rebounds , while Wiggins ' late-game heroics and a 21-point second half led to him finishing with 27 points on 11 - of - 23 shooting from the field . Ricky Rubio also had yet another double-double , scoring 14 rebounds and dishing out 13 assists . Overall , it was an efficient game for the Timberwolves , who shot 54 percent from the field , but it ended up just being too little too late . Up next , the Heat will look to make it 12 straight wins Wednesday against the Bucks , while the Timberwolves will look to avoid their fifth straight loss Wednesday against the Raptors .


While the Timberwolves have been up - and - down over the past couple of weeks , Karl-Anthony Towns has been nothing but consistent . Following his 29 - point , 14 - rebound performance in Wednesday 's win over the Raptors , Towns has now recorded a double - double in 11 of his past 12 games . On top of that , over that 12 - game stretch , Towns has been averaging an impressive 29 points and 12 rebounds per game . On the other side , Toronto 's DeMar DeRozan has wasted no time returning to form since coming back from his four - game absence with a lingering ankle injury . After scoring 30 points in Wednesday 's loss , DeRozan has now recorded back - to - back 30 - point games in his return to the floor on 49 percent shooting . Wednesday 's performance marked the 21st time this season that DeRozan has scored at least 30 points as he works to regain his spot in the company of the NBA 's scoring leaders .

The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Toronto Raptors , 112 - 109 , on Wednesday at Target Center . The Raptors ( 33 - 22 ) held a fairly comfortable lead for the majority of Wednesday 's contest until a fourth quarter surge from the Timberwolves ( 20 - 33 ) brought the game close down the stretch . And while Minnesota stars Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns shined bright , the hero ultimately ended up being Tyus Jones . Jones , who made a habit of hitting clutch shots in college at Duke , did it on the NBA stage Wednesday night , hitting what would go on to be the game - winning three - pointer with 21 seconds left and the game tied , effectively ending the the Timberwolves ' four - game losing streak . Jones played 27 minutes but finished the game with just five points . Wiggins , on the other hand , scored a game - high 31 points on 11 - of - 19 shooting from the field , while Towns scored 29 points of his own to go along with a game - high 14 rebounds . As for Toronto , DeMar DeRozan had another productive outing in his second game back from injury , scoring a team - high 30 points in 38 minutes . Kyle Lowry added 20 points of his own , while DeMarre Carroll was productive offensively and on the glass , recording 19 points and a team - high nine rebounds in 34 minutes . In the end , the Raptors got great all - around performances from their starting five , but their lack of bench production ultimately prevented them from getting over the hump . Between the six reserves that saw the floor for Toronto on Wednesday , they managed to produce just 20 total points . Up next , the Timberwolves will take on the Pelicans at home Friday , while the Raptors will have off until Sunday when they take on the Pistons .


The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the host Minnesota Timberwolves , 122 - 106 , at Target Center on Friday evening . The Timberwolves looked great after the first quarter , leading 40 - 28 after 12 minutes of action . However , they fell apart in the next three quarters , where they were outscored 94 - 66 . The Pelicans ( 21 - 33 ) shot 60 percent from the field and 48 percent from long range , while they dished 27 assists . Anthony Davis led the way with a game - high 42 points on 16 - of - 22 shooting , to go along with 13 rebounds , in 36 minutes . Jrue Holiday also came up big , as he tallied 25 points , to go along with 12 assists , six rebounds and five steals , in 38 minutes . Buddy Hield chipped in 17 points on 7 - of - 10 shooting , while Dante Cunningham added 12 points . The Pelicans will look to keep rolling , as they visit Sacramento on Sunday to take on the Kings . Meanwhile , the Timberwolves shot 46 percent from the field , while they struggled going 6 - of - 27 from long range . Karl-Anthony Towns finished with a team - high 36 points , while Andrew Wiggins followed up with 29 points . Ricky Rubio finished with 15 points , 12 rebounds and nabbed four steals , in 39 minutes . The Timberwolves ' bench only chipped in nine points in the contest , despite having the newly acquired and energetic Lance Stephenson as a part of the troop . The Timberwolves will look to bounce back as they play host to the Bulls on Sunday .

Anthony Davis finished with a game - high 42 points on 16 - of - 22 shooting , to go along with 13 rebounds in 36 minutes . Jrue Holiday followed up with 25 points , 12 assists , six rebounds and five steals , in 38 minutes . Holiday 's amazing line was tarnished by nine turnovers . Buddy Hield was efficient from the field , as he hit 7 - of - 10 on his way to 17 points , in 22 minutes . The Pelicans were very efficient as a team , hitting 60 percent from the field , including 48 percent from long range , while they dished 27 assists . Meanwhile , Karl-Anthony Towns led the way for the T-Wolves , with 36 points on 13 - of - 22 shooting , to go along with eight rebounds , in 38 minutes . Andrew Wiggins followed up with 29 points on 11 - of - 17 shooting , and added four rebounds , three steals and two assists , in 37 minutes . The Timberwolves ' bench only added nine points to the cause .


The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Chicago Bulls , 117 - 89 , at Target Center on Sunday afternoon . The Bulls ( 26 - 29 ) came in to Sunday 's contest at a significant disadvantage , considering that Jimmy Butler ( heel ) , Dwyane Wade ( wrists ) , Nikola Mirotic ( back ) and Paul Zipser ( ankle ) were all out of commission . That left Chicago with a tight rotation of 10 players , not to mention a major offensive void . The handicap spelled disaster against a Timberwolves ( 21 - 34 ) squad at full strength that ambushed their visitors out of the gate by a 34 - 17 first - quarter margin . Although the Bulls battled back in the second period , the cushion afforded by that lead was enough to carry the hosts the rest of the way . Chicago also committed 18 turnovers , further hampering their chances at keeping matters competitive . The rather unlikely duo of Doug McDermott and Bobby Portis led the way for the Bulls with matching 16 - point efforts , with the former adding two assists and one rebound and the latter also supplying six boards . Michael Carter-Williams pitched in with 12 points , seven rebounds , six assists and two steals . Robin Lopez provided 10 points , four rebounds , two assists and one block , while Rajon Rondo matched Lopez 's scoring total and added six assists , three rebounds and one steal in 24 minutes off the bench . Jerian Grant totaled eight points , three assists , a rebound and a block , and Taj Gibson , the only other member besides Carter-Williams and Lopez to take the court , tallied two points , five rebounds and one assist . Andrew Wiggins paced the Timberwolves with 27 points , six boards , four assists , two steals and one block . Karl-Anthony Towns followed with 22 points , seven boards , four assists and one steal . Ricky Rubio turned in a 17 - point , 11 - assist double - double that also included six rebounds and two steals . Nemanja Bjelica led the bench with 16 points , six rebounds , three assists , two steals and one block in 19 highly efficient minutes . Shabazz Muhammad was productive as a reserve as well with 12 points , two rebounds and one steal . Gorgui Dieng posted a 10 - point , 13 - rebound double - double that also included two steals and one block . The Bulls return home to face off with the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday evening , while the Timberwolves remain home to do battle with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night as well .

A short - handed Bulls squad that was missing Jimmy Butler , Dwyane Wade , Nikola Mirotic and Paul Zipser due to injury was no match for a full - strength Minnesota unit , which jumped out a 34 - 17 first - quarter lead . Chicago also committed 18 turnovers , further hampering their chances on the afternoon . Andrew Wiggins ' 27 points led Minnesota , and Karl-Anthony Towns followed with 22 . Ricky Rubio turned in a 17 - point , 11 - assist double - double , while Nemanja Bjelica led the bench with 16 points in 19 minutes . Shabazz Muhammad supplied 12 , and Gorgui Dieng posted a 10 - point , 13 - rebound double - double . Doug McDermott 's and Bobby Portis ' matching 16 - point efforts paced the Bulls . Michael Carter-Williams pitched in 12 points , while Robin Lopez provided 10 . Rajon Rondo matched Lopez 's scoring total in 24 minutes off the bench . Jerian Grant totaled eight points , and Taj Gibson tallied just two points .


The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 116 - 108 Tuesday at Target Center . The Timberwolves ( 21 - 35 ) managed to keep pace with the East-leading Cavaliers ( 38 - 16 ) for a majority of Tuesday 's contest , and they were well within striking distance down the final stretch of the game . That was until LeBron James hit a step back three - pointer with two minutes remaining to take his team 's lead from three points to six . At that point , Minnesota was finished . James finished with 25 points on an efficient 10 - of - 14 shooting from the field to go along with 14 assists and eight rebounds as the Cavaliers walked out of the Target Center with their second straight victory and their sixth win in their last seven games . Kyrie Irving added 25 points of his own , Channing Frye posted a double - double of 21 points and 10 rebounds as Kevin Love 's replacement and the newest Cavalier , Derrick Williams , came off the bench to score 13 points Tuesday . As for those Timberwolves , a brilliant performance from Andrew Wiggins ended up not being enough for a team that has lacked a strong supporting cast all season . After scoring 20 points in the third quarter , Wiggins finished the game with 41 points on 16 - of - 29 shooting from the field . Karl-Anthony Towns had yet another productive night as well , scoring 26 points and grabbing eight rebounds , but besides those two , Minnesota failed to get much else offensively from their team . Ricky Rubio did manage to dish out a game - high 16 assists and grab eight rebounds , but he was n't able to produce enough in the scoring column , ending with just five points on 2 - of - 8 shooting from the field . Up next , the Cavaliers will look to continue to build on their lead in the Eastern Conference on Wednesday against the Pacers , while the Timberwolves will travel to Denver on Wednesday to take on the Nuggets .

This season , Ricky Rubio has proven to be a crucial member of Minnesota 's offense with no legitimate backup point guards and now without the services of Zach LaVine ( knee ) . However , while Rubio has been putting up big - time assist numbers as of late , he remains a liability scoring - wise . Tuesday 's performance was yet another example for the Spaniard , as he posted a game - high 16 assists , which was his highest total since he dished out 17 on Jan. 11 against the Rockets . And while Rubio did an adequate job of getting his teammates involved , he struggled to get himself involved , scoring just five points on 2 - of - 8 shooting from the field . This was n't an aberration for the point guard either , as it was the seventh time this season that Rubio was able to record double - digit assists but not reach double - digit points .


Minnesota are battling for the eight - seed in the west with Dallas and this dominating win shows just how important it was to win this game . In fact , the Mavericks led for over 45 minutes of this game , as they never looked close to relinquishing the lead . Defense carried the T'Wolves , as they held the Mavericks to 42 percent from the field and 24 percent from three - point range , Seth Curry did all he could for Dallas , as he dropped a career - high 31 points on 13 - of - 17 shooting . Harrison Barnes was the only other Maverick in double figures , as he totaled 20 points and seven rebounds . Andrew Wiggins led Minnesota in scoring , as he provided 27 points and seven rebounds . Karl-Anthony Towns dominated down low , as he collected 26 points and 18 rebounds on 12 - of - 18 from the field . Ricky Rubio led the team in assists , accruing 13 points , five rebounds , 14 assists and three steals .

The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Dallas Mavericks , 97 - 84 , at Target Center on Friday . In a battle between two teams looking to vie for the eight - seed in the west , Minnesota prevailed with a big win . They took care of busines from start to finish , as the T'Wolves led for over 45 minutes of this game . Defense carried Minnesota , as they held Dallas to 42 percent from the field and 24 percent from three - point range . The Timberwolves also dominated down low , winning the rebounding battle , 44 - 35 and the points in the paint differential , 48 - 30 . The Mavericks ( 22 - 35 ) have struggled on offense all season and duds like this against a bad Minnesota defense only adds to those troubles . Seth Curry had the game of his life though , dropping a career - high 31 points on 13 - of - 17 shooting . Harrison Barnes was the only other Maverick in double figures , as he totaled 20 points , six rebounds and two steals . Dirk Nowitzki accumulated eight points , seven rebounds , three assists , two steals and two blocks . The Timberwolves ( 23 - 35 ) continue to battle for a playoff berth and wins like this over teams who are ahead of them are imperative for that pursuit . Andrew Wiggins led Minnesota in scoring , as he amassed 27 points , seven rebounds and three assists . Karl-Anthony Towns was the most valuable player , as he collected 26 points and 18 rebounds on 12 - of - 18 shooting . Ricky Rubio finished third on the team , totaling 13 points , five rebounds , 14 assists and three steals .


The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Los Angeles Clippers , 107 - 91 , at Target Center on Wednesday evening . The Timberwolves ( 26 - 37 ) boast some of the most exciting young talent in the league , but have consistently found defense to be their Achilles ' heel . However , they found a way to impressively reverse course Wednesday , styming a talented Clippers ( 38 - 26 ) squad at full strength and goading them into an uncharacteristic 16 turnovers . Minnesota ambushed their visitors to the tune of a 31 - 19 lead after one quarter , before Los Angeles made up some ground before halftime with a 36 - point explosion of their own in the second period . However , the Timberwolves effectively put the game away in the third , outscoring the Clippers by a double - digit margin a second time , 24 - 13 . That left them with a comfortable 82 - 68 lead heading into the final 12 minutes , one they were able to sustain without much struggle . DeAndre Jordan led the way for Los Angeles with a 20 - point , 13 - rebound double - double that also included one assist and one block . Blake Griffin provided 16 points , four rebounds and two assists . J.J. Redick turned in 14 points , one rebound , one assist , two steals and one block . Marreese Speights led the second unit with 12 points and six rebounds , while Austin Rivers totaled 10 points , three assists , two rebounds and one block off the bench as well . Chris Paul had an off night shooting ( 3 - 9 FG ) , but he managed to add 10 assists , three rebounds and one steal to his seven points . Karl-Anthony Towns once again paced the Timberwolves , generating a 29 - point , 14 - rebound double - double and adding two assists , all over just 27 minutes . Andrew Wiggins overcame a 5 - for - 17 shooting night with a perfect 10 - for - 10 tally from the free - throw line to compile 20 points . He added three assists , two rebounds and one steal . Shabazz Muhammad drew a rather rare start and went for 17 points , six rebounds and one steal . Ricky Rubio managed a 15 - point , 12 - assist double - double that also included six rebounds and two steals . Gorgui Dieng chipped in a modest seven points but also provided nine rebounds , two assists , four steals and two blocks . The Clippers will try to put the loss behind them quickly , as they have a Thursday night road showdown on tap with the Memphis Grizzlies . The Timberwolves remain home to tangle with the Golden State Warriors on Friday night .

The Timberwolves forced an uncharacteristic 16 turnovers from the Clippers and parlayed respective 31 - 19 and 24 - 13 first - and - third - quarter advantages into a double - digit home win . Karl-Anthony Towns ' 29 - point , 14 - rebound double - double over 27 minutes paced the Timberwolves . Andrew Wiggins overcame a 5 - for - 17 shooting night with a perfect 10 - for - 10 tally from the free - throw line to compile 20 points . Shabazz Muhammad went for 17 points , while Ricky Rubio managed a 15 - point , 12 - assist double - double . Gorgui Dieng chipped in a modest seven points but also provided nine rebounds , two assists , four steals and two blocks . DeAndre Jordan 's 20 - point , 13 - rebound double - double led Los Angeles . Blake Griffin provided 16 points , while J.J. Redick turned in 14 . Marreese Speights led the second unit with 12 points , and Austin Rivers totaled 10 points . Chris Paul had an off night shooting ( 3 - 9 FG ) , but managed to dish out 10 assists .


The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the visiting Golden State Warriors 103 - 102 , at Target Center , on Friday evening . It was a dramatic contest , as the Timberwolves jumped out to a 10 - point lead , with a 34 - 24 first quarter . The Warriors responded in the second , where they out - scored the T-Wolves by one . The Timberwolves came back strong in the third , ensuring themselves a 12 - point lead heading into the final quarter . Minnesota then extended their lead to 14 , however the Warriors went on a 130 run to bring the game within one point with 7:28 to go . It was then back and forth , with the T-Wolves staying on top , until the Warriors tied it up with 2:37 left . Minnesota battled ahead once again but almost let it slip away as they were up by one , when Andrew Wiggins missed two free throws , allowing the Warriors the opportunity to go up by one on the next possession . Wiggins made up for his error though , as he sank two free throws with 12 seconds left to seal the one - point win . Andrew Wiggins was the high - point man for the Timberwolves ( 27 - 37 ) , as he finished with 24 points on 9 - of - 21 shooting , in 37 minutes . Karl-Anthony Towns followed up with 23 points on more efficient 10 - of - 18 shooting , in 38 minutes . This marked Towns ' 19th straight game with 20 or more points . Four other players scored in double digits for Minnesota , including Ricky Rubio , who chipped in 17 points and dished 13 assists , in 36 minutes . The T-Wolves go on to face the second night of a back - to - back as they visit Milwaukee on Saturday . Klay Thompson led the way for the Warriors ( 52 - 13 ) with a game - high 30 points on 12 - of - 22 shooting , while Stephen Curry followed up with 26 points , but struggled from deep , where he went 1 - of - 8 , in 35 minutes . The only other player to score in double digits for Golden State was Ian Clark , who added 10 points off the bench . The Warriors have now lost two straight , and face a tough match up in their next contest , when they visit San Antonio on Saturday .

Andrew Wiggins led the way for the Timberwolves with 24 points , but struggled from the field , shooting only 9 - of - 21 in 37 minutes of action . Karl-Anthony Towns followed up with 23 points on better 10 - of - 18 shooting , to go along with nine rebounds , two assists and two blocks , in 38 minutes . Ricky Rubio was solid , as he finished with 17 points , 13 assists , four rebounds and one steal , in 36 minutes . Rubio shot only 3 - of - 10 from the field , but went 11 - of - 11 from the foul line . Nemanja Bjelica double - double with 10 points and 12 rebounds in 34 minutes off the bench , while Shabazz Muhammad added 11 points and eight rebounds . Meanwhile , Klay Thompson led the way for the Warriors with 30 points on 12 - of - 22 shooting , in 36 minutes . Stephen Curry followed up with 26 points , while the only other player to hit double digits for Golden State was Ian Clark , with 10 .


The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Washington Wizards 119 - 104 Monday at Target Center . The Timberwolves ( 28 - 38 ) did n't waste any time opening up Monday 's contest , as they ended the first quarter with an 18 - point lead and never let the Wizards ( 41 - 25 ) within one possession , as their smallest lead from that point was five points . Karl-Anthony Towns had his way in the outing , scoring a game - high 39 points on 17 - of - 26 shooting and grabbing 13 rebounds . Those offensive opportunities for Towns came in large part to the play of Ricky Rubio , who scored 22 points and recorded 19 assists in Monday 's matchup . It was a hot shooting night for the team overall , as Minnesota shot 52 percent from the field and a scorching 48 percent from behind the arc . As for Washington , the loss ended a five - game winning streak , but the team has still won seven of its last nine games . They were led , once again , by their backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal . Wall finished with a game - high 27 points , while scored 20 points of his own . The next highest scorer for the Wizards , however , was Bojan Bogdanovic , who shot just 3 - of - 11 from the field en route to scoring 12 points . It was a poor shooting night all around for Washington , as the team shot just 43 percent from the field and 27 percent from behind the arc . Up next , the Timberwolves will travel to Boston on Wednesday to take on the Celtics , while the Wizards will head home to play the Mavericks on Wednesday .

Ricky Rubio had a masterful performance in Monday 's victory over the Wizards , as he scored 22 points and dished out 19 assists in 39 minutes , and the big numbers the Spaniard is producing have become a staple for him in the month of March . After Monday 's performance , Rubio is now averaging 16 points and 12 assists over six games in March . Most impressive , however , is that Rubio has shot well over 50 percent from the field in his last two games , and over the six games in March , the point guard is shooting 47 percent from the field and 38 percent from behind the arc - - both which would easily be monthly bests this season . At this , Rubio , who has been seen as a offensive liability when it comes to shooting the ball for most of his career , is becoming yet another option for this team .


It 's been a rough stretch of three games over the last four days for Kawhi Leonard - - by his standards - - after he got off to a scorching hot start to the month of March . Following his 22 - point performance ( 20 of which came in the second half ) in Tuesday 's comeback victory over the Timberwolves , Leonard has now failed to score at least 25 points in each of his last three games after hitting that total in seven of his eight previous games . The All-Star also has n't been shooting the ball at an efficient rate as of late , with Tuesday 's 54 percent performance from the field being his best since last Wednesday when he hit 57 percent of his shots in a loss to Portland . In the two games in between , Leonard shot a combined 9 - of - 27 ( 30 percent ) from the field , which was easily his worst two - game shooting stretch of the season .

The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 100 - 93 Tuesday at Target Center . While they ended up winning by a comfortable seven points , Tuesday 's victory was n't easy for the Spurs ( 54 - 16 ) , as the team found themselves down by as many as 12 points in the first half . Then , after a bounce - back third quarter , San Antonio managed to enter the final period with a six - point lead and hold on despite one last run from the Timberwolves ( 28 - 42 ) . The team was led offensively by LaMarcus Aldridge , who scored a game - high 26 points on 12 - of - 24 shooting from the field . Meanwhile , All-Star swingman Kawhi Leonard had just two points after the first 24 minutes , but he managed to kick it into high gear and score 20 of his 22 points in the second half , which included the go - ahead jumper late in the fourth quarter . The win was the Spurs ' second in a row and they will now return home for a four - game homestand . As for the Timberwolves , the loss was not only their fourth in a row , but after blowing a 12 - point lead , it is the team 's league - leading 18th loss this season after blowing a double - digit lead . They have also now given up at least 100 points in seven straight contests . Offensively , Karl-Anthony Towns led the way with yet another double - double of a team - high 25 points and 14 rebounds , while Andrew Wiggins added 22 points of his own . The two , however , combined to shoot just 13 - of - 32 from the field , and they ended up doing a majority of their work at the free throw line , where the young stars hit 20 of their 23 attempts . Unfortunately for Minnesota , the two did n't get much help , as the only other teammate to score in double figures was Shabazz Muhammad , who scored 18 points in 24 minutes off the bench .


The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Los Angeles Lakers , 119 - 104 , at Target Center on Thursday . This game meant much more to the T'Wolves than the Lakers and they showed that in this scoreline . The middle quarters is when they took control , as they outscored Los Angeles , 59 - 45 , in the second and third quarters . In addition , the Timberwolves held a lead of nine points or more for the final 16 minutes . The key for Minnesota was the assist - to - turnover ratio , as they recorded 10 more assists ( 30 - 20 ) than the Lakers , while committing six less turnover ( 16 - 10 ) . The Lakers ( 21 - 56 ) have now lost nine of their last 11 games , as they simply ca n't wait for the offseason to begin . Jordan Clarkson led the way for Los Angeles , as he tallied 18 points , three rebounds and seven assists . Julius Randle collected 12 points and 13 rebounds . D'Angelo Russell shot just 4 - of - 14 from the field , but still accumulated 14 points , three rebounds , six assists and three steals . Tarik Black , Tyler Ennis and Thomas Robinson all scored in double figures off the bench . On deck for the Lakers is a `` road game `` against the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday , The Timberwolves ( 30 - 44 ) still have slim hopes for a playoff berth , as this victory kept the possibility open for the time being . Ricky Rubio was the star , as he dropped a career - high 33 points to go along with five rebounds , 10 assists and two steals on 12 - of - 21 from the field . Karl-Anthony Towns was equally as good , totaling 32 points , nine rebounds , two assists and two steals . Andrew Wiggins contributed 27 points , four rebounds and two assists of his own . Gorgui Dieng amassed 11 points , 15 rebounds , six assists and three blocks . Minnesota will look to build off this win on Saturday in a home matchup versus the Sacramento Kings .


The Sacramento Kings defeated the host Minnesota Timberwolves , 123 - 117 , on Saturday evening at Target Center . The Timberwolves led 31 - 18 after the first quarter , but the Kings woke up in the second , cutting the deficit to five heading to halftime . Sacramento pulled ahead by five after a strong third quarter and then matched the T-Wolves for 32 points each in a high - scoring fourth quarter . This was a solid win for the Kings ( 30 - 47 ) on the second night of a back - to - back , while it marks the 12th straight game that the Timberwolves ( 30 - 45 ) have given up at least 100 points . The Kings shot 56 percent from the field , as Buddy Hield led the way with 22 points on 9 - of - 15 shooting , in 34 minutes . Ty Lawson came up huge with 21 points and 11 assists , in 25 minutes off the bench . Lawson shot 5 - of - 8 from the field and 11 - of - 14 from the foul line . Langston Galloway chipped in 17 points off the bench , while Arron Afflalo added 16 , to help round out a good team win . The Kings next contest comes on Tuesday , when they play host to the Mavericks . Meanwhile , Andrew Wiggins was the high - point man for Minnesota , with 32 points on 13 - of - 20 shooting , in 39 minutes . Karl-Anthony Towns followed up with 26 points and 11 rebounds , in 40 minutes . Ricky Rubio shot only 1 - of - 10 from the field , but managed to score a double - double with 11 points and 13 assists . Brandon Rush and Gorgui Dieng chipped in 11 points each . The Timberwolves will look to bounce back on Monday , when they play host to the Trail Blazers .


The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Portland Trail Blazers , 110 - 109 , at Target Center on Monday night . Two offensively - potent squads engaged in the type of game that would be expected of them , with each unit seemingly taking turns racking up points on each other throughout the first three periods . Matters tightened up in the fourth , a quarter which the Timberwolves ( 31 - 45 ) had entered holding a slim 86 - 83 lead . The Trail Blazers ( 38 - 39 ) got within one with an Al-Farouq Aminu basket with 30 seconds remaining but could get no closer , with Damian Lillard missing a would - be game - winning 17 - footer as time expired that sent Minnesota home victors . The Timberwolves shot a stellar 49 percent from the field while winning the rebounding battle by a 43 - 35 margin . Lillard led the way with 25 points , six assists , four rebounds and two steals . Aminu followed with a bench - leading 20 points , which he supplemented with seven boards , five assists and three blocks . Maurice Harkless and C.J . McCollum followed with matching 17 - point efforts , with the former adding eight rebounds , one assist , one steal and one block and the latter providing five rebounds , four assists , one steal and one block . Noah Vonleh tallied 12 points , four boards , two steals and two blocks and Allen Crabbe matched his scoring total off the bench while also registering two assists , one rebound and one steal . Karl-Anthony Towns paced the Timberwolves with 34 points and 12 boards . Andrew Wiggins followed with 29 points and three rebounds . Brandon Rush compiled 12 points , seven rebounds , three assists , two blocks and one steal . Ricky Rubio posted an 11 - point , 16 - assist double - double that also included seven rebounds and one block . Gorgui Dieng submitted a full stat line of eight points , eight rebounds , three assists and two blocks . Shabazz Muhammad led the second unit with 11 points and one rebound . The Trail Blazers head to Utah for a Tuesday night showdown with the Jazz while the Timberwolves face off with the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night as well .


The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves , 100 - 98 , at Target Center on Tuesday . In a game that meant very little for both teams , they left it all on the floor in this close - fought battle . Victor Oladipo was the hero , as he hit a game - winning jumper with six seconds left to boost the Thunder to a win . There were seven ties and 18 lead changes in total , as this game was within a five - point margin for the final 18 minutes . Rebounding was the decisive statistic , with Oklahoma City winning that battle , 54 - 35 . Bench production was big for the Thunder as well , as they outscored the Timberwolves bench , 38 - 20 . The Thunder ( 47 - 34 ) played their first game without Russell Westbrook and they escaped with an impressive victory . Oladipo was the star , as he tallied 20 points , nine rebounds and six assists . Domantas Sabonis started and totaled 19 points , nine rebounds and three assists . Steven Adams accrued 10 points , eight rebounds , two steals and two blocks . The Timberwolves ( 31 - 50 ) are one of few teams who continue to play their starters , as these losses will ultimately help their youngsters grow . Karl-Anthony Towns led the way for Minnesota , as he accumulated 26 points and 12 rebounds . Gorgui Dieng finished second on the team , amassing 19 points , eight rebounds , three assists and two steals . Andrew Wiggins collected 18 points , three rebounds , four assists and two steals . Ricky Rubio provided 14 points and 10 assists .


The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the visiting Utah Jazz , 113 - 104 , in the first game of the season on Tuesday . The game became a back - and - forth battle in the second half , with Utah establishing a lead that was quickly reclaimed by the Blazers in the fourth quarter . The emerging dynamic duo of Damian Lillard and C.J . McCollum helped pave the way for Portland 's high - octane offensive outing , combining for 64 points , including 39 for Lillard . The pair helped facilitate a perimeter attack for the Blazers , as they contributed six of the team 's 13 three - point makes . Portland also received a boost off the bench from recently re - signed wing Allen Crabbe , who provided 18 points and four more shots from behind the arc . Utah , meanwhile , is struggling to remain healthy despite the season having barely begun . Star forwards Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors were sidelined with injuries , as well as bench guard Alec Burks . Utah 's offense was able to fill the void , however , with significant contributions coming from newly - acquired veteran Joe Johnson ( 29 points , 12 - 16 shooting ) and sophomore Rodney Hood ( 26 points , two steals ) . It was the defensive end where Utah ultimately came up short , as the Blazers were allowed to convert on 52 percent of their field goal attempts . The Blazers will face the Clippers in Portland on Wednesday , while the Jazz will see the Lakers on Thursday .

Many spent the offseason pondering who would be the first player to drop 40 points in the 2016 - 17 season , and Damian Lillard very nearly offered an immediate answer . The star point guard scored 39 points in the Trail Blazers ' win Tuesday against the Utah Jazz , grabbing nine rebounds and dishing out six assists to go along with it . With Lillard at the helm , Portland was able to pull off a phenomenal 52 percent shooting from the field . The shots seemed to fall more the farther the Blazers got from the basket , as they shot an impeccable 68 percent from 3 - point range . Neither figure stacks up to the free - throw shooting displayed by both sides , however ; of the 38 free - throws attempted by both sides in the game , there was not a single miss . Truly , an impressive shooting exhibition all - around .


New additions to both the Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Clippers saw a solid chunk of minutes in Thursday 's matchup . Golden State Warriors import Mo Speights brought his inside game and perimeter shooting to the Clippers in a needed position of depth , and shined in 16 minutes of play where he finished with 15 points on 4 - of - 8 shooting including a pair of threes . Evan Turner , formerly of the Boston Celtics , was not on display as much as Speights , but played 23 minutes . Defensively , Turner was effective on the wing , but was unable to shoot all that efficiently from the floor , evidenced by his six points on eight shots . Turner did add six rebounds in his time off the bench . Allen Crabbe might not be a new addition to the Blazers , but he did get a shiny new contract in the offseason and added 10 points , four assists and a rebound in 32 minutes of action .

The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Portland Trail Blazers , 114 - 106 , at Moda Center on Thursday . The Clippers ( 10 ) were the last team to tip off for an opening game amongst the league and capped it off with an impressive road win . The matchup continued where Los Angeles left off at the end of last season 's first - round playoffs , save for a fully healthy unit and one that was in a physical mentality throughout the game . DeAndre Jordan and Mason Plumlee got into a scrap after a hard foul landed both in the courtside seats beneath the rim in the third quarter , while C.J . McCollum returned a hard foul Jordan 's way at the other end of the floor in the fourth quarter . The referring was also in question at times , much to the home crowd 's disapproval , as Blake Griffin and JJ Reddick had flagrant fouls go there way in the second half . The back - and - forth affair was tight knit through the first three quarters of play , but the Clippers were able to pull away by 15 points with 2:54 left in the fourth quarter . A series of inspired plays from Harkless , McCollum and Lillard cut the lead to five after a driving layup from the star point guard with :22 left on the clock . Paul drew a foul from Shabazz Napier on the ensuing possession to ice the game at the free throw line . Chris Paul and Blake Griffin led the Clippers , as both players were everywhere on both ends of the court , striking from the mid range , putting back dunks , running down the Blazers backcourt in transition and keeping Reddick and Jordan active at the perimeter and under the rim . Paul and Griffin combined for 54 points , 18 rebounds and five assists in the win . Lillard poured in 29 points on 11 - of - 24 shooting , to go along with 10 rebounds and three assists . Harkless , Plumlee and McCollum joined Lillard in double figures , but the 22 percent three - point shooting was far from where coach Terry Stotts would have liked the Blazers to be on their home court . The Blazers will visit the Denver Nuggets on Saturday , while the Clippers play their first home game hosting the Utah Jazz on Sunday .


Five of the top 11 individual three - point shooters of the 2015 - 16 season took the floor in Tuesday 's matchup between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors . Naturally , the game was a high - scoring shootout , but the shots did not all come from the usual suspects . In fact , the game 's leading three - point shooter played only eight minutes and was making his NBA debut . Portland wing Jake Layman , a 22 - year - old out of Maryland , hit 5 of 7 attempts from beyond the arc and finished second on the team in scoring despite finishing last in minutes . Steph Curry matched Layman 's five three - pointers but took 10 attempts to do so , and Damian Lillard trailed not far behind with four . It was not a stellar shooting night for every high - profile shooter , however , as Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson , two of the league 's top shooters , went 0 for 10 from beyond the arc on the night , with seven of those misses coming from Thompson . Golden State made up for their stars ' shooting slumps by finding their own diamond in the rough , though , as bench guard Ian Clark delivered 22 points on perfect shooting , including three three - pointers .

The visiting Golden State Warriors blew out the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday , 127 - 104 , for their third straight road win . It was a red - hot shooting night for Golden State , as the team hit 56 percent of their shots from the floor including 10 three - pointers . Reigning MVP Steph Curry led the Warriors with 28 points , including five shots from beyond the three - point line . The star of the night , however , was bench guard Ian Clark . Clark scored 22 points on 8 - for - 8 from the field and 3 - for - 3 from the free - throw line . The Warriors also demonstrated tremendous ball movement , recording 36 assists , accounting for 72 percent of their field goals . This top - notch ball - movement was on full - display in the third quarter , as Golden State recorded 41 points in just 12 minutes . For Portland , meanwhile , point guard Damian Lillard 's 31 - point outing was not enough to top Golden State . Lillard , who scored a career - high 51 points against the Warriors last season , led his team again on Tuesday with a major scoring outburst . Portland , however , could not compete from the floor or on the glass , as the team hit just 43 percent of its shots and was edged out 45 - 32 in the rebounding column . The Blazers will travel to Phoenix on Wednesday , while Golden State will host the Thunder on Thursday in Kevin Durant 's first game against his former team .


The host Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Phoenix Suns 124 - 121 at Moda Center on Wednesday . Despite the Blazers pulling out a rare wire - to - wire win , this game was close throughout . The Suns trailed by one with just five seconds left , but the Blazers closed things out with some clutch free throws . Portland was lights - out with their jumpers , shooting 56 percent from the field and 45 percent from three - point range . Damian Lillard and C.J . McCollum carried the load , as they combined for 71 points , 11 rebounds and 10 assists in the win . Phoenix ( 2 - 6 ) has gotten off to a rough start this season , but they continue to hang around in every game . After back - to - back career - high nights , Devin Booker settled for 23 points on 8 - of - 18 shooting in the defeat . Eric Bledsoe was Phoenix 's best player , totaling 31 points , four rebounds and four assists , with 15 of those points coming in the fourth quarter . Four bench players scored in double figures , as Dragan Bender , Brandon Knight , P.J . Tucker and Leandro Barbosa combined for 42 points . Tucker was very important off the bench , accumulating 11 points , nine rebounds , four assists and five steals . The Suns play again on Wednesday , when they host the Detroit Pistons for their next game . Portland ( 5 - 3 ) were expected to dominate this game , but it was closer than fans would hope . Damian Lillard and C.J . McCollum did everything they could though , as they each scored 30 - plus in dominating performances . Lillard led the team with 38 points , five rebounds and three assists . McCollum was n't far behind , as he tallied 33 points , six rebounds and seven assists of his own . Maurice Harkless was third on the team , with 20 points and six boards . Al-Farouq Aminu played just four minutes before exiting with a calf injury in the first quarter . Portland will look to build off this win against the surging Los Angles Clippers on Wednesday .


The host Portland Trail Blazers defeated the visiting Sacramento Kings , 122 - 120 , in overtime on Friday . The dynamic backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and C.J . McCollum was vital to the Blazers ' ( 6 - 4 ) victory , as the guards each scored over 30 points on the night . Lillard scored 36 to go with a team - high seven assists , while McCollum added four steals to his 31 points . Strong perimeter play helped push Portland over the top , as the Blazers hit 13 threes while allowing just six for the Kings . The starting Sacramento backcourt of Ty Lawson and Aaron Afflalo struggled , combining for just 15 points . Blazers wing Allen Crabbe , the recent recipient of a max contract , provided a major boost off the bench for Portland , scoring 16 points to go with seven rebounds and four assists . The game remained close throughout , with Portland unable to establish a secure lead until the final seconds of overtime . For Sacramento ( 4 - 7 ) , All-Star big man DeMarcus Cousins exploited the thin Portland frontcourt , scoring a team - high 33 points . Forward Rudy Gay was not far behind , scoring 29 points and pulling down 14 rebounds . Sacramento was able to make up for disadvantages in perimeter shooting and overall field goal percentage by out - rebounding Portland 48 - 36 . Despite the dominance of Sacramento 's frontcourt , strong overtime play from Portland 's guards tipped the game in the Blazers ' favor . Portland will host the Denver Nuggets on Sunday , while Sacramento will enjoy a long three - day rest .

Portland 's emerging backcourt has looked stronger than ever in the new season , and Friday put that on full display . Guards C.J . McCollum and Damian Lillard scored 31 and 36 respectively , with Lillard also dishing out a team - high seven assists . McCollum grabbed four steals on defense , and the pair combined for seven of Portland 's 13 three - pointers as a team . The duo shot well over 50 percent , with Lillard hitting 12 - of - 19 shots from the filed , and McCollum hitting 13 - of - 24 . Sacramento , meanwhile , saw limited contributions from its backcourt but enjoyed another dominant night for the frontcourt pairing of DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay . Cousins led the team with 33 points , while also pulling down nine rebounds and blocking two shots . Gay , meanwhile , scored 29 and helped establish Sacramento 's dominance on the boards , pulling down 14 rebounds on the night .


It was a tough night for Denver 's young core on Sunday , particularly in terms of shooting . Sophomore point guard Emmanuel Mudiay shot just 3 - of - 16 from the field , while second - year big men Nikola Jokic and Jusuf Nurkic combined to go just 3 - of - 14 . Rookie Jamal Murray shot a promising 6 - of - 12 , but committed a team - high six turnovers . Veterans stepped up , however , as Danilo Gallinari scored a team - high 19 points on 7 - of - 13 shooting . Forward Kenneth Faried had a particularly big night , scoring 18 points and pulling down 14 rebounds to go along with four blocks . For Portland , meanwhile , it was the same story as usual . Point guard Damian Lillard led the team with 32 points , and C.J . McCollum finished behind him with 21 . Lillard also contributed eight rebounds and six assists . Forward Mo Harkless delivered a promising 17 points and six assists in his new starting role .

The host Portland Trail Blazers defeated the visiting Denver Nuggets on Sunday , 112 - 105 . After trailing by double - digits midway through the second quarter , Portland rallied to catch up and establish a significant lead . A 36 - 15 advantage in the third quarter helped the Blazers ( 7 - 4 ) to regain control of the game . It was another strong performance for star point guard Damian Lillard , who is averaging over 30 points per game and leading the Blazers in assists . Lillard scored 32 on Sunday to go along with eight rebounds and six assists . Lillard 's backcourt partner , C.J . McCollum , contributed significantly as well , scoring 21 points . While Portland 's starting five saw success , the Blazers ' bench struggled , shooting just 7 - of - 29 on the night . After what had been a promising start to the season for Denver ( 3 - 7 ) , the Nuggets have now lost four consecutive games . The Nuggets remain among the league 's top rebounding teams , as the team displayed by earning a 59 - 44 rebounding advantage against the Blazers . However , Denver 's shooting woes were on full display Sunday , particularly among their young players . The team shot just 39 percent from the field , with sophomore point guard Emmanuel Mudiay shooting just 3 - of - 16 on the night . Portland will host the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday , while Denver will host the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday .


It was a double - double bonanza for the Bulls as they took the floor in Portland on Tuesday . All three members of Chicago 's starting frontcourt tallied double digits in both scoring and rebounding en route to a blowout win and a sky - high 67 rebounds on the night . All-Star Jimmy Butler followed up his season - high 37 points against Washington on Saturday with another team - leading performance , scoring 27 points and pulling down 12 rebounds . Big men Taj Gibson and Robin Lopez each pulled down 11 rebounds as well . Portland , meanwhile , saw absolutely stagnant offense in response . The Blazers ' starting five scored just 18 points in the first half , and finished with disappointing totals . The team shot just 35 percent from the field and 26 percent from three - point range , and elite scorer Damian Lillard scored a season - low 19 points on the night .

The visiting Chicago Bulls demolished the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday , 113 - 88 . It was a rebounding extravaganza for Chicago ( 7 - 4 ) , as the team pulled down a ridiculous 67 boards in the easy win . 19 offensive rebounds helped the team earn second - chance points left and right , and contributed to the Bulls jumping out to the early 35 - 14 lead . All-Star Jimmy Butler , fresh off a 37 - point outing against the Wizards , led the team in both points and rebounds , with 27 and 12 respectively . Forward Taj Gibson and center Robin Lopez also posted double - doubles , recording 11 rebounds each . Starting point guard Rajon Rondo was sidelined with an ankle sprain , but backup Jerian Grant was able to fill the starting role nicely , scoring 18 points and coming away with five steals . For Portland ( 7 - 5 ) , it was an uncharacteristically cold shooting night . The league 's second - leading scorer heading into the night , Damian Lillard , scored only 19 points on just 7 - of - 22 shooting . The stagnant offense went beyond Lillard , however , as the team shot just 35 percent from the floor and 26 percent from three - point range . Struggles extended to the free - throw line , where the team hit just 11 - of - 18 shots from the stripe . Despite an inability to get things going offensively , Portland was able to post a low total of just 11 turnovers in the fast - paced game . Both teams will head on the road Thursday , with the Blazers visiting Houston and Chicago seeing Utah .


Anthony Davis finished with a game - high 31 points on 10 - of - 17 shooting , along with 13 rebounds , five blocks and two assists , in 43 minutes . Jrue Holiday added 16 points , five assists and four rebounds , in 29 minutes off the bench . E'Twaun Moore was solid with 6 - of - 11 shooting on his way to 15 points , along with four assists , in 23 minutes . The Pelicans shot 57 percent from long range . Damian Lillard led the way for Portland with 27 points , on 9 - of - 19 shooting , along with 11 assists and four rebounds , in 36 minutes . C.J . McCollum also played 36 minutes and also shot 9 - of - 19 from the field , but finished with 24 points , along with three assists , two steals and one rebound . Mason Plumlee came close to a triple - double as he tallied 12 points , 14 rebounds and eight assists , in 33 minutes .

The Portland Trail Blazers held on to defeat the streaking New Orleans Pelicans , 119 - 104 , on Friday night at Moda Center . The Trail Blazers ( 9 - 9 ) improve to 5 - 3 at home thanks to a much - needed and hard - earned win . Portland came into this game allowing a league - worst 113 points against per game but stepped up their defense by holding the Pelicans who had scored an average of 116 points in their last four games , to 104 points . Damian Lillard led the way with 27 points and 11 assists , while C.J . McCollum added 24 points . Myers Leonard came up with 15 points on 6 - of - 11 shooting , in 22 minutes off the bench . The Blazers shot 47 percent from the field and scored more than 30 points in three quarters as they were able to off a late rally from New Orleans . Portland will see the second game of a four - game home stand as they host the Rockets on Sunday This was the Pelicans ( 6 - 11 ) first loss with Jrue Holiday in the lineup , as their four - game win streak came to an end . Holiday finished with 16 points on 6 - of - 13 shooting , along with five assists and four rebounds in 29 minutes off the bench . Anthony Davis led the way for the Pelicans , wit 31 points , along with 13 rebounds , a monstrous five blocks and two assists , in 43 minutes . New Orleans shot a sizzling 13 - of - 23 from long range but struggled from the foul line , going 19 - of - 29 . The Pelicans will look to get back on track as they visit Dallas on Sunday .


The visiting Houston Rockets defeated the Portland Trail Blazers , 130 - 114 , on Sunday night . James Harden once again led the Rockets ( 11 - 6 ) in scoring and assists , posting 38 and 10 respectively . Harden has seen his assist numbers skyrocket since the arrival of new head coach Mike D'Antoni , and the trend continued on Sunday . Despite playing the role of distributor , Harden took a team - high 22 shots , making 11 , and also got to the line 13 times . While the superstar was the focal point of Houston 's run - and - gun offense , multiple other Rockets made heavy contributions . Guard Eric Gordon scored 26 points off the bench , including six three - pointers , while starter Clint Capela scored 21 on 9 - of - 12 shooting . The team was able to hit 17 three - pointers on the night , just a game after hitting 21 on an NBA-record 50 attempts . Houston shot over 56 percent from the field . Despite hanging close through three quarters , Portland ( 10 - 9 ) let the game slip away in the fourth quarter . Though the team shot a respectable 48 percent from the field , the Blazers struggled on the defensive end , allowing a three - point barrage for Houston . Blazers star Damian Lillard was unable to shoot Portland out of its deficit , going just 7 - of - 20 from the field . Lillard was still able to contribute 27 points , however . Guard C.J . McCollum , meanwhile , scored a team - high 28 points to go with seven assists and two steals . The Rockets will visit Utah on Tuesday , while the Blazers will host the Pacers on Wednesday .

After scoffing at the notion of doubling his assist numbers under new coach Mike D'Antoni , guard James Harden is leading the league in assists through 17 games . Harden posted yet another double - double in Sunday 's win , scoring a team - high 38 points to go with 10 assists . Harden 's increased assist totals have just been one statistical effect of D'Antoni 's run - and - gun offense , as the Rockets have upped their three - point shooting numbers significantly . A game after taking an NBA-record 50 three - pointers , the Rockets took 36 threes on Sunday . Harden hit five , while bench guard Eric Gordon hit six en route to 26 points on the night . Starter Trevor Ariza , meanwhile , knocked down four threes . The Rockets shot a whopping 56 percent from the field and 47 percent from beyond the arc . For Portland , meanwhile , the backcourt of C.J . McCollum and Damian Lillard combined for 55 points and six three - pointers . Lillard struggled at points , however , committing seven turnovers and going just 7 - of - 20 from the field . The Blazers shot eight percent worse on the night overall than the Rockets .


Six Portland Trail Blazers shared the wealth when it came to the scoring department in the 131 - 109 blowout win at Moda Center on Wednesday . As for the starters , Maurice Harkless and Damian Lillard led the way with 23 points and 28 points , respectively . C.J . McCollum got the hot hand in the third quarter and really staved off many of the Indiana Pacers comeback attempts after scoring 19 points , to go along with five assists and five rebounds . Allen Crabbe and Evan Turner rounded out the bench for Portland on their way to scoring in double figures . Both players combined for 28 points on 9 - of - 15 shooting . The Pacers received another bright spot from Glenn Robinson III , who has seen minutes increased with the injured Paul George . Robinson III contributed 15 points on an efficient 6 - of - 10 shooting .

The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Indiana Pacers 131 - 109 at Moda Center on Wednesday . The Blazers ( 10 - 10 ) had little trouble handling the Pacers ( 9 - 10 ) after three straight quarters above 30 points , including an explosive second quarter where Portland ran away with the game . The Blazers took 73 - 58 halftime lead and expanded on it in the third quarter . The final period had one moment where the Pacers looked to climb back into the game after Al Jefferson dropped in a short turn around hook shot to cut the lead to 13 points . Damian Lillard responds with a driving layup and the Blazers did not have to look back . Six Blazers players finished in double figures scoring , as Maurice Harkless , Mason Plumlee , Lillard and C.J . McCollum cracked double digits . Harkless and Lillard led the way 23 points and 28 points , respecitvally , but it was McCollum 's hot hand in the second half that staved off the Pacers comeback attempts . Evan Turner and Allen Crabbe rounded out the rest of the double digit scorers , with both players combining for 28 points on 9 - of - 15 shooting . The Pacers were led by Jeff Teague , while Paul George ( ankle ) was sidelined . Teague finished with 25 points , eight assists , five rebounds and one block in 34 minutes . Myles Turner completed a double - double with 19 points and 10 rebounds , while Glenn Robinson III continued to play effective minutes amongst the starters with 15 points and four rebounds on 6 - of - 10 shooting . Next up , the Hawks host the Detroit Pistons on Friday , while the Pacers visit the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday .


The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Miami Heat , 99 - 92 , at Moda Center on Saturday . The Trail Blazers came into this game as a heavy favorite , but it took a late run to pull out the close win . In fact , Portland finished the game on a 14 - 1 run over the final three minutes . There were six ties and nine lead changes , with no team leading by more than 12 points . Three-point shooting was the biggest difference in the game , with Miami shooting just 29 percent to Portand 's 38 percent . The Trail Blazers won despite shooting just 40 percent from the field . Miami ( 7 - 13 ) came into this game winning two - straight and it would be three - straight if it were n't for poor late game execution . Hassan Whiteside was the player of the game though , accumulating 28 points , 16 rebounds and five blocks in the defeat . Goran Dragic flirted with a triple - double , accruing 18 points , nine rebounds and eight assists . Josh McRoberts got a rare start , tallying 13 points two rebounds and four assists . Only three players came off the bench , as Miami played extremely shorthanded . The Heat will look to bounce back on Tuesday , as they host the New York Knicks for their next game . This was only the second time this season that the Blazers ( 11 - 10 ) did n't get at least 50 points from Damian Lillard and C.J . McCollum , but they were still able to prevail with a win . They still played well though , as Lillard tallied 19 points , four rebounds and six assists , while McCollum finished with 17 points , four rebounds and four assists . Neither player shot well , as they combined to go 13 - of - 37 from the field . Maurice Harkless was the quiet hero , as he totaled 17 points and seven rebounds in the win . Allen Crabbe was huge off the bench , scoring 16 points . The Trail Blazers will return to action on Monday in a road game against the Chicago Bulls .

This was only the second time the Blazers did n't get at least 50 points from C.J . McCollum and Damian Lillard , but they rode a team - effort to a comeback win . Portland actually finished the game on a 14 - 1 run to win by seven . That spread ended up being a bad beat for those who bet it , as the Blazers came into this game as a six - point favorite . Hassan Whiteside and Goran Dragic carried the load for the Heat , as they led the team in scoring . Whiteside finished with 28 points , 16 rebounds and five blocks , while Dragic accumulated 18 points , nine rebounds and eight assists . Miami were super shallow , as they played only seven players significant minutes and eight in total . Despite Lillard and McCollum not reaching 50 , they did score 36 on a combined 13 - of - 37 shooting . Allen Crabbe and Maurice Harkless were big , as Harkless scored 17 , while Crabbed dropped 16 points of his own .


The Portland Trail Blazers demolished the surging Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday on the backs of well - rounded and inclusive offense . Six Blazers scored double digits on Tuesday , and center Mason Plumlee led the way with 18 points . All-Star Damian Lillard dished out dimes at a high rate , leading the team with nine assists . Lillard scored 17 points , while guard C.J . McCollum had 15 of his own . Portland saw seemingly every shot drop , as the team shot 53 percent from the floor on the night . For the Thunder , meanwhile , it was a one - man show starring superstar Russell Westbrook . Though Westbrook played well below his season averages , he still led the team with 20 points and six assists . He did shoot just 7 - of - 19 , however . The Thunder as a whole struggled badly on offense , shooting 38 percent and turning it over 20 times .

The host Portland Trail Blazers beat the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday , 114 - 95 . Portland ( 13 - 14 ) ran away with the game early , holding a 16 - point lead by halftime . While no Blazer scored 20 points , the team saw well - rounded offense leading to 114 points on 53 percent shooting . Six Blazers scored in double digits , and center Mason Plumlee led the team with 18 points on an impressive 7 - of - 9 shooting . Portland 's dynamic duo of guards , Damian Lillard and C.J . McCollum , scored a combined 32 points . Lillard also dished out nine assists . Oklahoma City ( 15 - 10 ) had won seven of its last eight games heading into Tuesday 's contest . However , All-Star guard Russell Westbrook , who had been averaging over 31 points with a triple - double heading into the game , faltered on Tuesday , posting just 20 points , six assists , and six rebounds . The guard shot only 7 - of - 19 . While Westbrook 's numbers still impressed , it was nowhere near the team - carrying performance that Oklahoma City needed , as the team shot just 38 percent from the field and had 20 turnovers . Guard Victor Oladipo was sidelined with an injury sustained during a game against Boston earlier in the week . His absence and Westbrook 's struggles left the Thunder needing more offensively , but the rest of team was unable to provide adequate help . The Thunder will play the Jazz on Wednesday , while the Blazers will face the Nuggets on Thursday .


Forward Harrison Barnes continues to shine in his featured role in Dallas . After years of playing fourth fiddle in Gooden State , Barnes has emerged as Dallas 's leading scorer early in the season . On Wednesday , he led the team with 28 points on 10 - of - 22 shooting and added seven rebounds . Point guard Deron Williams , meanwhile , had 23 points to go along with five rebounds and five assists . Guard Wesley Matthews had 16 , but went just 1 - of - 7 from behind the arc despite stellar theee - point shooting in recent weeks . Meanwhile , point guard Damian Lillard was a one - man show for Portland . The All-Star had 29 points and four assists while hitting three three - pointers . He shot 10 - of - 23 from the field . Portland struggled mightily in terms of protecting the ball , committing 17 turnovers while forcing only 10 .

The visiting Dallas Mavericks took down the host Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday , 96 - 95 .. Dallas ( 8 - 21 ) is now 6 - 8 in its last 14 games after a dismal 2 - 13 start . Though veteran star Dirk Nowitzki ( Achilles ) remains out , the team has seemingly begun to find its groove . On Wednesday , forward Harrison Barnes led the team with 28 points and added seven rebounds . Point guard Deron Williams also had 23 points along with five rebounds and five assists . Dallas excelled on the defensive end , forcing the Blazers to give up 17 turnovers . Portland ( 13 - 18 ) has seen the opposite trajectory of the Mavs , going ice cold after a hot start to the season . On Wednesday , guard Damian Lillard was a one - man show , scoring 29 points to lead the team . No other Blazer had more than 14 , and star shooting guard C.J . McCollum was held to just 13 . Portland was able to out - shoot its opponent from the field but struggled to keep the hall secure , holding a seven - turnover disadvantage . The Blazers have now lost four straight . On Friday , the Mavericks will visit the Clippers and the Blazers will host the Spurs .


The visiting San Antonio Spurs demolished the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday , 110 - 90 . The Spurs ( 24 - 6 ) bounced back from a loss to the Clippers on Thursday with a crushing defeat of the Blazers on Friday . San Antonio advanced to 16 - 2 on the road , remaining the league 's best road team . On Friday , star forward Kawhi Leonard led the way with 33 points on incredible efficiency . Leonard shot 9 - of - 15 including 5 - of - 7 from three and made all ten of his free - throw attempts . Forward LaMarcus Aldridge upped his production in the absence of big man Pau Gasol ( rest ) , dropping 18 points , 14 rebounds , and six assists . Bench guard Patty Mills also added 23 . Portland ( 13 - 19 ) is in the midst of a midseason crisis , as the team has now gone just 1 - 9 in its last ten games . The Blazers ' defense currently ranks as the worst of any team in this decade , and it showed on Friday . Portland allowed the Spurs to shoot a scorching 50 percent from the field and 60 percent from beyond the arc . The team also saw underwhelming offensive production , as star guards Damian Lillard and C.J . McCollum scored only 16 points each . The Spurs will play host to the Chicago Bulls on Christmas Day .

It was an efficient night for the high - powered San Antonio offense in Friday 's blowout win . The Spurs shot 50 percent from the field , 60 percent from three - point range , and 95 percent from the free - throw line en route to a 20 - point victory . Last year 's MVP runner - up , forward Kawhi Leonard , delivered 33 points on 9 - of - 15 shooting with five three - pointers and perfect 10 - of - 10 shooting at the free - throw line . Forward LaMarcus Aldridge , meanwhile , dominated in big man Pau Gasol 's absence , recording 18 points , 14 rebounds , and six assists . Sixth man Patty Mills added 23 points off the bench . Portland , meanwhile , struggled on both ends of the ball . Star guards Damian Lillard and C.J . McCollum scored just 16 each and the team shot only 44 percent while allowing half its opponents shots to fall . The team also had issues on the glass , as the Spurs held a 45 - 33 rebounding advantage .


The visiting Toronto Raptors squeaked by the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday , winning 95 - 91 . Toronto ( 22 - 8 ) holds one of the league 's top records , having now won nine of its last 11 games . On Monday , Toronto saw stellar play from star point guard Kyle Lowry , who led the team with 27 points . Lowry added seven rebounds and four assists . Shooting guard DeMar DeRozan , meanwhile , had 20 points , 10 rebounds , and seven assists . The team struggled on offense overall , shooting just 33 percent . However , the Raptors did have 12 three - pointers and reached the line 24 times in the game . Five of those threes came off the bench , as forward Patrick Patterson hit 5 - of - 11 from beyond the arc . Meanwhile , Portland ( 13 - 20 ) is currently in the midst of the league 's biggest slide . The Blazers hold the last - ranked defense in the NBA and are slowly falling out of the playoff picture in the West . On Monday , though , it was offensive struggles that did the Blazers in . With leading scorer Damian Lillard ( ankle ) out , the team was left struggling to find baskets . The team shot only 42 percent and hit just eight threes . The Blazers also committed a whopping 18 turnovers . However , guard C.J . McCollum impressed with 29 points and seven assists . On Wednesday , the Raptors will face the Warriors and the Blazers will take on the Kings .

On Monday , the Toronto Raptors saw scoring come from exactly where they would expect it to . Guards Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan led the team with 27 points and 20 points , respectively . The two All-Stars are the team 's top two scorers on the season . Lowry nailed five three - pointers on Monday and also added seven rebounds and four assists . DeRozan , meanwhile , stuffed the stat sheet , coming away with 10 rebounds , seven assists , and three steals . It was a poor outing for the remaining Raptors , however , as the team shot just 33 percent from the field . Portland struggled to find absence with Damian Lillard ( ankle ) out . Guard C.J . McCollum filled the void somewhat , shooting 12 - of - 23 for 29 points while dishing out seven assists . Center Mason Plumlee had 13 points and a team - high 15 rebounds . The team had issues with holding onto the ball , committing 18 turnovers on the night .


The host Portland Trail Blazers took down the visiting Sacramento Kings on Wednesday , 102 - 89 , in a battle of eighth - seed contenders . Portland ( 14 - 20 ) entered the game having lost six straight , but came away with a convincing win on Wednesday . Despite the absence of injured star Damian Lillard , the Trail Blazers were able to score effectively . Six Blazers scored in double digits , with C.J . McCollum posting a team - high 20 points . It was an excellent offensive night for the Blazers , who shot over 47 percent from the field and hit 12 three - pointers . Surprisingly , though , it was an even better night on the defensive end , a domain in which Portland has struggled all season . The Blazers managed to hold their opponents to just 39 percent from the field and only nine three - pointers on 32 percent from beyond the arc . Sacramento ( 14 - 18 ) saw a tough night on offense , as only center DeMarcus Cousins seemed to be able to find the basket . Cousins finished with a team - high 28 points and had eight rebounds and six assists . Only two other players scored in double figures , however , as the team struggled to score . The Kings also had an off night on the boards , being out - rebounded 45 - 39 by a generally fairly weak Portland frontcourt . On Friday , the Blazers will visit San Antonio , while the Kings will see the Grizzlies on Saturday .

No Lillard , no problem . The Portland Trail Blazers snapped their losing streak on Wednesday without their star player on the backs of uncharacteristically strong defensive play . The team blocked four shots and held the Kings to just 39 percent shooting from the field and 32 percent from beyond the arc . On offense , Portland found buckets despite Lillard 's absence , with guard C.J . McCollum scoring a team - high 20 . Six Blazers scored in double digits . The team also held a 45 - 39 advantage in the rebounding column . On Sacramento 's side , the scoring load was much less evenly distributed . Only three players scored in double digits , and center DeMarcus Cousins doubled the next - highest scoring total with 28 . Cousins also posted eight rebounds and six assists , continuing to play a jack of all trades role for Sacramento .


The Portland Trail Blazers got the better of the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday . Damian Lillard returned to the lineup after a brief stint on the sideline nursing an ankle injury . Lillard finished with 21 points , five rebounds and 10 assists on 7 - of - 14 shooting ( 4 - of - 10 from three point territory ) . C.J . McCollum continued his trend of premier shooting with 27 points , four rebounds , seven assists and one steal on 11 - of - 21 shooting . The Lakers got their two best performances from D'Angelo Russell and Julius Randle . Russell went for 22 points , four rebounds and two assists on 6 - of - 18 shooting . Julius Randle scored 17 points , grabbed nine rebounds , dished out five assists and notched one steal . As a unit , the Lakers shot 42 percent and 32 percent from the field and three point line , respectively , compared to that of the Blazers who shot 53 percent and 36 percent from the field and behind the arc .

The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 118 - 109 at Moda Center on Thursday . The Trail Blazers ( 16 - 22 ) improved to 10 - 7 on their home court and saw a strong game from Damian Lillard , who returned to the lineup after a few missed games due to an ankle injury . LIllard 's back court teammate , C.J . McCollum , was pullling the weight on the scoring front in Lillard 's absence , and continued to pour in points with the back court now at full strength . The Blazers responded stronger in the second half , taking advantage of the Lakers pour ability to close out games , and scored 30 - plus points as a unit in each of the third and fourth quarters . McCollum 's driving six foot jumper with just over four minutes remaining in the game put the Blazers up by one point , and the hot shooting McCollum dropped in a long distance three to add to the lead . Portland did not have to look back after that , doing the finishing touches from the free throw line . The Lakers best performer was D'Angelo Russell , who finished the game with 22 points , four rebounds and two assists on 6 - of - 18 shooting . Nick Young managed three buckets from behind the arc , but finished just 3 - of - 9 for the game and scored 13 points . Julius Randle rounded out the box score again , as he went for 17 points , nine rebounds , five assists and one steal . Brandon Ingram drew the start at small forward and finished with 11 points on 3 - of - 6 shooting . Next up , the Lakers play the second game of a back - to - back when they host the Miami Heat , while the Blazers visit the Detroit Pistons on Saturday .


The Pistons were able to pull out the double - overtime thriller Sunday , largely in part due to a strong showing from their starters . The trio of Reggie Jackson , Andre Drummond and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope , specifically , all came up big on the offensive side of the ball , combining for 85 of the team 's 125 total points . Jackson led the team with 31 points ( 13 - 26 FG , 2 - 6 3Pt , 3 - 4 FT ) , while Drummond pitched in his fourth double - double over the last five games , totaling 28 points ( 13 - 20 FG , 2 - 3 FT ) and 14 rebounds over 52 minutes . It was C.J . McCollum who led the charge for the Trail Blazers , notching a game - high 35 points ( 16 - 28 FG , 3 - 9 3Pt ) , while also chipping in three rebounds , six assists , a steal and a block over 44 minutes . However , the more surprising effort came off the bench from Allen Crabbe , who posted a season - high of 30 points . Crabbe 's previous highest point total during the 2016 - 17 campaign was just 18 points , so he nearly doubled his previous best .

The visiting Detroit Pistons defeated the Portland Trail Blazers in a double - overtime thriller , 125 - 124 , at Moda Center on Sunday . Reggie Jackson had multiple attempts to put a much quicker end to Sunday 's game , but missed final shots at the end of regulation , as well as the first overtime . However , despite the missed shots , Jackson was still a big reason the Pistons ( 18 - 21 ) were able to pull out the victory , as he scored a team - high 31 points ( 13 - 26 FG , 2 - 6 3Pt , 3 - 4 FT ) . Both teams shot extremely well from the floor , as the Pistons finished with a 51 percent clip from the field , while the Trail Blazers shot 52 percent . However , the Pistons were able to limit their mistakes , turning the ball over just nine times to the Trail Blazers ' 16 . Along with Jackson 's solid offensive performance , both Andre Drummond and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope were key in Sunday 's win . Drummond posted his fourth double - double over the last five games , logging 28 points ( 13 - 20 FG , 2 - 3 FT ) , 14 rebounds , four steals and a pair of blocked shots over 52 minutes . Caldwell-Pope was extremely efficient , going 9 - for - 14 from the field and 4 - for - 7 from the three - point line for 26 points . That included the go - ahead three - point bucket in the second overtime , which eventually provided the Pistons with their second consecutive win . The only negative was losing Jon Leuer early in the game with a right knee injury . He played just six minutes before exiting and is slated to undergo additional testing following the game . The Pistons match up with the Kings on Tuesday in Sacramento . Keeping the Trail Blazers ( 16 - 23 ) alive was the duo of C.J . McCollum and Allen Crabbe . McCollum went off for a game - high 35 points ( 16 - 28 FG , 3 - 9 3Pt ) , while adding three rebounds , six assists , a steal and a block . Crabbe , who recently logged a few starts with Damian Lillard sidelined , returned to a bench role , but was nearly perfect from the field and chipped in with 30 points ( 12 - 15 FG , 5 - 5 3Pt , 1 - 1 FT ) of his own . McCollum had a shot at the buzzer in the second overtime to secure the victory , but came up short , which leaves the the Trail Blazers at eighth in the Western Conference standings following the loss . The Trail Blazers travel to Los Angeles to play the Lakers on Tuesday .


The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers , 102 - 86 , at Moda Center on Wednesday . The Trail Blazers ( 18 - 23 ) outscored the Cavaliers ( 28 - 10 ) in every quarter , and were able to contain Cleveland 's big three of LeBron James , Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love with transition defense and contested jump shots . Allen Crabbe 's 24 points off the bench , with a lights out 9 - of - 11 shooting , proved to be the main difference maker throughout the contest . Across 31 minutes of action , Crabbe simply could not miss , which made up for a still sluggish offensive return from Damian Lillard . The star point guard for the Blazers turned in 14 points , three rebounds and three assists , and continued to defer the scoring to the hot hand of C.J . McCollum . The Blazers shooting guard , who has been averaging over 30 points per game over the last seven contests , added 27 points on 11 - of - 20 shooting . The Cavaliers shot just 34 percent from the field as a unit , and while LeBron James ' box score numbers stood out , the actual game plan seemed to lack communication . Cleveland turned the ball over 15 times , compared to that of the Blazers , who made only nine errors throughout the game . James went on to finish with 20 points , 11 rebounds and four assists , while Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love combined for 28 points . Both teams play on Friday , as the Blazers host the Orlando Magic , while the Cavaliers visit the Sacramento Kings .

C.J . McCollum may have the hot hand at the moment for the Portland Trail Blazers , and his 27 points led all scorers in the win over the Cleveland Cavaliers at home on Wednesday , but it was Allen Crabbe 's 24 points off the bench that led to the Blazers ' big home win . Crabbe was lights out from the field , evidenced by his 9 - of - 11 shooting , which included three buckets from behind the arc and four assists . McCollum entered the contest averaging 33 points over his last seven games , and Damian Lillard has taken notice , given his deferment of scoring duties . Lillard went 5 - of - 15 from the field , while McCollum finished 11 - of - 20 . As for the Cavaliers , LeBron James went on to finish with 20 points , 11 rebounds and four assists , while Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love combined for 28 points .


The visiting Orlando Magic took down the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday , 115 - 109 . Orlando ( 17 - 24 ) got off to a hot start in Portland , establishing a double - digit lead by the end of the first quarter . Center Nikola Vucevic helped power the Magic 's stellar offense , scoring a team - high 30 points to go with 10 rebounds . It was an excellent night for the Magic on the offensive end , as the team shot over 49 percent from the field and 55 percent from beyond the arc . Five players scored in double digits , including two off the bench . Power forward Serge Ibaka added his own double - double , scoring 13 along with 10 rebounds . Portland ( 18 - 24 ) managed to take care of the ball effectively and force turnovers , but struggled when shooting the ball . The team hit just 40 percent of its shots and 29 percent of its three - pointers . Star Damian Lillard returned to peak form on Friday with 34 points and eight rebounds . Guard C.J . McCollum added a stellar 26 points . However , the rest of Portland 's starting five struggled particularly badly on the offensive end , going a combined 8 - of - 26 from the field . The Magic will see Utah on Saturday , while the Trail Blazers will visit Washington on Monday .

The Orlando Magic enjoyed a big night on offense on Friday , shooting 49 percent from the field including over 55 percent from beyond the arc . Center Nikola Vucevic led the offensive charge with 30 points on 13 - of - 18 shooting . Vucevic also posted 10 rebounds , four assists , and two blocks . Veteran forward Serge Ibaka added another double - double , scoring 13 along with 10 rebounds . Third-year point guard Elfrid Payton scored 19 points along with seven assists . Five Magic players scored in double - digits , including two off the bench . For Portland , star Damian Lillard led the way with 34 points and eight rebounds . Lillard shot 12 - of - 27 on the night . Guard C.J . McCollum scored 26 points on 10 - of - 21 shooting and recorded a surprising three blocks . The team as a whole , however , struggled a bit , shooting just 40 percent and 29 percent from three .