Towns hails Russell, Edwards

MINNEAPOLIS • Long considered one of the worst franchises in National Basketball Association (NBA) history, the Minnesota Timberwolves have made the play-offs just once in the past 17 seasons.

They have not yet shed their tag as perennial also-rans but this term, the team have managed to work their way into post-season contention.

Karl-Anthony Towns scored 15 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter as the Timberwolves pulled away down the stretch for a 136-125 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, one of the favourites for the NBA championship, in Minneapolis on Sunday.

Minnesota (23-23) are now seventh in the Western Conference and occupy one of the four slots for the play-in tournament that will determine the final two play-off seedings.

But Towns, Minnesota's leading scorer and rebounder, sees no reason why the Timberwolves cannot push further.

"It doesn't have to be me every night," said the former All-Star.

"That's why we have great talents like D'Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards. You've got to be able to lean on them. They can carry the load just as well as myself."

After Brooklyn came within 111-105 on a three-point play by Kyrie Irving with 7min 04sec left, Towns hit a variety of shots to help Minnesota clinch their seventh win in 10 games.

The centre made five-of-seven shots in the fourth as he hit two three-pointers, converted a three-point play along with a dunk and a floater when Minnesota used a 16-5 run to take a 127-110 lead with 3:41 remaining.

His late burst kept the Nets, second in the East (29-17), at bay after Edwards, who paced the hosts with 25 points on eight-of-17 shooting, had to be helped back to the locker room with a leg injury late in the fourth quarter.

Former Nets star Russell also collected 23 points and 10 assists as Minnesota shot 52.2 per cent, hit 14 three-pointers and led for the final 32:45.

Jaylen Nowell contributed 16 points, Taurean Prince 15 and Jaden McDaniels 14 for Minnesota, who scored 28 points off 17 Brooklyn turnovers.

On the strong contribution from the Timberwolves' bench, Russell said: "Those guys are coming in, bringing their own energy and spice to the game. That takes the pressure off everybody."

Guard Irving led all scorers with 30 points as Brooklyn finished a 2-2 road trip in their fourth game since losing star Kevin Durant, the NBA's leading scorer this season, to a knee injury with no return date set.

Patty Mills added 21 points but James Harden was held to 13 as the Nets allowed their most points of the season on a night when they shot 50.5 per cent and hit 15 three-pointers.

Harden later blamed his off night on the officiating, questioning why he got to the line only four times on Sunday.

"It's a good question," the All-Star said. "I don't know. I don't even want to talk about it. But it's definitely, when I get to the basket, it's the same calls the guys are getting.

"Obviously, you can't call all of them. But there's ones where there's clearly stiff-arms and trips and things like that. But on the other end, there's no consistency. So it's frustrating."

In San Francisco, a three-point play from Kevon Looney with 1min 48sec left gave Golden State a five-point lead and the Warriors survived a late flurry by the Utah Jazz to hold on for a 94-92 home victory.

The hosts (34-13) remain second in the West, while the visitors (30-17) stayed fourth in the same conference.

REUTERS