Domantas Sabonis's historic game not enough as Timberwolves down Pacers / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: USA TODAY Sports - Scanpix Credit USA TODAY Sports - Scanpix

Karl-Anthony Towns scored 32 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves notched their seventh win in the past eight games, beating the Indiana Pacers 100-98 (20-26, 28-31, 30-19, 22-22) on Monday in Minneapolis.

Player of the Game EFF 26 D'Angelo Russell Points 21 Accuracy 7-17 Rebounds 8 Assists 11

Minnesota's D'Angelo Russell made clutch plays while racking up 21 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds. Anthony Edwards added 21 points, nine rebounds and five assists.

The Pacers fell short despite getting 16 points, a career-high 25 rebounds and 10 assists from Domantas Sabonis. After scoring a season-low in Sunday’s home loss to the defending champion Bucks, Sabonis returned to his usual all-star form with a historic performance at Target Center.

The Lithuanian international became the first player in Pacers history to record a 20-rebound triple-double. He had eight points, 15 rebounds, and six assists in the first half alone. However, his herculean effort was in vain.

There were 10 lead changes and seven ties in the back-and-forth contest. The last tie came when Sabonis made 3 of 4 free throws in a two-second span, to pull Indiana in a 94-94 stalemate with 1:14 left.

On the next possession, a Minnesota offensive rebound led to Russell finding Malik Beasley for a 3-pointer that gave the Timberwolves the lead for good.

Minnesota increased the lead to four twice in the last minute, and Russell iced the win by hitting two free throws with 4.7 seconds left. A Kelan Martin basket at the buzzer for the Pacers merely cut into the deficit.

The Timberwolves never trailed in the fourth quarter but had to rally from a nine-point halftime deficit after giving up an 8-2 run to close the first half.

Minnesota responded when they held the Pacers to just 4-of-20 shooting in the third quarter. Minnesota powered ahead on the strength of a 30-19 period, then pulled ahead by as many as nine points in the fourth quarter.

Indiana chipped away with a 13-4 run that spanned almost five minutes of game time and culminated with the Sabonis free throws to forge the tie.

Malcolm Brogdon led Indiana with 25 points, Justin Holiday added 15 and Chris Duarte scored 14 off the bench. The Pacers struggled to make shots with consistency, however, going hitting 39.6 percent from the floor and 9 of 37 (24.3 percent) from 3-point range.

Minnesota shot 9 of 35 (25.7 percent) from beyond the arc and 43.9 percent from the floor.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Karl-Anthony Towns 32 (13/22 FG, 58 FT, 8 REB, 2 AST, 9 TO), D'Angelo Russell 21 97/17 FG, 8 REB, 11 AST), Anthony Edwards 21 (7/19 FG, 5/6 FT, 9 REB, 5 AST, 3 ST), Naz Reid 13 (5/7 FG), Malik Beasley 9 (2/7 FG, 7 REB).

Indiana Pacers: Malcolm Brogdon 25 (9/20 FG, 5/6 FT, 6 REB, 5 AST, 3 ST), Domantas Sabonis 16 (5/12 FG, 6/7 FT, 25 REB, 10 AST, 4 TO), Justin Holiday 15 (6/15 FG, 4 REB), Chris Duarte 14.

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