MINNEAPOLIS _ The Timberwolves and the NBA's "Next Man Up" mantra became next men up in Sunday's 125-99 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Missing injured starter Zach LaVine and reserves Shabazz Muhammad and Brandon Rush, the Wolves found what they needed in both expected and unexpected places.
Five nights after he set a career-scoring high in Brooklyn, young star Andrew Wiggins did it again with a 47-point night.
With LaVine out because of a sore right knee, reserve forward Nemanja Bjelica moved into a starting lineup that suddenly became big with Wiggins in essence moved to shooting guard and Bjelica inserted to defend muscular Luol Deng at the small-forward spot.
Bjelica added 24 points, including five 3-pointers made.
Wiggins left the game to a standing ovation with 1:11 after that 47-point night included two 3-pointers and five free throws missed on a 17-for-22 shooting night from the foul line.
Wiggins became the 13th player in Wolves history to score at least 40 points in a game, joining the likes of Kevin Love, Kevin Garnett, Mo Williams, Corey Brewer, Michael Beasley, Al Jefferson and going all the way back to Tony Campbell and Randy Breuer.
The Lakers arrived at Target Center fresh off Saturday's 27-point victory in New Orleans and at the end of a three-game road trip that started in Sacramento on Thursday and ended Sunday.
They looked like a team ready to get on the plane and head home when they fell behind 33-20 in the first quarter and 69-46 at halftime.
The Wolves' 69 points made this the sixth time they've scored at least 60 points in the first half this season. That's two more than any other team in the league. Golden State, Houston and the Los Angeles Clippers all have done it four times.
Leading by those 23 points at halftime, the third quarter once again vexed the Wolves, who were outscored 26-18 in it.
The Lakers did so only after the Wolves once again became a jump-shooting team in which four guys stood around and watched the fifth stand and shoot.
The Lakers pulled within eight points three times early in the fourth quarter, but each time the Wolves _ usually Wiggins or Towns _ answered before the Wolves rebuilt their lead, eventually all the way back to a game-high 26 by game's end.
