PORTLAND, ORE. – At various points in their recent losing streak the Timberwolves have insisted once they get everyone back healthy in their rotation that would be fine.
With D'Angelo Russell back in the lineup after a three-game absence Sunday the Wolves had everybody healthy and available. They couldn't use that as an excuse.
They were also playing a team in Portland, one of the easier teams on their difficult December schedule who had lost four straight coming in.
With everyone back, the Wolves got a much-needed 116-111 victory over the Trail Blazers.
A pair of Russell threes down the stretch helped the Wolves come back to force a 106-106 tie with 2 minutes, 28 seconds to play. They scored the next six points to seal the victory and end their five-game skid. Jarred Vanderbilt had a putback, Russell had a steal that led to two free throws for Anthony Edwards and Patrick Beverley had a layup to put the Wolves ahead 112-106 with 55.4 seconds left.
Russell finished with 18 while Karl-Anthony Towns kept the afloat in the first half and finished with 23. Anthony Edwards added 24. Damian Lillard had 24 and Anfernee Simons had 26 for Portland, who was without C.J. McCollum.
With Russell back in the lineup, the Wolves defense began by doing something it hadn't been doing of late — forcing turnovers. Portland committed seven turnovers in the first quarter and that allowed the Wolves to build an early lead despite the Trail Blazers shooting 56% for the quarter. Towns got off to a strong start with 12 first-quarter points as his teammates shot just 6 of 16 around him.
The Wolves also did something they haven't done of late, much less all season – got into the bonus. Portland had committed five fouls just 4 minutes, 16 seconds into the first quarter. The Wolves made 9 of their 12 attempts.
The second quarter was sloppier for the Wolves, who committed nine of their 11 first-half turnovers in the second. Their struggles at the rim also continued. They shot just 8 of 18 in the restricted area near the basket as Portland erased their 33-26 first-quarter lead.
Towns was able to take advantage of foul trouble on Jusuf Nurkic and Larry Nance Jr. that caused Portland to shift to smaller lineups and he finished the first half with 19 points on 6 of 10 shooting and 7 of 8 at the free-throw line. The rest of the Wolves shot just 11 of 33 and Minnesota took a 56-55 lead into the locker room.
Taurean Prince and Josh Okogie, who had each been playing of late, were out of the rotation.
The Wolves came out firing to start the third quarter as they opened on a 12-1 run for a 68-56 lead.
That wouldn't last long, however, as both teams ran into foul trouble. Nurkic and Nance Jr. picked up four but Towns also picked up his fourth, a foul while Anfernee Simone was shooting a three-pointer.
The Wolves led 71-64 as Towns exited at the 7:03 mark. The game became a battle of benches for the rest of the third as Patrick Beverley also picked up his fourth foul.
Jaylen Nowell helped steady the Wolves the rest of the third with five points and three assists as he earned meaningful minutes off the bench. The Wolves carried an 89-84 lead into the fourth.
The Blazers, however, scored the first eight points of the fourth as Towns re-entered the game.
Portland continued its surge and led 100-93 before the Wolves began clawing their way back, and they'd make it all the way back.
