MINNEAPOLIS _ After the Timberwolves found a way to win a tightly contested game Thursday in Los Angeles against the Clippers _ the first time in 11 games the Wolves had won a game decided by four or fewer points all season _ the hope was the team had gotten over the hump.
Perhaps they have.
Down nine midway through the fourth quarter, the Wolves rallied for a 111-108 victory over the Denver Nuggets at Target Center Sunday. After losing their first 10 games decided by four or fewer points, the Wolves have now won two straight.
The victory was the second straight and the fifth in seven games for the Wolves (16-28).
Karl-Anthony Towns scored 32 points with 12 rebounds and seven assists for the Wolves. Andrew Wiggins had 24 points, including one of two free throws with 1.3 seconds left to put the Wolves up three. Shabazz Muhammad came off the bench to score 20 points. Rookie Kris Dunn, starting in place of Ricky Rubio, who was away from the team for personal reasons, had 10 points, eight rebounds and nine assists.
Denver, playing its fifth game in seven nights since coming back from a game in London, was led by Gary Harris, who scored 22 points. Nikola Jokic scored 18 points with eight rebounds. Both Wilson Chandler and Jamal Murray scored 17 points off the bench for the Nuggets (18-25)
With the game tied at 91 with 9:33 left, Denver scored nine straight over the next 3-plus minutes.
That's when the Wolves got going, especially down the stretch, once Wolves coach Tom Thibodeau put Dunn and Tyus Jones in the backcourt together.
Two free throws by Towns started a 12-2 run that put the Wolves up 103-102 with 3 minutes left on Muhammad's driving fast-break layup. Moments later, down one, Wiggins' 3-pointer put the Wolves up two, but Jokic followed at the other end to tie it.
Jones missed a shot, then Gary Harris was called for traveling with 55.1 seconds left.
Out of a time out, Jones found Towns alone in the corner. His two-point shot _ his toe was on the 3-point line _ was good with 42.5 seconds left.
Out of another time out, Jokic missed and Dunn got the rebound. Fouled, Jones made one of two free throws with 23.6 seconds left to put the Wolves up three.
Jameer Nelson scored with 17.6 seconds left. Wiggins was fouled and made one of two. Nelson missed at the other end with 1.3 seconds left and the game was over.
