MINNEAPOLIS _ Anyone who watched the Timberwolves win in New Orleans last week should not have been surprised at what transpired at Sunday's rematch at Target Center: A lot of high-paced action, a sometimes glaring lack of defense.
An announced sellout of 18,978 got to see Zion Williamson's first game at Target Center. He scored 23 points. His first four baskets were dunks. But the star was Jrue Holiday. He again led the way against the Wolves. He scored 37 points in a 120-107 victory over the Wolves.
Down 98-78 with 2:03 left in the third quarter, the Wolves went on a 13-2 run over the next 4:02 to pull within 11 with 10:08 left in the game. Then Holiday scored seven points in a 10-2 run that put the Pelicans (28-36) up 110-91 mid-way through the quarter.
The Wolves got within 10 three times after that, the last time on Beasley's basket with 1:46 left. But Minnesota (19-44) could get no closer.
Holiday had n inerebounds and eight assists to go with his 37 points, all accomplished in 35 minutes. Williamson had seven rebounds to go with his 23 points. Lonzo Ball had 18.
The Wolves got 21 points from Beasley, 17 from D'Angelo Russell, who wend 6-for-18 and missed all seven three-point attempts, and 15 from James Johnson off the bench.
But the Wolves struggled to shoot 39.4% and made just eight of 33 three-pointers. The Pelicans shot 48.9 percent, scored 20 points on the break and 66 points in the paint.
