MINNEAPOLIS _ OK, so it's not always easy.
But this time the Wolves had enough cushion.
Up 26 after three quarters Wednesday at Target Center, the Timberwolves allowed Orlando to out-score them 19-1 to start the fourth quarter.
It was a stretch that included, in order: A quick time out moments into the quarter by Wolves coach Tom Thibodeau; Thibodeau's decision to reinsert the starters before the fourth quarter was 3 minutes old, the Wolves going 0-for-14 from the field over the first 6-plus minutes of the quarter, and then ultimately a 124-118 Wolves win.
The lead down to eight, Jimmy Butler's corner three with 5:06 left stopped the bleeding. And while the Wolves never ready regained the offensive flow they exhibited over the first three quarters, it was enough.
Barely.
Thus the Wolves (11-7) began a four-game homestand by ending a two-game losing streak; the Wolves, through 18 games, have yet to lose three games in a row.
Up 26, Thibodeau called a time out after Orlando started the quarter with a 4-0 run. Moments later all the starters had been put back into the game.
Butler's trey put the Wolves back up 11. Moments later Karl-Anthony Towns' baseline fadeaway pushed it to 11 with 3 { minutes left.
Down the stretch the Wolves made just enough free throws to win despite shooting 4-for-23 in the final 12 minutes.
Both Butler (26) and Taj Gibson (24) finished with season highs in scoring. Point guard Jeff Teague had 22 points and 11 assists. Towns (18 points, 13 rebounds) also had a double-double.
Orlando was led by Aaron Gordon's 26 points. Terrence Ross had 19 and guard Elfrid Payton had 10 points and 13 assists.
After a relatively slow start the Wolves took over for a while, turning a close game at halftime into a one-sided affair thanks to a 41-18 third-quarter run.
In the first quarter the Wolves offense was humming. Minnesota hit on 12 of 23 shots, made two of five 3-pointers, had the edge in rebounding and scored 18 points in the paint.
Oh, and they trailed by five after Orlando scored 35 first-quarter points, the most in an opening quarter by a Wolves opponent this season. The Wolves trailed because Orlando hit on 65.2 percent of its shots, made three of eight 3-pointers, had 22 points in the paint and was rarely challenged defensively, either behind the arc or inside the paint.
The Wolves finally found a way to get some stops, but it took until well into the second quarter to do so. The Magic took a 45-37 lead on Arron Afflalo's 3-pointer.
The Wolves responded with an 8-0 run to tie the game on Gibson's basket with 5:30 left in the half.
The Magic pushed back to a 57-53 lead on Terrence Ross' 3-pointer. But Minnesota finished the half on a 12-5 run _ with Butler scoring six of those _ to take a 65-62 lead into halftime.
With the Magic starting, finally, to miss some shots, the Wolves took over with a 41-18 third quarter that put Minnesota up 26 entering the fourth.
The league grew to nine on Butler's four-point play _ 3-pointer and a foul _ with 9:51 left in the third. Moments later Butler took a pass from Teague and hit another 3, putting the Wolves up 14.
Minnesota wasn't done, continuing to grow the lead _ to 16 on two Teague free throws with 2:36 left in the quarter, to 19 on Wiggin's 3, which came after a dazzling sequence of passes.
Ultimately to 26 on Jamal Crawford's three-point play with 4.4 seconds left in the quarter.
