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11/12 21:52 CST Towns, Teague lead Wolves over Nets after LeVert injury
Towns, Teague lead Wolves over Nets after LeVert injury
By TYLER MASON
Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) --- Karl-Anthony Towns had 25 points and a season-high 21
rebounds, and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Brooklyn Nets 120-113 on
Monday after finally trading Jimmy Butler.
The Nets lost leading scorer Caris LeVert to what appeared to be a severe right
leg injury late in the first half.
Jeff Teague returned from a six-game absence to score 24 points for Minnesota,
which snapped a five-game losing streak.
The Timberwolves officially dealt Butler to the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday,
along with big man Justin Patton. The Wolves received Robert Covington, Dario
Saric, Jerryd Bayless and a 2022 second-round pick in the trade.
Butler had asked for a trade earlier in the season but coach and president of
basketball of operations Tom Thibodeau said Monday that the team tried to
remain patient in waiting for the right deal for the All-Star. Thibodeau
refuted a report that Butler's trade demand included sending him to only a
handful of teams.
LeVert's gruesome injury brought the entire crowd at Target Center to a
silence. LeVert spent several minutes on the court being attended by medical
personnel. Timberwolves players huddled in prayer while Nets players surrounded
their injured teammate before he was wheeled off the court.
LeVert, a former first-round pick in his third season, was averaging a
team-high 19 points entering the game. He had 10 points, five rebounds and four
assists before suffering the injury. LeVert was taken to a hospital for further
evaluation. Players from around the league tweeted out their support for LeVert
shortly after the injury occurred.
D'Angelo Russell made a career-high nine 3-pointers and scored 31 points for
the Nets, who shot a season-worst 39.6 percent from the field.
Neither team led by more than five points until late in the third quarter, when
Gorgui Dieng's 3-pointer and a pair of free throws by Teague extended
Minnesota's advantage to 10 points. Brooklyn cut it to 97-96 early in the
fourth before the Wolves pulled away.
Minnesota overcame a season-high 23 turnovers.
TIP-INS
Nets: C Jarrett Allen missed the game due to illness. Allen has averaged 11.4
points and 7.8 rebounds this season. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson started at center
for Allen. . Brooklyn's bench outscored Minnesota's reserves 40-18, including
14 from Spencer Dinwiddie.
Timberwolves: Teague had been out with a bruised left knee. . SF Andrew Wiggins
(right quad contusion) was back after sitting out Minnesota's game Friday at
Sacramento. . Minnesota is now 5-1 at home and 0-8 on the road.
UP NEXT
Nets: Host Miami on Wednesday night.
Timberwolves: Host New Orleans on Wednesday night.
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