Timberwolves 122 (17-50) - Jazz 101 (34-32) | Target Center

MENZIE HENDERSON
Wolves Writer

How it happened:

For a third straight game, Kevin Love and the Minnesota Timberwolves had Target Center lifted and animated as ever by rolling to a 122-101 win over the Utah Jazz.

The Wolves caught fire instantly by draining their first nine attempts and ending the opening quarter shooting 75 percent from the floor to take a 39-28 lead. After the starters gained the healthy lead, Rambis began the second with the reserves and the points continued to rack up. The effective unit of Wayne Ellington, Anthony Tolliver, and Jonny Flynn built on the momentum by getting everyone involved. Ellington scored 13, Flynn had 11, and Tolliver had nine to lead a Wolves bench that contributed 49 points.

A third-quarter sequence of fast-break passing that ended with an easy layup between Beasley, Ridnour and Love was an example of the excellent team chemistry displayed throughout the night for the Wolves. The three-on-one execution of beautiful passing mirrored the fluidity of the attack that recorded 29 assists, en route to back-to-back Wolves victories.

The Numbers Game:
With the blowout victory, the Timberwolves have notched their first consecutive 20-point win since 2001.

Leader of the Pack:
The two-headed monster of Michael Beasley and Kevin Love was back in full-force as the dynamic duo combined for a whooping 47 points.

Michael Beasley regained his offensive stride and swagger early by scoring his first 10 points without a missed attempt. After hitting his first from downtown, Beasley instantly turned it up, becoming a confident and deadly scorer in a hurry. Beasley dominated early with 16 of his 23 coming in the first half.

The Timberwolves opened the second half with a comfortable 66-57 advantage, but Kevin Love was eager for more. The Minnesota All-Star exploded for 15 of his game-high 24 points during the game-changing third quarter run.

Highlight of the Night:
In the closing moments of the third, Kevin Love corralled his tenth rebound to extend his double-double streak to 53 consecutive games. As the crowd rose to its feet to applaud Love’s effort, the forward immediately followed by sending the crowd into eruption with a three-pointer from the top of the key that blew the roof off Target Center.

Looking Ahead:
The Timberwolves will embark on a three game road trip, beginning in Golden State on Sunday night.

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