MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Malik Beasley made 11 3-pointers to set a Timberwolves franchise-record and finished with 33 points to help lift Minnesota to its sixth win in a row with a 132-102 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night.
All 17 of Beasley’s shots came from 3-point range. After he hit his final 3, Beasley’s Timberwolves teammates on the bench celebrated the mark by dumping water and Gatorade on him. The home crowd at Target Center chanted “Beasley!” as he exited the game following the record-setting basket.
Taurean Prince scored 17 points off the bench for Minnesota, while Karl-Anthony Towns recorded another double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds in 29 minutes.
Aaron Wiggins led Oklahoma City with 25 points and nine rebounds. Isaiah Roby added 15 points.
Beasley hit his 10th 3-pointer with a step-back bucket midway through the fourth quarter to tie Anthony Edwards’ team record. Beasley needed three shots to set the new mark with his 11th coming with the shot clock winding down as he buried a shot over the outstretched arm of Thunder guard Vít Krejčí.
He didn’t play the final 4:57, ending three made 3-pointers shy of Klay Thompson’s NBA record.
The Timberwolves’ six-game winning streak is their longest since the 2003-04 season. Minnesota has beaten the Thunder and Portland Trail Blazers twice each during the streak.
Thunder leading scorer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had an off night, shooting just 2 of 15 from the floor for eight total points.
Oklaoma City has dropped four straight, losing by an average of 26.8 points per game during that stretch.
Edwards and D’Angelo Russell both returned to the lineup Wednesday for Minnesota. Edwards missed four games with a left knee injury, while Russell missed Monday’s game with bilateral hamstring soreness.
For the second time in as many games, the Timberwolves held a 27-point halftime lead. Minnesota outscored Oklahoma City 42-26 in the second quarter to head into the half with yet another big advantage.
Beasley’s hot shooting helped Minnesota build a big lead early. He was 6 of 7 from 3-point range in the first quarter — also a team record — and led all Wolves scorers with 21 points in the first half.