ORLANDO (AP) – Karl-Anthony Towns scored 23 of his 28 points in the first half and the Minnesota Timberwolves led from start to finish yesterday in a 113-92 win over the Orlando Magic.
Rudy Gobert had 21 points and 12 rebounds and the Western Conference-leading Timberwolves (26-10) won easily despite getting only six points and three assists from leading scorer Anthony Edwards.
Edwards set up Towns for a three-pointer on Minnesota’s first shot. He made it, and the Timberwolves ran off to an 11-0 lead and never let it go.
“Tonight I just took what the defence gave me, taking the three when it was open and just shooting it,” said Towns, who made all five of his three-points shots. “The first shot of the game was me in the corner and (the defence) didn’t decide to come. (Edwards) made a great pass in the corner.”
The Timberwolves led 33-16 after a first quarter in which Gobert scored 11 points and the Magic shot six for 27.
“I thought it was our best start of the season,” Gobert said. “The ball pressure, the focus, the energy, the urgency from the first play of the game was at a high level.”
