They did not improve in their game, but this time they were less bad than the San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves, with the base D’Angelo Russell, who contributed 27 points, beat the San Antonio Spurs 96-88 this Sunday and broke a seven-game losing streak.
Russell, who also had five rebounds and five assists, and the Timberwolves (3-7) achieved their first win since December 26.
He also scored a triple to tie the score with 7:02 to play and two free throws to secure the victory with 31.5 seconds before regulation time ended.
Russell and the guard-forward Malik Beasley, who added 24 points, were the key players in the victory of the Timberwolves, who had the worst losing streak in the NBA.
With the score tied at 81, Minnesota scored five straight points and did not give up the lead. One of the most important shots in the last quarter was a triple from the Spanish power forward Juancho Hernangómez, who had missed his two previous shots from outside the perimeter at the start of the game.
Hernangomez, who continued to start, played 27 minutes in which he contributed seven points after scoring 2 of 5 shots from the field, including the decisive triple, in three attempts, and hit 2-2 from the personnel line.
His presence in the inside game was more important as he captured eight rebounds, including six defenders, dished out two assists, and committed two personal fouls.
His compatriot, the base Ricky Rubio, who remained in reserve, played 22 minutes and contributed eight points after scoring 2 of 5 shots from the field, missed a triple attempt, and was perfect (4-4) from the personnel line.
blond He distributed six assists, leading the team in that facet of the game, recovered three balls and committed a personal foul.
Minnesota played without the star center the American-Dominican Karl-Anthony Towns, who returned to action Saturday after missing six games with a partial dislocation of his left wrist.
Sunday’s absence was part of the plan to facilitate Towns’ return and was not the result of any aggravation of his injury.
Sunday’s victory was Minnesota’s first without Towns this season.
The Spurs also didn’t have their leading scorer, the shooting guard. DeMar DeRozan, who did not play for personal reasons. DeRozan scored 38 points in Saturday’s overtime win against Minnesota.
The escort Lonnie Walker IV regained the Spurs scoring lead with DeRozan low, and contributed 25 points, the maximum of the season, and set the pace of the offense in the first half with 17 points on 8 of 14 shots from the field.
Power forward LaMarcus Aldridge added 20 points as the second leading scorer for the Spurs and the Australian point guard Patty mills, who scored the decisive basket in Saturday’s game, scored 18 goals, including 13 in the fourth period, as the leader of the reserves, but without being able to avoid defeat.
