Mo Williams Scores 52, Wolves Top Pacers To End 15-Game Skid
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Mo Williams scored a career-high 52 points, most in the NBA this season, and the Minnesota Timberwolves snapped a 15-game losing streak with a 110-101 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night.
Williams made six 3-pointers, including one that gave Minnesota a 102-96 lead. Andrew Wiggins added 20 points and Gorgui Dieng had 10 for the Timberwolves (6-31), who won for the first time since beating Portland 90-82 on Dec. 10.
C.J. Miles had 22 points and C.J. Watson added 17 for the Pacers (15-25), who have lost three of four.
Wiggins scored on a put-back dunk and then converted a 3-pointer to give the Timberwolves a 93-90 lead with 4:29 remaining.
But it was mostly Williams who powered the Wolves to just their third road victory. After a couple of 3-pointers earlier in the fourth quarter, he tied the game at 83 on three free throws, including one for a technical called on Ian Mahinmi with 7:10 remaining.
Williams surpassed the 46 points scored this season by both Carmelo Anthony and Pau Gasol, which had been tops in the NBA.
The Pacers lost to another of the league's worst teams, having given Philadelphia just its seventh win on Saturday, 93-92.
Minnesota avoided extending the team's losing streak to 16 games for the first time since a 16-game skid stretching from Feb. 24 to March 28, 2010.
The Pacers never led by more than eight points in the first half and were ahead 52-46 at the break.
They were still ahead 86-83 in the fourth but Williams answered every time Indiana went on a run.
TIP-INS
Timberwolves: Fans gave Minnesota forward Robbie Hummel a warm welcome when he entered the game late in the first quarter. Hummel returned to his home state, where he was a standout at Purdue University from 2007-12.
Pacers: Roy Hibbert was ejected with 5:47 left in the third quarter when he was called for a Flagrant 2 foul for pulling Dieng to the ground by the jersey. Hibbert finished with 10 points and eight rebounds.
UP NEXT
Timberwolves: Visit Phoenix on Friday.
Pacers: Host Detroit on Friday.
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