Towns scores 56, sets franchise mark
Karl-Anthony Towns scored a franchise-record 56 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for his leagueleading 63rd double-double, leading the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 126-114 victory over the visiting Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night.
Towns was 6 of 8 from 3-point range for Minnesota, which recovered after a disappointing loss Monday to Memphis.
Andrew Wiggins added 17 points and Jeff Teague had 11 points and eight assists for the Timberwolves (43-33), who avoided a third straight loss by shooting 53.3 percent, including 13 of 30 from behind the arc.
Minnesota (43-33) pulled ahead of Utah into seventh place in the West after the Jazz lost at home to Boston.
Mike Muscala had a career-high 24 points for Atlanta.
• Timberwolves All-Star Jimmy Butler took shots in practice and has been trying to work his way back from meniscus surgery on his right knee. Coach Tom Thibodeau said Butler still hasn’t been cleared for contact.
CELTICS 97, JAZZ 94 >> Jaylen Brown made a 3-pointer with 0.3 seconds left to lift Boston over Utah. Brown scored 21 points, and Jayson Tatum added 16 for the Celtics, who won their fifth straight. With Kyrie Irving out after knee surgery, and Marcus Morris and Al Horford both sidelined with ankle injuries, the Celtics finished a 4-0 trip to the West. CAVALIERS 118, HORNETS 105 >> LeBron James matched Michael Jordan’s streak of 866 consecutive doubledigit scoring games with 41 points, leading Cleveland to the road win. James finished 14 of 26 from the field and had 10 rebounds and eight assists for the Cavaliers, who remained ahead of Philadelphia for the third-best record in the Eastern Conference. Kemba Walker scored 21 points to pass Dell Curry as the Hornets’ career scoring leader.
• Cavaliers forward Kevin Love entered the NBA’s concussion protocol after being elbowed in the face in Tuesday’s game. 76ERS 118, KNICKS 101 >> Dario Saric had 26 points and 14 rebounds, and Philadelphia won its eighth straight game despite losing All-Star Joel Embiid to a facial injury. Embiid was taken to a hospital for precautionary testing after a nasty collision with teammate Markelle Fultz early in the second quarter. The team said he had a facial contusion but did not have a concussion.
GRIZZLIES 108, TRAIL BLAZERS 103 >> MarShon Brooks scored 14 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter in his first game with Memphis, helping the Grizzlies to their second straight win. Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard was not with the team after the birth of his son.
CLIPPERS 111, SUNS 99 >> Tobias Harris scored 27 points, and Los Angeles moved to a game out of the eighth playoff spot, one game behind Utah.
HIP SURGERY FOR THOMAS >> Los Angeles Lakers guard Isaiah Thomas will have arthroscopic surgery today on his right hip, ending his season. The Lakers announced the decision Wednesday before their game against Dallas. Thomas averaged 15.6 points and 5.0 assists in 17 games with the Lakers, who acquired him from Cleveland in February. His hip problems also limited him to just 15 appearances with the Cavaliers.
HEAT’S WHITESIDE CLOSE TO RETURNING >> Hassan Whiteside is apparently nearing a return to the Miami Heat lineup. The Heat listed its starting center as questionable for today’s game against the Chicago Bulls. Whiteside hasn’t played in three weeks because of pain in his left hip, missing nine games.
REPORT ON DEATH OF G LEAGUE PLAYER >> A medical examiner in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has determined Zeke Upshaw, a swingman for the Detroit Pistons’ G League affiliate, suffered a “sudden cardiac death” after collapsing on the court. Kent County medical examiner Dr. Stephen Cohle conducted an autopsy Tuesday. The 26-year-old Grand Rapids Drive guard collapsed Saturday during a game and died Monday.