Timberwolves outlast Cavs

The Cavaliers beat Philadelphia and Houston last week for their first back-to-back wins of the season, but couldn’t make it three straight.

The Timberwolves sent the Cavs to a 102-95 defeat on Nov. 26 at Quicken Loans Arena.

Kyle Korver scored 22 points, including six 3-pointers for Cleveland. Rodney Hood added 20 points while Tristan Thompson had 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Cleveland shot 8 of 21 and committed five turnovers in the fourth quarter. Hood thought the lack of ball movement down the stretch was a key factor.

“We get stagnant and then it turns into — I don’t want to say bad basketball — but it makes it tougher for us to score,” he said.

There’s no question the Timberwolves have been better since trading disgruntled star Jimmy Butler.

They are 6-2 since the trade two weeks ago that sent Butler to Philadelphia.

The victory moved Minnesota within a game of .500. The Timberwolves haven’t been at the breakeven mark since the fourth game of the season.

“We have a long way to go, but we keep improving,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We’re still not playing as well as we can. We can’t be satisfied.”

Robert Covington, one of three players acquired in the Butler trade, scored 24 points and Karl-Anthony Towns added 21, giving Minnesota its second win in 10 road games this season.

Covington bounced back from a horrendous game Saturday against Chicago in which he scored four points, was 1 of 18 from the field and missed all 10 of his 3-point attempts. He was 8 of 12 from the field and hit 4 of 7 3-pointers Nov. 26.

“The second that clock hit zero (Saturday), that

game was out of my mind,” Covington said. “That’s what happens when you’re a shooter.”

Derrick Rose came off the bench to score 10 of his 12 points in the fourth quarter. Towns hit two baskets in the final two minutes, including a fadeaway jumper on the baseline, after Cleveland cut the lead to 91-86.

Still learning

Rookie Collin Sexton, taken by the Cavaliers with the No. 8 pick in the draft, scored 11 points but was 5 of 19 from the field, with four assists and four turnovers.

Tip-ins

CAVALIERS >> F David Nwaba was out with a sore right knee after starting the previous four games. Larry Nance, who tweaked his right ankle in the fourth quarter Saturday and had to come out of the game, started . ... G George Hill (sprained right shoulder) has begun contact drills during on-court workouts.