NBA ROUNDUP

Towns scores 40, powers Timberwolves past Pacers

Karl-anthony Towns had 40 points and 12 rebounds and Anthony Edwards 37 points to lead host Minnesota past Indiana 127-109 on Saturday.

The Timberwolves (19-5) shot a seasonhigh 55.8 percent, including a season-best 60.0 percent (18 of 30) on 3-pointers, while improving to 11-1 at home and matching Boston for the NBA’S best record.

Bruce Brown and Aaron Nesmith each had 17 points for Indiana, which was without top scorer Tyrese Haliburton (left knee contusion) in its third road game in four nights.

■ 76ers 135, Hornets 82: At Charlotte, N.C., Joel Embiid had 42 points and 15 rebounds for Philadelphia, which won its fifth straight and dealt injury-depleted Charlotte its most decisive loss — besting a 50-point setback to Milwaukee on Jan. 10, 2000. The Hornets (7-17) were without three starters and two key reserves and then lost top scorer Terry Rozier to a facial injury in the third quarter of their fourth straight loss and sixth in seven games.

■ Warriors 124, Nets 120: At San Francisco, Stephen Curry scored 12 straight fourth-quarter points on the way to 37 for Golden State, which halted a three-game skid. Curry shot 7-for-7 for 16 points in the final quarter. Cam Thomas had 41 points for Brooklyn, which scored 29 points off 14 Warriors turnovers but lost for the third time in four games.

■ Bucks 146, Pistons 114: At Milwaukee, Damian Lillard scored 33 points and Bobby Portis 31 for Milwaukee, which won for the fourth time in five games and handed Detroit its 23rd straight loss. The Pistons (2-24) matched the NBA’S third-longest skid within the same season.

■ Heat 118, Bulls 116: At Miami, Jimmy Butler hit a step-back jumper as time expired and totaled 28 points for Miami, which won for the third time in four games. The teams combined for 21 first-half 3-pointers in a game that had four lead changes and five ties in the fourth quarter.

■ Cavaliers 127, Hawks 119: At Cleveland, Jarrett Allen had 25 points and 14 rebounds for Cleveland, which built a 23-point lead and halted a three-game skid. Trae Young had 35 points and 10 assists for Atlanta in its sixth loss in seven games.

■ Mavericks 131, Trail Blazers 120: At Portland, Ore., Luka Doncic had 40 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for Dallas, which won for the fifth time in six games. Anfernee Simons scored 33 points for Portland in its sixth straight loss.

Bruce Kluckhohn The Associated Press Timberwolves forward Karl-anthony Towns eyes the basket against Pacers center Myles Turner in Minnesota’s 127-109 win Saturday at Target Center.