RICKY Rubio had a career-high 33 points, 10 assists and five rebounds and Karl-Anthony Towns scored 32 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 119-104 on Thursday night (Friday, Manila time).
Rubio waxed hot from beyond the arc, making 4-of-5 on 3-pointers, including a crucial basket that thwarted a Lakers rally in the fourth quarter.
Andrew Wiggins scored 27 points for the Timberwolves (30-44) who have managed to win more games than last season. Gorgui Dieng added 11 points, 15 rebounds, six assists and three blocks for Minnesota.
Jordan Clarkson scored 18 points and D'Angelo Russell had 14 points and seven assists for the Lakers (21-54), who have lost 17 of their last 19 games. Brandon Ingram missed his third straight game with patellar tendinitis in his right knee.
Minnesota played well after the All-Star break in an attempt to to make it to the playoffs but the Wolves lost six in a row earlier this month that left them in the wayside.
Julius Randle had 12 points and 13 rebounds and Tarik Black had 15 points and nine rebounds off the bench for the Lakers, who entered the day with a half-game ahead of the Suns for the second-worst record in the NBA.
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