Kyle Kuzma scored a season-high 31 points to help the visiting Washington Wizards snap a 16-game losing streak with a 105-103 win over the shorthanded Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday.
The Wolves cut the deficit to 105-102 on Mike Conley’s three foul shots with 15.1 seconds left. They had a chance to tie the game after Conley stole the inbound pass and got the ball to Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who missed a final 3-point attempt.
Jordan Poole scored 19 points for Washington, which avoided a franchise-record setting 17th straight loss and won for the first time since beating the Chicago Bulls 125-107 on Jan. 1.
Bilal Coulibaly added 14 points, Jonas Valanciunas recorded 13 points and 10 rebounds and Kyshawn George had 11 points for the Wizards.
Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels collected 23 points and 12 rebounds and Rudy Gobert had 16 and 16, respectively.
Conley scored 16 points, Alexander-Walker added 14 and Joe Ingles had a season-high 10 off the bench for the Timberwolves, who saw their five-game winning streak come to a halt.
Minnesota stars Anthony Edwards (illness) and Julius Randle (groin) were both unavailable, and Naz Reid did not return after exiting in the third quarter with a right finger sprain.
Washington jumped to a 27-17 lead before Minnesota closed the quarter with nine straight points. Poole had 12 points on four 3-pointers in the period.
Kuzma opened the second quarter by scoring 18 of Washington’s first 23 points — including four 3-pointers — to put the Wizards ahead 50-43 with 5:31 left in the half.
Washington led at the half for just the ninth time this season at 58-57 after shooting 12 of 22 (54.5 percent) from 3-point range.
The Wizards held an 83-72 advantage late in the third quarter before the Wolves scored the final five points of the period to pull within 83-77.
Minnesota pulled within 101-100 with 1:10 remaining in regulation before the Wizards scored the next five points. Washington then held on for just their seventh victory of the season.
Wizards guard Malcolm Brogdon returned after missing 14 games with a right foot injury. He had three points in 21 minutes.
–Field Level Media
