Kevin Martin led all scorers with 27 points, Kevin Love had 25 points and 13 rebounds and Ricky Rubio posted a triple-double with 12 points, 14 assists and 10 boards (not to mention five steals) in the win.
Steve Blake led the Lakers with 19.
The Timberwolves shot 49 percent from the floor, hitting on 10 of their 20 three-point tries.
Los Angeles wasn't nearly as efficient, shooting 38 percent overall and only 56 percent from the free-throw line.
The victory by Minnesota snapped a 22-game losing streak to the Lakers that dated all the way back to Mar. 6, 2007.
Let's examine how this one played out.
Scorching Hot First Quarter by Minnesota
The funny thing is, the Timberwolves only scored 66 points combined in the second, third and fourth quarters, but at that point, it didn't matter.
Minnesota had already done its damage in the first period, scoring 47 points and shooting the ball at a 76 percent clip. Love and Martin had 18 and 16 points, respectively, with Love hitting all four of his triples during those first 12 minutes.
By contrast, the Lakers scored only 23 points in the quarter.
It was an uphill climb for LA from the get-go, and it was never able to recover.
LA Turnovers Led to Wolves Transition Points
The Lakers turned the ball over 18 times, helping pave the way for the Timberwolves to score 19 fastbreak points.
Corey Brewer in particular consistently beat Los Angeles back down the floor, and much of his 17 points came off of leakouts in transition. He also forced some turnovers himself, recording four steals in the contest.
The sprier Wolves clearly had stronger legs throughout, and it...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
