The host Memphis Grizzlies took down the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves, 102-98, in their season opener Wednesday.
Minnesota quickly jumped out to a 20-3 lead to begin the game, leaving Memphis in a tight spot almost immediately. The Grizzlies answered with a lightning-fast run of their own, however, and managed to exit the first quarter trailing by only three points. While reigning Rookie of the Year Karl-Anthony Towns scored nine points in the first five minutes of the contest, the Grizzlies were able to keep him relatively quiet during the second and third quarters. Towns still finished with a respectable 21 points. Veteran center Marc Gasol, who Towns has called his toughest matchup, made this no easy feat, however, recording four blocks to go along with 18 points. Two other members of Memphis’s longstanding core, Mike Conley and Zach Randolph, also contributed heavily in the points column, scoring 24 and 19 respectively.
While Memphis’s veterans drove the win, Minnesota saw major contributions from their younger players. Third-year wing Andrew Wiggins led the team in scoring, posting 25 points, while high-flying young guard Zach LaVine dropped in 19. Towns, meanwhile, added five assists and four rebounds to complement his scoring output. The contest was also the NBA debut for rookie Kris Dunn, the fifth overall pick in the 2016 draft. Dunn played behind LaVine and Ricky Rubio, clocking just 15 minutes of game time. He contributed eight points and four rebounds during that time on the floor.
The Wolves will visit Sacramento on Saturday, while Memphis will take to the road to face the Knicks.
