ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) Terrence Ross scored 32 points and came up with a big defensive play to help the Orlando Magic to a 122-112 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night.
Ross came off the bench to make six 3-pointers and 13-of-23 shots overall.
Nikola Vucevic added 21 points, Aaron Gordon 19 and Evan Fournier 18 for Orlando, which shot 54 percent and scored a season-high 71 points in the first half.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 27 points and 11 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who lost for the fifth time in six games. Andrew Wiggins added 23 points.
Isaiah Canaan’s jump shot gave Minnesota its last lead at 39-38 early in the second quarter.
Ross had 20 points in the first half, leading the Magic to a 71-58 halftime lead. Orlando shot 65 percent in the half.
Orlando outscored the Timberwolves 22-10 over the final five minutes of the half with Ross scoring 11 straight points.
Wiggins scored 10 points in the third quarter, but the Timberwolves could get no closer than 11 until Towns converted a three-point play with 2:39 left in the fourth.
Wiggins followed with a mid-court steal and lined up a dunk that could have cut the lead to seven, but Ross chased him down and blocked it.
TIP-INS
Timberwolves: G Jeff Teague participated in the morning shootaround but missed an eighth game with a sore left foot. … G Derrick Rose was not with the team, missing a fifth game with a sore right ankle. … Towns was shocked to hear it announced that he had fouled out with 5:10 remaining after committing his third foul.
Magic: Last in the NBA with only 19 free throw attempts per game, the Magic shot 14 in a span of 5:31 in the third quarter. They made 21 of 23 in the game. … Rookie C Mo Bamba missed a third straight game with a stress fracture of his left tibia. … The Magic lost by 17 at Minnesota on Jan. 4.
UP NEXT
Timberwolves: at New Orleans on Friday night.
Magic: At Milwaukee on Saturday night.
