Towns has 33 points, 23 boards to lift Wolves over Memphis

Karl-Anthony Towns had 33 points and 23 rebounds, and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Memphis Grizzlies 112-99 on Saturday night to end a five-game slide.

Andrew Wiggins added 22 points and rookie Josh Okogie had 17 as Minnesota, eliminated from the playoffs Friday night, ended its longest losing streak of the season. All five Minnesota starters reached double figures in scoring.

Mike Conley led Memphis with 23 points, and Jonas Valanciunas had 20 points and 14 rebounds.

Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns, center, struggles for control of the ball against Memphis Grizzlies center Jonas Valanciunas (17) and guard Mike Conley, right, in the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 23, 2019, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP PhotoBrandon Dill)

Minnesota broke it open with a 19-4 run to start the second half as the Grizzlies were getting nothing offensively, going 3 of 14 from the field. The lead reached 19 at one point, and Minnesota carried an 84-68 advantage into the fourth.

Memphis led through most of the first half, carrying a 50-49 lead into halftime.

TIP-INS

Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) shoots against Memphis Grizzlies center Jonas Valanciunas, right, and forward Bruno Caboclo (5) in the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 23, 2019, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP PhotoBrandon Dill)

Timberwolves: Announced earlier Saturday that veteran guard Derrick Rose will miss the rest of the season following surgery to remove bone chips from his right elbow. ... The team had already announced Thursday that Rose, along with guard Jeff Teague and forward Robert Covington, likely would miss the rest of the season with injuries. ... The game was the last in a string where Minnesota played five of six on the road. The Timberwolves play seven of their final nine at home. ... Okogie reached double figures for the fourth straight games.

Grizzlies: Conley (general soreness) and reserve C Joakim Noah (right knee soreness), who missed Friday's overtime loss in Orlando, returned to action. Noah left the game in the second quarter with the same problem and did not return. ... Conley has scored at least 20 points in seven straight games, the longest such streak of his career.

UP NEXT

Memphis Grizzlies forward Ivan Rabb (10) goes up for a dunk between Minnesota Timberwolves forward Dario Saric (36) and center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 23, 2019, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP PhotoBrandon Dill)

Timberwolves: Host the Clippers on Tuesday.

Grizzlies: Host the Thunder on Monday.

More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Josh Okogie (20) shoots against Memphis Grizzlies guard Delon Wright (2), and forwards Ivan Rabb (10), and Bruno Caboclo (5) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 23, 2019, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP PhotoBrandon Dill)

Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) shoots the ball in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies Saturday, March 23, 2019, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP PhotoBrandon Dill)

Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike Conley (11) handles the ball against Minnesota Timberwolves guard Josh Okogie (20) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 23, 2019, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP PhotoBrandon Dill)

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Paolo Banchero had 31 points and 14 rebounds, Jalen Suggs added 24 points and the Orlando Magic handed Cleveland the worst playoff loss in franchise history, winning 121-83 on Thursday night to cut the Cavaliers’ lead to 2-1 in their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Franz Wagner finished with 16 points and eight assists for the Magic, who led by 43 points in the fourth quarter on the way to the third-largest margin of victory in a playoff game. They earned their first playoff victory since 2019 and the first on their home floor since April 26, 2011.

They can even the series with a victory at home Sunday.

Jarrett Allen had 15 points and eight rebounds for the Cavaliers, who shot 39% from the field and 23.5% from 3-point range. Caris LeVert added 15 points and Donovan Mitchell had 13 points and seven assists.

76ERS 125, KNICKS 114

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid scored 50 points, making all four 3-point attempts and scoring 18 in a potential series-shifting third quarter to lead Philadelphia to a win over New York in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Embiid boldly stated “we’re going to win this series” after the 76ers dropped Game 2.

With one of the finest postseason efforts of his career, Embiid became the third player to ever score 50 points against the Knicks in the postseason and kept the hope of a Philadelphia series comeback very much alive.

The Knicks lead the series 2-1. Game 4 is Sunday in Philadelphia.

Embiid was 13 of 19 from the floor overall, made 19 of 21 free throws and hit five 3-pointers.

NUGGETS 112, LAKERS 105

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Aaron Gordon had 29 points and 15 rebounds, Nikola Jokic added 24 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists, and Denver moved to the brink of the second round with a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of their first-round series..

Jamal Murray scored 22 points as the defending NBA champion Nuggets won their 11th consecutive meeting with LeBron James and the Lakers in dominating style.

Michael Porter Jr. added 20 points for Denver, which took control in the third quarter and cruised through the final minutes to its fifth straight road win over Los Angeles, starting with its sweep of last season’s Western Conference finals.

Game 4 is Saturday night in Los Angeles. No NBA team has ever rallied from an 0-3 playoff deficit.

Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) makes a shot as he gets past Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill (5) during the second half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)