NBA: Rudy Gobert’s big night lifts Wolves past Trail Blazers

Rudy Gobert scored 25 points and grabbed 16 rebounds for the Minnesota Timberwolves, who held on for a 119-114 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night in Minneapolis.

Mike Conley added 19 points and seven assists for Minnesota, which snapped a two-game skid. Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 14 points.

Anfernee Simons led Portland with 34 points and 14 assists. Rookie Duop Reath tallied a career-high 26 points on 10-for-14 shooting for the Trail Blazers, who lost for the first time in three games.

Portland played without Jerami Grant (quadriceps), Deandre Ayton (hand) and Matisse Thybulle (hip).

Timberwolves top scorer Anthony Edwards finished with 13 points on 4-of-10 shooting. Edwards left the game because of a right elbow contusion but later returned to the court.

Minnesota opened the fourth quarter on a 9-0 run to seize a 15-point lead. Monte Morris made a tip shot to finish the surge, which put the Timberwolves on top 97-82 with 8:25 left.

Portland went on an 8-0 run in the final two minutes to pull within six points. Edwards sank two free throws with 18.7 seconds left to seal the outcome.

The Timberwolves held an 88-82 lead at the end of the third quarter after Nickeil Alexander-Walker made a buzzer-beater layup. That hoop followed Alexander-Walker’s 3-pointer with 1:02 to go.

Minnesota led 55-48 at the half.

Naz Reid made a pair of 3-pointers in the final minute of the first quarter to give the Timberwolves a 28-24 lead. Moses Brown answered with a layup with 5.1 seconds remaining to cut Portland’s deficit to two points.

The Timberwolves outscored the Trail Blazers 27-22 in the second quarter to increase their lead to seven points at the break.

Minnesota led 49-48 before finishing the second quarter on a 6-0 run. Conley and Jaden McDaniels made two free throws apiece, and Edwards finished the scoring by making a basket with 23.6 seconds to play.

—Field Level Media/Reuters