Exum scores career-high, Timberwolves hold off Cavs 118-103

CLEVELAND (AP) — Minnesota built a big lead, wasted it and then had to build another one.

“Sometimes,” Timberwolves coach Ryan Saunders said, “you have to win a game twice.”

Gorgui Dieng scored 22 points, Shabazz Napier had 21 and the Timberwolves blew a 25-point lead before regrouping for a 118-103 victory Sunday night over the Cleveland Cavaliers, who may have lost rookie Kevin Porter Jr. for an extended period with a knee injury.

The Cavs, who rested star Kevin Love one night after he displayed frustration toward his teammates in a loss, trailed 90-65 with four minutes to go in the third quarter and seemed done. But Dante Exum got hot and his 3-pointer with 8:29 left capped a 32-6 blitz to give Cleveland a 97-96 lead.

However, the Timberwolves recovered and scored 14 straight with Dieng dropping two 3-pointers during the five-minute stretch to help Minnesota avoid an embarrassing loss.

“We just ran out of gas,” Cavs coach John Beilein said.

Andrew Wiggins came back after missing four games with the flu and scored 15 for the struggling Timberwolves. They won for just the fourth time in 16 games.

“That was a locker room after the game where it didn’t feel like a full road win,” Saunders said. “Our guys knew we came away with one in a situation where Cleveland outplayed us for a good amount of the second half. We did execute and buckle down defensively towards the end. We should feel good about that, but we should also not be satisfied.”

Exum, recently acquired in a trade with Utah, scored a career-high 28 points — 24 in the second half — for the Cavs. Cleveland dropped its fourth in a row amid drama surrounding Love and a potentially serious injury to Porter.

The 30th overall pick last yea hurt his left knee in the third quarter when his buckled awkwardly while he tried to change directions. The slender guard immediately grabbed his leg and had to be helped to Cleveland’s locker room.

Following the game, Porter was on crutches as he left the trainers’ room. He was not available for comment.

Exum said it was difficult seeing his new teammate in pain.

“I’ve been through my share of injuries, so it breaks my heart seeing that,” Exum said. “I hope he’s going to be all right. I don’t know the diagnosis right now,”

With the Cavs playing their second straight game, Love sat out for extra rest, his planned absence coming a night after he threw up his arms in disgust several times in a loss to Oklahoma City. Love has been the subject of trade rumors for months and his future in Cleveland has never been more in doubt.

The Timberwolves were without center Karl-Anthony Towns. He missed his 10th straight game with a sprained left knee.

Minnesota made four 3-pointers in the final two minutes of the first half with Robert Covington’s 3 just before the horn giving the Timberwolves a 66-48 lead.

Timberwolves: Dieng added 13 rebounds. … Wiggins was the No. 1 overall pick by Cleveland in the 2014 draft before the Cavs traded him in the deal for Love. … G Jeff Teague returned after missing two games with a sprained right knee and played 17 minutes.

Cavaliers: Love sat on the bench in street clothes. Coach John Beilein did not say if he’ll be disciplined for Saturday’s outbursts, which included yelling at general manager Koby Altman during the morning shootaround. … Cleveland was missing F Tristan Thompson (flu) and F Larry Nance (sore knee).

HONORING FLIP

The Timberwolves took a road trip Saturday night to Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, where a high school gymnasium was renamed in honor of former Minnesota coach Flip Saunders, who died in 2015.

Ryan Saunders attended the ceremony for his father and center Towns made sure all the Timberwolves were there.

Saunders learned some history about his dad, who was an all-state player at the school.

“They officially said his scoring average was 32 points per game his senior year, but then I remember that he used to tell me if there was a three-point line back then he would have averaged 44,” Saunders said with a laugh. “He had so much love for Cleveland. Minnesota adopted him, but Cleveland was his first love.”

DANTE’S INFERNO

Exum finished 11 of 13 from the floor, including 4 of 4 on 3-pointers in 24 minutes.

After he scored 12 quick points in the fourth to give Cleveland its brief lead, an exhausted Exum went to the bench for a blow. As he prepared to check back in, Cleveland’s crowd roared.

“Obviously, it’s a really good feeling,” he said. “You come to a team and they don’t really know you or know too much about you, but to feel the crowd behind me was good and I can’t wait to keep playing here.”

TOUGH LOVE

Beilein said Love sitting out was pre-planned and not connected to his actions Saturday.

His sticky situation hangs over the Cavs, who are trying to rebuild with youth. However, Beilein isn’t worried about Love’s behavior or attitude adversely affecting his young teammates.

“People are going to get frustrated in games and you just end up dealing with it,” Beilein said. “But it happens to everybody.”

UP NEXT

Timberwolves: At Memphis on Tuesday night.

Cavaliers: Host Detroit on Tuesday night.