Towns pours in 37 points, but Wolves lose 131-123 in overtime

ATLANTA — Trae Young matched the career high he set earlier in the week with 36 points, John Collins had 33 and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 131-123 in overtime Wednesday night.

Collins scored 18 points in the fourth quarter as Atlanta, which trailed by 13 points late in the third period, rallied to force the extra period.

Karl-Anthony Towns led the Timberwolves with 37 points and 17 rebounds. Andrew Wiggins had 21 points.

DeAndre Bembry scored six of his 16 points in overtime for Atlanta.

Vice Carter made a 3-pointer to open the overtime period. Back-to-back baskets from Bembry gave Atlanta a 125-118 lead.

Following a timeout, Towns had a jam and a 3-pointer — his season-high fifth of the game. Bembry, who had only 10 points through regulation, answered with his third basket of the extra period, giving the Hawks a 127-123 advantage.

Each team missed last-second shots in regulation.

After Young’s basket tied it at 118, Derrick Rose missed a short jumper for Minnesota. Atlanta called timeout with 0.5 seconds remaining. Young made a jumper off the inbounds pass from Carter, but a video review confirmed the shot came after the buzzer.

It was a damaging loss for Minnesota, which began the night three games behind eighth-place San Antonio in the Western Conference playoff race.

The Timberwolves took a big lead of 13 points at 94-81 late in the third and led 95-86 entering the fourth period. Atlanta pulled even at 102 and again at 114, but each time it couldn’t take the lead.

Young, the rookie who scored a career-high 36 points in a loss at Houston on Monday night, stayed hot with 20 first-half points. Young had help; every Atlanta starter had scored by the time the Hawks led 19-10.

Josh Okogie, the Timberwolves’ rookie from Georgia Tech, had 15 points in his return to Atlanta.

Timberwolves point guard Jeff Teague missed his second straight game with a sore left knee. Tyus Jones again filled in as the starter.

TIP-INS

Timberwolves: F Luol Deng did not return after leaving with a sore left Achilles in the first half. … F Robert Covington was sent to G League Iowa as he moves closer to his return from a bone bruise on his right knee. He has missed 23 consecutive games since suffering the injury on Dec. 31. Covington is expected to practice only at Iowa while the Timberwolves are on the road. … F Cameron Reynolds was signed to a 10-day contract.

Hawks: Dewayne Dedmon had seven points and 10 rebounds before fouling out with 3:06 remaining. … Kent Bazemore‘s frustration grew as he missed each of his 12 shots through three quarters. He complained when no foul was called on a miss late in the period and drew a technical foul. He missed two shots — a 3-pointer and a layup — on Atlanta’s next possession and didn’t attempt another shot.

UP NEXT

Timberwolves: Continue three-game trip at Indiana on Thursday night.

Hawks: Host Chicago on Sunday.