By CLAY BAILEY, Associated Press
Dillon Brooks scored 31 points, rookie Ja Morant added 26 and the Memphis Grizzlies held onto a lead to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 137-121 on Wednesday night.
Rookie Brandon Clarke made all seven of his shots and scored 18 points, and Jae Crowder also had 18 points for Memphis. The Grizzlies snapped a three-game losing streak.
Andrew Wiggins led the Timberwolves with 30 points. Karl-Anthony Towns returned from a two-game suspension for a confrontation with Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid to finish with 25 points and 13 rebounds.
Brooks was 9 of 16 from the field, going 5 of 7 from 3-point range. Memphis shooting 57% overall and 12 of 23 on 3s.
The victory snapped Memphis’ three-game losing streak. The Timberwolves dropped their second straight and third in the last four.
Memphis came out shooting well, including 5 of 8 from 3-point range in the first quarter. But a lead that reached 16 points evaporated in the second quarter. Still, Memphis was able to shoot well, finishing 8 of 13 from outside the arc in the half.
TIP-INS
Grizzlies: G Grayson Allen missed his second game with a sore left ankle. … Jaren Jackson Jr., who missed the last game with a sore left knee, returned to action. … Crowder had a pair of 4-point plays in the first half. He is the first Memphis player with multiple four-point plays in a game since Mike Miller on Dec. 14, 2007. … Jonas Valanciunas had 10 points and 12 rebounds.
UP NEXT: Grizzlies play at Orlando on Friday night.
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