Indiana Pacers vs Minnesota Timberwolves Match Player Stats On Oct 24, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Oct 24, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS -- Victor Oladipo scored a team-high 28 points as the Indiana Pacers routed the host Minnesota Timberwolves 130-107 on Tuesday to snap a two-game skid.

Cory Joseph scored 21 points -- thanks to shooting 5 of 6 from downtown -- and Bojan Bogdanovic added 19 points as five different Pacers scored in double-figures. Indiana shot 66.7 percent from the floor to improve to 2-2 on the season.

Karl-Anthony Towns led the way for Minnesota with 28 points on 12-of-17 shooting, and Jamal Crawford and Nemanja Bjelica both chipped in 18 points in the loss.

Minnesota overcame a sluggish first quarter -- in which it was outscored 33-20 -- to tie the game at halftime. Towns scored 12 of his 17 first-half points in the second quarter to lead the charge, while Crawford gave Minnesota a lift off the bench.

The second half, however, was all Indiana.

The Pacers used a 14-1 run late in the third quarter to regain a six-point advantage at 86-80. Bogdanovic scored six of his 19 points during that stretch as the Pacers silenced an early third-quarter spurt by the Wolves. Back-to-back baskets by Bogdanovic capped that burst.

Indiana capitalized on a lackadaisical Minnesota defense to end the third quarter when Darren Collison hit a 3-pointer just before time expired to push the Pacers' lead to 98-84 entering the fourth. Indiana shot 64.6 percent from the floor through the first three quarters.

Minnesota's defense struggled without guard Jimmy Butler, who missed Tuesday's game with an upper respiratory infection. Butler's absence wasn't announced until 20 minutes before the opening tip.

With the Wolves struggling on defense, Indiana's lead grew to as many as 25 points in the fourth quarter. Collison scored back-to-back baskets for Indiana for four of his 15 points, which accompanied his 16 assists.

The Timberwolves entered Tuesday's game riding high from a buzzer-beating victory Sunday. Andrew Wiggins was the hero in that game against Oklahoma City, but foul trouble and poor shooting limited his effectiveness Tuesday. Wiggins had just seven points and was just 1 of 6 from the foul line.

NOTES: Timberwolves G Jimmy Butler missed Tuesday's game due to an upper respiratory infection. Shabazz Muhammad started in Butler's place. Butler averaged 13.3 points per game in his first three contests with Minnesota this season. ... Pacers C Myles Turner missed his third consecutive game with a concussion and sore neck. Turner suffered the injury in Indiana's season opener. Head coach Nate McMillan said before Tuesday's game that Turner is still "has a ways to go" before he is cleared to return to action.