MINNEAPOLIS
Danilo Gallinari had 20 points, seven rebounds and four assists to help the Denver Nuggets snap a six-game losing streak with a 78-74 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.
Jusuf Nurkic had 15 points and 10 rebounds, and the Nuggets overcame 35.8 percent shooting by hitting eight of 20 3-pointers. Denver had lost nine of its previous 10 games.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 14 points and 14 rebounds, and Nikola Pekovic scored 12 points in his season debut for the reeling Timberwolves. Minnesota has lost four straight games, eight of its last nine and is 5-14 at home this season.
The Timberwolves shot 2 for 20 in the fourth quarter and made just three of 11 3-pointers.
In an ugly game between the two worst teams in the Northwest Division, Gallinari and Nurkic were the only Nuggets in double figures. They held the Wolves to 38 percent shooting and allowed just one field goal in the final 11 minutes of the fourth quarter in an effort that must have made hard-nosed coach Mike Malone proud.
Pekovic played for the first time since March 11. The oft-injured big man had surgery to address irritation in his right Achilles over the summer, a last-ditch effort to try to solve the foot issues that have plagued him for the last few years. The long and grueling rehab picked up some steam in December, and he finally got to take the floor just over midway through the first quarter on Wednesday night.
The fan favorite received a standing ovation upon entering the game and he quickly converted a layup to get rolling. He capped the first half with his patented move – a baby hook over his left shoulder to give him eight points in 7 minutes.
The Timberwolves held a 90-minute team meeting on Tuesday after getting handled by the lowly 76ers in Philadelphia a night earlier. Interim coach Sam Mitchell said he hoped the session would help his younger players get on the same page with the veterans in the group and deliver a more sustained effort on both ends of the floor.
The Wolves jumped out to a 10-point lead early in the third quarter before Gallinari and Nurkic brought the Nuggets back. Nurkic missed the first 33 games this season while recovering from a left patellar tendon repair, and he flexed his muscle against the Wolves.
Nurkic’s two straight layups in traffic gave Denver a 74-69 lead with 7 minutes to play in the final quarter, and Andrew Wiggins missed a point-blank jumper in the lane that would have tied the game in the final 10 seconds.
Malone initially thought point guard Emmanuel Mudiay would be ready to return from a sprained right ankle, but Mudiay woke up very sore after practicing hard Tuesday. Malone said he was hopeful Mudiay would play Friday at Memphis.
Denver will visit Memphis on Friday.
