Reserve Garrison Mathews scored a season-high 25 points and tied a career high with seven 3-pointers to help the Atlanta Hawks defeat the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves 117-104 on Monday.
Mathews went 7-for-8 from the field — all 3-point attempts — and 4-for-5 from the free-throw line as Atlanta ended a three-game losing streak. He added two rebounds, one assist, two steals and one block, and his triple with 10:07 left in the game gave the Hawks a 91-89 lead they never relinquished.
Julius Randle threw home a dunk to get Minnesota within 101-96 with 5:04 to go, but Atlanta responded with a 10-0 run that spoiled any chance of a Timberwolves comeback.
Mathews got a chance to play extended minutes with veteran Bogdan Bogdanovic unavailable because of a left lower leg contusion.
Trae Young was back in action for Atlanta after missing one game due to a bruised heel. He scored a team-high 29 points, knocking down four 3-pointers, and also dished out seven assists. De’Andre Hunter added 19 points, and Jalen Johnson supplied 17 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists.
Turnovers continued to plague the Hawks. They committed 23, their third straight game with 20-plus giveaways.
Minnesota’s top scorer was Naz Reid (23 points). Randle finished with 19 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists. The Timberwolves have lost three games in a row.
The Hawks celebrated the return of Young, who scored 12 points in the first quarter to help Atlanta build a 35-16 lead by the time there was 31.2 seconds left in the frame. But Minnesota suddenly found a groove from beyond the arc and went on a 33-13 run, moving in front at 49-48 on Rudy Gobert’s dunk with 1:49 to go in the first half. The Timberwolves led 55-52 at the break.
Neither team led by more than five in the third quarter, which ended with Minnesota up 85-82.
–Field Level Media