ZACH LAVINE scored 35 points on 14-for-21 shooting, and the Chicago Bulls held on for a 133-126 overtime (OT) win against the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.
Coby White added 20 points for the Bulls, and Wendell Carter, Jr. finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Tomas Satoransky scored 16 points for Chicago, which won its third game in a row.
Malik Beasley had 25 points to lead the Timberwolves, who lost their sixth straight game. Karl-Anthony Towns notched 24 points, eight rebounds and five assists before he fouled out late in the fourth quarter.
Ricky Rubio calmly made three free throws with 4.9 seconds left in regulation to even the score at 119. That capped a late rally by Minnesota, which trailed by 10 points with 4:04 to go in the fourth quarter.
Chicago opened the overtime session on a 7-0 run to regain control. Garrett Temple made a jump shot on the opening possession, Carter followed with a layup on the next possession, and LaVine capped the scoring binge with a three-pointer off an assist from White.
At the end of the third quarter, Chicago held on to a 96-90 lead. A layup by Satoransky gave the Bulls a nine-point edge in the final minute of the quarter, but Towns answered with a three-pointer with only 4.7 seconds remaining to pull the Timberwolves within six.
The Timberwolves trailed by as many as 14 points early in the third quarter, but they regrouped with a 12-2 run to cut the deficit to 74-70 with 7:18 remaining in the session.
The Bulls raced to a 68-58 lead at the half.
BOOKER IN, DAVIS OUT
Meanwhile, Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker will replace Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis in the upcoming All-Star Game, the NBA announced on Wednesday.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver selected Booker to take the spot of the injured Davis one day after the Suns guard was snubbed for the honor.
Per league rules, when a player selected to the All-Star Game is unable to participate, the commissioner chooses a replacement from the same conference as the player who is being replaced. Booker and Davis both play for Western Conference teams.
Booker, 24, will make his second straight appearance in the All-Star Game. He is averaging a team-high 24.7 points per game to go along with 4.3 assists and 3.8 rebounds in 26 games this season.
The NBA All-Star Game will take place on March 7 in Atlanta. — Reuters
