NBA: Wolves upend Suns 111-109

MINNEAPOLIS - The Minnesota Timberwolves got 28 points from guard Kevin Martin in a 111-109 win over the Phoenix Suns at Target Center on Friday.
The Timberwolves, who have the worst record in the Western Conference, have now won four of their past six games. Phoenix, which dropped out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the West just before the All-Star break, have now lost six of seven.
Martin finished the game 10 of 16 from the floor and had six rebounds.
The Wolves led by as many as 14 points in the first half before Phoenix began cutting into the lead in the third quarter. The Suns scored 35 points in the third, reducing Minnesota’s 10-point halftime lead to four heading to the final quarter. Suns guard Eric Bledsoe has 10 points in the quarter, and forwards Markieff Morris and P.J. Tucker had six apiece.
The teams went back and forth down the stretch as the lead changed hands 10 times in the fourth quarter alone.
Martin’s short floater in the lane gave the Wolves the lead for good with 3:38 remaining.
Markieff Morris led all scorers with 31 points as all five Phoenix starters finished in double figures. Bledsoe was held without a point in the final quarter and finished with 12. Forward Marcus Morris finished with 12 points off the bench.
Timberwolves rookie forward Andrew Wiggins, coming off an MVP performance in the Rising Stars game during All-Star weekend, finished with 20 points, including a spinning, driving lay-in with under 20 seconds to play to give the Wolves a three-point lead.
Centers Gorgui Dieng and Nikola Pekovic each had a double-double for the Wolves. Dieng had 15 points and 12 boards off the bench. Pekovic had 16 and 11.
NOTES: Suns C Alex Len was in the starting lineup Friday after missing the final three games prior to the All-Star break with an ankle sprain. ... Timberwolves F Anthony Bennett, who started at power forward for the Timberwolves with Thaddeus Young traded to Philadelphia, left the game late in the first quarter with an apparent ankle injury. ... Timberwolves F Shabazz Muhammad was available off the bench with a finger injury. ... Timberwolves F Robbie Hummel did not play with a fractured right hand. ... Phoenix concludes a quick two-game road trip Saturday with a game at Chicago. ... Minnesota travels to Houston for a game against the Rockets on Monday.