MINNEAPOLIS-Paul George scored 32 points and Myles Turner added 23 as the Indiana Pacers won on the road by beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 109-103 on Thursday.
Indiana (23-22) snapped a three-game losing streak three days after the Pacers' third straight loss drew boos from their home crowd.
George scored 16 points in the first half on 7-of-9 shooting. The Pacers forward, who earlier in the night was named an All-Star reserve for the Eastern Conference, finished the game 12 of 22 from the floor, including 3 of 4 from downtown. George also had five rebounds and four assists.
Karl-Anthony Towns led Minnesota (17-29) with a game-high 33 points and 10 rebounds, while Zach LaVine scored 23 in the loss. It was Towns' 35th double-double of the season, third-most among all NBA players.
Indiana's lead grew to as many as 10 points early in the second half, and the Pacers took a six-point advantage into the fourth quarter. Minnesota cut the deficit to one midway through the fourth before George hit four straight free throws. He made one after Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau was whistled for a technical foul, and three more after getting fouled on a long-range shot attempt that elicited the technical by Thibodeau.
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After George's free throws, C.J. Miles hit a 3-pointer to push the Pacers' lead to 89-81. Just like that, Indiana grew its one-point lead into eight in less than one minute of game time.
The Timberwolves hit four 3s in the final several minutes, including three by Towns, but could never climb all the way back. Jeff Teague's 3 with 1:55 remaining was answered a 3 from LaVine and kept the Pacers up by nine.
Four straight points by Towns brought the Wolves within 102-97 with 1:11 to play, but Indiana once again had an answer as Miles hit a 3 with 47.3 seconds remaining.
The Pacers were a perfect 13 for 13 at the free throw line Thursday, while Minnesota was 23 of 27 on free throws.
Minnesota had won its last three games, all by three points or less, prior to Thursday. The Timberwolves had also won four straight at home before the loss.
A win Thursday would have marked Minnesota's first four-game winning streak in more than four years. The last time the Wolves won more than three in a row was back in December 2012.
NOTES: Pacers F Kevin Seraphin did not play Thursday due to a sore left knee. Seraphin, who averages 3.9 points and 3.2 rebounds per game, played just five minutes in Indiana's loss to the New York Knicks on Monday. ... Indiana F Paul George was named an Eastern Conference reserve for the 2017 All-Star Game. George, in his seventh NBA season, is averaging 22.2 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. It's the fourth time George has been named to the All-Star team. ... Timberwolves G Zach LaVine said Thursday he will not participate in the Slam Dunk Contest at this year's All-Star Weekend, citing that he hopes to get rest during the break. LaVine won the previous two dunk contests in his first two seasons with Minnesota.
