MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- Nikola Pekovic scored 25 points and grabbed 18 rebounds Tuesday in the Minnesota Timberwolves' 108-103 victory over the visiting Atlanta Hawks.
Pekovic hit 9-of-15 shots from the field and 7-of-8 free throws to lead the T'Wolves to their first win over the Hawks since 2006.
Andrei Kirilenko also had a hot hand, hitting 7-of-11 shots for 21 points and six boards. Derrick Williams added 17, and Minnesota scored 20 points as a team from the free throw line.
Minnesota led 58-42 at the half and outscored the Hawks in each quarter except the fourth. The Hawks cut the lead to 102-101 with 1:07 to play but Pekovic responded with a jump shot with 52 seconds to play that proved to the decisive score.
Josh Smith and Louis Williams both scored 21 points for the Hawks. Smith also snagged 13 rebounds, and Al Horford finished with a double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds.
