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PHOENIX -- Jimmy Butler scored 32 points and the Minnesota Timberwolves blew most of a 22-point third-quarter lead before regrouping to beat the Phoenix Suns 115-106 on Saturday. Anthony Wiggins had 17 points and Karl-Anthony Towns had 16 points and 14 rebounds for Minnesota, who has won four of the past five games and six of the past eight to improve to 20-13 for the season.
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TJ Warren had 24 points and Troy Daniels 18 for Phoenix (12-23). The Suns rallied from 15 down to beat the Timberwolves in Minnesota last Saturday and got as close as two points late in the third quarter before settling for a 2-2 split in the season series.
After scoring 43 points in the first half, the Suns exploded for 37 in the third quarter and got back into the game.
With his team down 66-45, Warren capped a 20-4 Phoenix run with a layup to get the Suns within 70-65 with 5:25 left. And after Minnesota rebuild the lead to 13, Warren completed a 13-3 run with an 8-footer to bring the Suns within 82-80 with 59.9 seconds to go.
But Minnesota scored the final six points of the quarter and the first six of the fourth, ending with back-to-back 3-pointers by Gorgui Dieng and Tyus Jones to restore the lead to 94-80 with 10:39 to go.
Phoenix got as close as five twice in the final two minutes but no closer.
The Suns missed their first eight shots from the field and Minnesota jumped out to a 12-2 lead in the first five minutes. Butler had 10 points and Wiggins and Jones seven each for the Timberwolves, who led by as many as 16 in the quarter and led 33-24 at the end.
Phoenix didn't get its first basket until Marquese Chriss scored on a layup with 6:50 left. The five starters were a combined 1-for-11 from the field and no Suns had more than five points.
The second period was more of the same. Minnesota scored the first 10 points and extended their lead to 45-24 on a Jones layup with 7:37 left. Towns had seven points and five rebounds and the Timberwolves made 13 of 21 shots in the quarter and led by as many as 22 before settling for a 64-43 lead at the half.
NOTES: The Suns waived G Mike James on Saturday. James, who was a starter in November after Eric Bledsoe was traded, wound up behind Tyler Ulis and newcomer Isaiah Canaan and with Devin Booker expected to play some point guard when he returns from injury there was no room left for James. ... Booker was activated for the game on Saturday but didn't play. He is expected to return Tuesday against the Memphis Grizzlies after missing the last nine games with an adductor strain. ... Minnesota's 19-13 record through the first 32 games was the best since the 2003-04 season (21-11) and matched the third-best start in franchise history. ... Minnesota F Nemanja Bjelica (sprained foot) has been out since Nov. 22 but is close to returning.
