Nikola Vucevic scored a career-high 37 points and grabbed 17 rebounds to power the Orlando Magic to a 97-84 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night.
Tobias Harris added 25 points and 12 boards to help the Magic snap a three-game skid. They shot just 43.5 percent and turned the ball over 19 times. But a 53-30 edge on the glass and a 21-6 advantage in second-chance points proved to be enough against the banged-up Timberwolves.
Andrew Wiggins scored 22 points for the Timberwolves, who once again had only eight healthy players. Kevin Martin returned from a six-game absence with a strained hamstring, but had 12 points on 3-for-12 shooting.
The Wolves (16-60) have lost six straight games and have lost at least 60 for the ninth time in franchise history.
Minnesota was missing Ricky Rubio, Kevin Garnett, Gorgui Dieng, Shabazz Muhammad, Anthony Bennett, Gary Neal and Nikola Pekovic because of injuries, and the Timberwolves had no answer for the strength of Harris and Vucevic in the paint.
Vucevic hit 10 of his first 12 shots, using superior size and strength to have his way with Justin Hamilton, Adreian Payne and Chase Budinger. He had 26 points and 11 rebounds in his first 27 minutes and Harris' aggressiveness in going to the glass was overwhelming the short-handed Wolves.
Orlando led by 12 in the second quarter, but appeared to shift into coast mode in the second half.
The Timberwolves took advantage, cutting the deficit to three at 76-73 with 7:30 to play.
That's when Harris and Vucevic, who made 18 of 25 shots, took control again. The big man scored on a putback and Harris hit two corner 3-pointers for an 86-74 lead with 4:37 to go, and the Magic never looked back.
This may have represented Minnesota's best chance at a win the rest of the way. They begin a tough stretch of four games in five nights out West on Tuesday before finishing up at home against New Orleans and Oklahoma City.
TIP-INS
Magic: Elfrid Payton was all over the place in the first quarter, which wasn't always a good thing. Late in the period he leaped for a rebound, but tipped it into his own basket. ... Coach James Borrego said Evan Fournier, who has missed 17 games with a hip injury, is getting closer to returning. He said they hope to have him back on the court soon.
Timberwolves: Pekovic termed the surgery he will have to repair his right Achilles a last-ditch effort to get healthy. He has been plagued by foot problems for the last two years and will not play the rest of this season. ... Wiggins lost out on the Western Conference rookie of the month award for March to the Lakers' Jordan Clarkson. It was the first time this season he has not won it.