National Basketball Association
Utah 94, Minnesota 92
When: 8:00 PM ET, Saturday, January 7, 2017
Where: Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Officials: #55 Bill Kennedy, #29 Mark Lindsay, #59 Gary Zielinski
Attendance: 13945

MINNEAPOLIS -- With a healthy roster for the first time all season, the Utah Jazz hope Saturday is a sign of things to come.

The Jazz rallied from a double-digit deficit to top the Minnesota Timberwolves 94-92.

Utah's George Hill had a team-high 19 points, while Rudy Gobert provided the eventual game-winning shot when he tipped in a miss with 27.5 seconds remaining.

The Gobert tip-in capped an 11-0 run by the Jazz to close out the game.

"We just wanted it," Gobert said. "We wanted to win this game. We knew we didn't play well all game, but we knew we had to get stops and keep playing to the end, and that's what we did."

Minnesota guard Zach LaVine had 24 points to lead the way for Minnesota, but his long jumper just before the buzzer bounced off the rim, resulting in another loss for the Timberwolves.

Karl-Anthony Towns added 18 points and 15 rebounds for Minnesota, while Andrew Wiggins contributed 16 points.

Utah's roster was finally at full strength thanks to Hill's return to the lineup for the Jazz (23-16). Hill missed three games with a concussion, which came not long after he missed time with another injury. He scored Utah's first five points in the fourth quarter to cut Minnesota's lead to eight. He later hit a 3-pointer that made it an 84-78 Wolves advantage midway through the fourth.

Derrick Favors had seven of the 11 points during Utah's clinching 11-0 run, including a pair of free throws that tied the game at 92 with 52 seconds remaining. Favors also hit a corner 3-pointer, just the second shot he's made from downtown this year on his third attempt.

"When he made that 3, I knew we were going to win," Gobert said of Favors. "I was like, 'Let's go.' That's big time."

Hill's 19 points came on 5-of-12 shooting. He was 7 for 7 at the free throw line and added seven assists. He played 33 minutes Saturday, even though head coach Quin Snyder alluded pregame to Hill's minutes being a bit more spread out in his return.

In fact, Snyder said Hill asked to get put back into the game with Utah climbing back in the fourth quarter.

"I think he understands who I am as a person," Hill said of Snyder. "I think he understands if he would have pulled me out late, I probably would have been upset. That's just the coach he is. He's a player's coach."

Saturday was the second loss in as many nights for the Timberwolves, who fell on the road Friday at Washington. Minnesota has now lost four straight games and is 0-2 against Utah this season.

Minnesota finished 0-for-8 in the final 3:35, when Utah went on its 11-0 run to close out the win.

"We have to understand how different the fourth quarter is and you have to be disciplined," Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau said. "And so the reckless fouls, the reaching, the gambling, we're beating ourselves when we do that."

The third quarter has been a thorn in Minnesota's side this season, but it was a different story Saturday. The Timberwolves (11-26) outscored the Jazz 32-22 in the third to take an 80-69 lead into the fourth quarter.

Minnesota went on a 12-2 run at one point in the third quarter, thanks in part to a pair of transition layups by LaVine. The Timberwolves guard had seven points in the quarter as Minnesota turned its one-point halftime lead into an 11-point bulge.

That lead disappeared by the end of the game, however, as Minnesota experienced another second-half collapse -- although this time in the fourth quarter, not the third.

"When it gets to the point where it's tied or your down, you look up and it's like I don't even know how it got to this point," LaVine said. "I don't know. I haven't figured it out, yet. We haven't figured it out yet, obviously, so I don't know."

Towns registered his 27th double-double of the season. Only Houston's James Harden and Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook have more double-doubles than Towns this season.

NOTES: The Timberwolves waived G John Lucas III before Saturday's game. Lucas appeared in only five games with Minnesota this season but has not played since Nov. 19. "It was tough to let him go," Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau said. "He's the consummate pro. He comes in, works hard, stays ready, knows how to prepare." Minnesota has not yet filled Lucas' spot on the roster. ... Utah PG George Hill (concussion) was cleared by team doctors to return Saturday. The veteran guard entered Saturday averaging 18.8 points and 4.2 assists per game this year. ... Timberwolves G Shabazz Muhammad was active Saturday after missing Friday's game at Washington because of illness.
Top Game Performances
 
Utah   Minnesota
George Hill 19 Scoring Zach LaVine 24
George Hill 7 Assists Ricky Rubio 7
Rudy Gobert 13 Rebounds Karl-Anthony Towns 15
Gordon Hayward 7 Free Throws Made Karl-Anthony Towns 7
Joe Ingles 4 Steals Kris Dunn 1
Rudy Gobert 4 Blocks Gorgui Dieng 1
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Utah 94 41.6 8-23 22-28 23 39 6 12 10
Minnesota 92 43.8 7-20 15-21 23 48 3 3 16
Upcoming Games
  • Minnesota will play their next game at home against Dallas. The Timberwolves have a W/L % of .083 after a win and .400 after a loss.
  • Utah will play their next game on the road against Memphis. The Jazz have a W/L % of .636 after a win and .562 after a loss.