CLEVELAND — Darius Garland scored 34 points, Jarrett Allen added a career-high 33 and 18 rebounds and the injury-weakened Cleveland Cavaliers handed the NBA’s best road team a loss, beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 113-104 in overtime Friday night.
Allen made a career-high 15 free throws, including 14 after halftime. He scored 10 points in overtime as the Cavs topped the Timberwolves 16-7 and earned their eighth straight victory against a Western Conference team.
It was Cleveland’s second win in four days against one of the league’s elite teams. On Tuesday, the Cavs recovered from 22 points behind in the final minutes to surprise the Boston Celtics, leaders of the East.
“It just energizes us when everyone comes back,” Allen said. “Contrary to popular belief, we are better when everyone is in the lineup.”
Cleveland was without starters Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Max Strus due to injuries, but had enough to beat the Timberwolves, who could be excused for being tired after a 113-111 victory at Indiana on Thursday.
With this defeat, Minnesota lost a half-game behind Oklahoma City to take the lead in the Western Conference.
Naz Reid scored a career-high 34 and Anthony Edwards 19 — on just 7-of-27 shooting — for Minnesota, which went a league-best 21-11 on the road.
Minnesota coach Chris Finch sat out after feeling ill shortly before the tipoff. He met with reporters about 90 minutes before the game and did not mention any problems. Assistant Micah Nori replaced Finch.
The Cavs were helped by Minnesota center Rudy Gobert, who was cautioned for a technical foul with 27 seconds left.
After being whistled for a sixth disqualifying foul – an underhanded push on offense – by official Scott Foster, Gobert rubbed his fingers and made the money sign as if implying the referee was on the point to take.
Foster didn’t see the move, but official Natalie Sago did and T’d up Gobert, who finished with 17 rebounds in 37 minutes.
Nori was disappointed and unhappy with Gobert.
“A technical foul with 27 seconds left, to be honest, is unacceptable,” Nori said. “That’s who Rudy is, but you have to be smart. He made an automatic visual. He was visibly frustrated – both teams were – but we have to be smarter.
Gobert admitted he was wrong to make this move.
“My reaction, I think it was the truth, but it was not the time to react that way,” he said. “It cost my team the game. It was an immature reaction. It’s not a simple call. Everyone makes mistakes, but when it’s over and over again, it sure is frustrating.
Garland made the technical to tie it at 97. Minnesota had one last chance in regulation, but Edwards’ baseline jumper at the horn was disabled.
The Timberwolves were also missing All-Star center Karl-Anthony-Towns. He is scheduled to have knee surgery next week and will be out for at least a month.
Edwards was coming off a 44-point performance in the win over Indiana, a game he sealed with a chasing block in the final second before hitting his head on the bottom of the backboard.
He didn’t do anything that sensational, although Edwards was called for a technical issue after diving on Allen — much to the delight of the Minnesota bench.
Mitchell missed his third game with a bruised left knee. Cleveland’s leading scorer and All-Star received a platelet-rich plasma injection earlier this week and will be re-evaluated Saturday.
“He’s progressed,” Cavs coach JB Bickerstaff said. “He does things on the floor. It just becomes the next workout and the next workout and how it feels, and then continues to progress from there.
FOLLOWING
Timberwolves: At the Lakers on Sunday.
Cavaliers: Host Brooklyn on Sunday.
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