DeRozan's big fourth quarter helps Spurs past Wolves

DeMar DeRozan poured in 30 points, 16 of those in the fourth quarter, as the San Antonio Spurs roared back from a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter Wednesday night to defeat the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves 111-108.

The Spurs trailed 97-81 with just over 10 minutes remaining when they mounted a 20-2 run to take their first lead of the game at 101-99 on a driving layup by Jakob Poeltl with 4:16 to play.

From that point on San Antonio never trailed. DeRozan converted three free throws and contested jumper -- and grabbed two rebounds -- in the final three minutes to help cement the game.

Poeltl scored a season-high 19 points for the Spurs, who snapped a two-game losing streak. Dejounte Murray scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and Derrick White hit for 10 points.

Malik Beasley led Minnesota with 29 points. D'Angelo Russell had 20 and Anthony Edwards 14 for the Timberwolves, who have lost nine straight road games.

Jake Layman scored 11 points and Jaylen Nowell hit for 10 for Minnesota. Jarred Vanderbilt and Naz Reid each pulled down 11 rebounds.

Minnesota shot 56.5 percent in the first quarter in grabbing a 33-29 lead. The Timberwolves expanded the advantage to 14 points in the second period using a 14-5 run through the middle of the period to go up 59-45 after a Beasley jumper with 3:50 to play.

San Antonio was still down by 14 before Patty Mills' three-point play with 1.7 seconds left in the period cut the margin to 65-54 at halftime.

Beasley led all scorers with 15 points at the break while Edwards added 10 in the first half for the Timberwolves. Minnesota outshot the Spurs 53 percent to 47 percent and canned nine of its 18 shots from beyond the arc.

DeRozan paced San Antonio with 12 first-half points. The Spurs were just 3 of 13 from long distance before the break.

San Antonio was without LaMarcus Aldridge and Rudy Gay, as both sat out with hip injuries. Both will likely miss at least one more game.

The Timberwolves played without Karl-Anthony Towns (health and safety protocol) for the 10th straight game as well as Jarrett Culver (ankle sprain) and Juancho Hernangomez (reconditioning after COVID).