Cavaliers vs. Timberwolves: Score, Highlights, Reaction from 2017 Regular Season

For one night, the Cleveland Cavaliers made due without Kevin Love. However, it wasn't pretty. Hours after they announced Love will miss approximately six weeks following arthroscopic knee surgery, the Cavaliers slipped past the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-108at Target Center in a defenseless duel.LeBron James spearheaded Cleveland's effort with 25points, eightrebounds and 14assists, and he stole the show in the second quarter with a no-look dime to Derrick Williams that split the legs of Andrew Wiggins: Kyrie Irving added 25points and sevendimes of his own, and he was joined in the 20-point club by Channing Frye.Starting in place of the sidelined Love, Cleveland's interim solution at the 4 tied his season highs with 21 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 7-of-15from the field, including 4-of-11from three.However, the Cavaliers were anything but polished despite the victorious scoreline.Cleveland's defense surrendered 30-plus points in each of the game's first three quarters, and it had no answer for Wigginswho dropped 41points on 16-of-29shooting (4-of-8from three).As those numbers indicate, Wiggins single-handedly kept the Timberwolves alive as he topped 20 points in his 14th straight game, according to Timberwolves PR on Twitter:Although the Cavaliers appeared primed to pull away after they led by as many as 14 in the third quarter, Wiggins had other ideas.The former No. 1 overall pick went scorched earth on the Cavs with 19 points in the frame, and he capped it off in style to bring the Timberwolves all the way back and tie things at 93 entering the fourth, as NBA TV documented on Twitter:At that point, The Vertical's Michael Lee noted Wiggins was likely being aided by some extra motivation stemming from the way he parted ways with the Cavaliers:Speaking of former draft picks seeking revenge against their former teams, Williams was huge off the bench for a Cavaliers team that needed injections of energy off the bench.In 23minutes, the Timberwolves' former No. 2 pick tallied 13points and sixrebounds. He was also plus-15 in the plus/minus column and came up with a clutch steal that produced a game-clinching transition bucket, via the NBA on Twitter:Thanks to those contributions, the Cavaliers were able to fend off a Timberwolves team that shot 48.8percent from the field, 39.1percent from three and received 26 points from Karl-Anthony Towns.Minnesota will now turn its attention to the Denver Nuggets, who will play host to the Timberwolves on Wednesday night at Pepsi Center.The Cavaliers will also have to suit up on the second night of a back-to-back Wednesday when they clash with the Indiana Pacers at Quicken Loans Arena before they take an extended rest as the All-Star break rolls around.
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