MINNEAPOLIS (AP) 鈥� Cole Anthony had 20 points and fellow reserve Moritz Wagner scored 19 as Orlando鈥檚 bench propelled the Magic to a 127-120 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves that included a Friday night.
The when Minnesota guard Austin Rivers and Magic center Mo Bamba got into an altercation. Bamba came off the bench and Rivers threw punches at him in a tussle that spilled over to include several others on the court.
As play initially continued at the far end, Jalen Suggs pulled Rivers away from Bamba and to the ground while other players joined in.
鈥淵ou obviously want to have your teammate's back and at the same time, you鈥檝e got to be a professional,鈥� said Wagner, who was ejected after a fight with the Detroit Pistons in December. 鈥淪o, that鈥檚 a challenge for a young team like us. I think this time around we did a good job compared to last time. So, yeah, I don鈥檛 really know. It鈥檚 a weird dynamic. You don鈥檛 really want to be in those situations and it鈥檚 not really the best look. You want to be professional. At the same time, there is something in me that appreciates the team sticking together like that.鈥�
Rivers, Jaden McDaniels and Taurean Prince were ejected for the Timberwolves, who had lost forward Kyle Anderson earlier in the game due to injury. Bamba and Suggs were tossed for Orlando.
Reserve big man Bol Bol had 14 points for the Magic, who got 72 points from their bench. Orlando had lost three of four, but got a rare strong defensive performance that was aided by Suggs鈥� on-ball defense before he was ejected.
鈥淵ou've got to keep playing,鈥� Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. 鈥淵ou have to win the game between the lines. It鈥檚 not about all the talking. It鈥檚 not about any of that. You've got to make sure you play the right way, do the right thing, continue to share the basketball and continue to defend.鈥�
D鈥橝ngelo Russell had 29 points and 10 rebounds for Minnesota, which had won six of eight. Anthony Edwards added 19 points and Rudy Gobert scored 15.
The Timberwolves shot 46% from the field and committed 20 turnovers, leading to 26 points for Orlando.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think our approach was wrong,鈥� Minnesota coach Chris Finch said. 鈥淚 think our execution was soft. And we wanted it to be a little easier than it was. Knew it would be a physical game. We had a hard time containing the ball. So yeah, felt like they were ready to play. They understood. When a little adversity hit, we really couldn鈥檛 stop it.鈥�
The Magic started the day 23rd in the NBA in defensive rating, but their youth and length challenged Minnesota 鈥� particularly Edwards.
The budding star had scored at least 25 points in seven straight games and had more than 30 in five of them. But he shot just 5 of 15 from the field and 1 for 7 from 3-point territory.
HOT TEMPERS
The fight appeared to come on suddenly, with no previous sign of potential problems.
A few moments earlier, Rivers missed a 3-pointer right in front of the Orlando bench and replays showed the 7-foot Bamba and Markelle Fultz reacting while watching Rivers run back up the court. The 6-foot-4 Rivers said he took issue with Bamba's comments.
鈥淚鈥檓 just like, 鈥榊o, what are you doing?鈥�,鈥� Rivers said. 鈥淚 went up to him and I pressed him, and at that point, it can go one of two ways. I didn鈥檛 think we were going to get in a fight. But when you stand up that fast and put your hands up 鈥� he threw a punch and missed, thankfully. At that point I've got to protect myself. Ain鈥檛 no one worried about him.鈥�
TIP-INS
Magic: Wendell Carter Jr. was held out due to a right plantar fascia strain. Bamba started in his place and had 11 points. 鈥� Suggs scored all 10 of his points in the second quarter. ... Orlando had 13 offensive rebounds and 28 second-chance points.
Timberwolves: Anderson left early in the first quarter with back spasms and didn鈥檛 return. 鈥� Gobert returned after missing one game with right groin soreness.
UP NEXT
Magic: At Charlotte on Sunday.
Timberwolves: Host Denver on Sunday.
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Brian Hall, The Associated Press
