Los Angeles, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Kevin Love and the Minnesota Timberwolves can breathe a sigh of relief after Sunday's 113-90 dismantling of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Love totaled 25 points and 13 rebounds and the Timberwolves ended their ghastly 22-game losing streak to the Lakers in convincing fashion. They had not beaten LA since Mar. 6, 2007 and recorded their first win over the Lakers at Staples Center in nearly eight years.
"We had lost so many to the Lakers. We were due for one," Love said.
Kevin Martin led all scorers with 27 points while Ricky Rubio finished with 12 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds for his second career triple-double for Minnesota, which improved to 5-2 on the young season.
Steve Blake and Jodie Meeks scored 19 and 16 points, respectively, to pace the Lakers, losers in three of their last four.
The blowout started early as Love and Martin combined for 34 of Minnesota's absurd 47-point showing in the first quarter, which featured seven 3-pointers and an 18-0 run that lasted a little over three minutes.
Love drilled four 3-pointers in the first seven-plus minutes. His fourth gave the Timberwolves a 26-14 cushion, and after Pau Gasol got a jump hook to fall, the visitors put down the hammer with 18 consecutive points.
"We came out soft," Lakers head coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We just didn't have enough intensity on defense, and we paid for it."
It was a 47-23 contest after 12 minutes, and although they took the foot off the gas in the second quarter, the Timberwolves still brought a healthy 67-48 cushion into the break.
The difference grew to 29 early in the third, but a quick spurt sparked by Blake and Meeks cut the Lakers' deficit to 90-76 going to the fourth.
That was as close as the Lakers got, however, as an early three-point play from Love began a 9-0 run that put the game away.
Game Notes
The Timberwolves had not won in LA since Dec. 2, 2005, a string of 13 straight losses ... Steve Nash did not play in the second half, and the Lakers announced the point guard will see a doctor Monday to have his back examined ... Minnesota shot 49 percent from the field, including 10-of-20 from behind the arc, and held the Lakers to 38 percent shooting ... Corey Brewer scored 17 points for Minnesota and Nikola Pekovic recorded of double-double of 14 points and 10 boards.
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