LOS ANGELES — Two days after they lost their coach, the Minnesota Timberwolves opened the season on a high note.
Point guard Ricky Rubio scored 28 points and handed out 14 assists as the Timberwolves held on for a 112-111 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night at Staples Center.
Lakers guard Lou Williams missed a potential game-winning shot just before the final horn, allowing the Timberwolves to prevail.
The win came after Minnesota’s coach and president Flip Saunders passed from complications of Hodgkin’s lymphoma on Sunday. Sam Mitchell replaced Saunders as interim coach.
Reserve guard Kevin Martin added 23 points for Minnesota (1-0), while rookie center and top draft pick Karl-Anthony Towns chipped in 14 points and 12 rebounds.
Lakers forward Kobe Bryant kicked off his NBA-record 20th campaign by scoring 24 points to lead the Lakers (0-1). Bryant, who surpassed former Utah Jazz point guard John Stockton’s mark of 19 consecutive seasons with the same club, managed just 8-of-24 shooting and missed 10 of 13 3-point attempts. Williams scored 21 points, forward Julius Randle had 15 points and guards Nick Young, who converted a 41-foot 3-pointer to end the first quarter, and Jordan Clarkson finished with 14 apiece.
Rubio gave the Timberwolves the lead at 101-99 on a jumper with 6:11 remaining, capping a 19-6 surge. After a free throw by guard Andrew Wiggins, Clarkson’s bucket pulled Los Angeles within one. Minnesota increased its cushion to nine points after a 3-pointer by forward Nemanja Bjelica with 2:13 left but the Lakers rallied.
A free throw by Clarkson with a minute left cut the deficit to 112-108 before Williams buried a 3-pointer with 31.6 seconds to slice the margin to one.
After Martin misfired on a jumper with 8.6 seconds remaining, the Lakers called timeout for the final possession. Williams, though, couldn’t convert a runner in the lane.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver attended the game and spoke to the Timberwolves in their locker room before the contest.
NOTES: Interim coach Sam Mitchell said he was trying to keep his club focused two days after the death of Timberwolves president and coach Flip Saunders. “Coach loved this game. He played it, coached it on all levels and he loved it,” Mitchell said. “The best way to honor him is to just play as hard as you can and play as a team. The rest will take care of itself.” … This is the first time in the common draft era (since 1966) that the No. 1 (Timberwolves C Karl-Anthony Towns) and No. 2 picks (Lakers G D’Angelo Russell) met in a regular-season opener, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. … Both teams resume play Friday. The Timberwolves visit the Denver Nuggets, while the Lakers travel to Sacramento to play the Kings.