How big night for center Dwight Howard lifts Hornets over T-Wolves

Hack-a-Howard failed.

Down double-digits, Minnesota Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau decided to keep sending Charlotte Hornets center Dwight Howard to the foul line. Considering Howard is a 40 percent foul shooter this season, it was a reasonable strategy. It just didn’t work in a 118-102 Hornets victory at Spectrum Center.

Howard had his first game of at least 20 points and 20 rebounds as a Hornet (25 points and 20 boards). He made 9-of-14 from the line as the Hornets improved to 7-9. This was the first 20-20 game by a Hornet since Al Jefferson assembled one in 2013.

Frank Kaminsky had a big night off the bench with a season-high 24 points. The Timberwolves (10-7) got 18 points and 12 rebounds from Karl-Anthony Towns. Jamal Crawford scored 19 points off the bench for Minnesota..

Three who mattered

Howard: He did a great job on the offensive boards

Kaminsky: He needed this game after shooting 1-of-9 against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Towns: He bounced back from a slow start to put up All-Star stats.

Observations

▪  Two rotation players -- Marvin Williams and Jeremy Lamb -- played with injuries. Williams suffered a quad contusion in the victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. Lamb left that game in the second half with a tight hamstring.

▪  Howard has been assessed five technical fouls this season. If he reaches 16 this season, he would be suspended a game under NBA rules. The only player with more technicals through Sunday’s games was Atlanta’s Kent Bazemore with six.

▪  Hornets coach Steve Clifford was assessed a technical in the second quarter.

▪  Howard had a near double-double at halftime (13 points and eight rebounds), constantly attacking the rim against Minnesota’s Towns.

▪  Kaminsky, who struggled greatly Saturday against the Los Angeles Clippers (1-of-9), had 12 first-half points on 4-of-7 shooting.

Worth mentioning

▪  Hornets rookie Malik Monk didn’t enter the game until it was decided late in the fourth quarter.

▪  The Hornets committed 11 first-half turnovers. They entered this game averaging the fewest turnovers in the NBA at 13.3 per game.

▪  Howard was charged with a flagrant foul on an offensive possession, in a tangle with Towns.

Report card

B- OFFENSE: They shot well, but committed excessive turnovers (17).

B DEFENSE: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist didn’t play in the first game against the Timberwolves. Big difference in dealing with Minnesota’s wing players.

B COACHING: They beat the team that crushed them a couple of weeks ago.

This story was originally published November 20, 2017 at 9:46 PM with the headline "How big night for center Dwight Howard lifts Hornets over T-Wolves."