Timberwolves after trade

Trap Nets on Towns’ 25 Pts, 21 rebs; Deal Butler, Patton to Philadelphia

MINNEAPOLIS – Karl-Anthony Towns had 25 points and a season-high 21 rebounds, and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Brooklyn Nets 120-113 on Monday after finally trading Jimmy Butler.

The Nets lost leading scorer Caris LeVert to what appeared to be a severe right leg injury late in the first half.

Jeff Teague returned from a six-game absence to score 24 points for Minnesota, which snapped a five-game losing streak.

The Timberwolves officially dealt Butler to the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday, along with big man Justin Patton. The Wolves received Robert Covington, Dario Saric, Jerryd Bayless and a 2022 second-round pick in the trade.

LeVert’s gruesome injury brought the entire crowd at Target Center to a silence. LeVert spent several minutes on the court being attended by medical personnel. Timberwolves players huddled in prayer while Nets players surrounded their injured teammate before he was wheeled off the court.

D’Angelo Russell made a career-high nine 3-pointers and scored 31 points for the Nets, who shot a season-worst 39.6 percent from the field.

In Toronto, Anthony Davis had 25 points and a season-high 20 rebounds, E’Twaun Moore scored a season-high 30 points and New Orleans snapped Toronto’s six-game winning streak.

Jrue Holiday had 29 points and matched a season high with 14 assists, and Julius Randle added 17 points and 12 rebounds as New Orleans won its third straight following a six-game losing streak.

The Pelicans outscored the Raptors 72-42 in the paint and snapped a six-game losing streak against Toronto.

In Miami, Joel Embiid scored 35 points and grabbed 18 rebounds, and Philadelphia added to Miami’s early-season struggles with a 124-114 win.

The win came hours after the 76ers finalized a trade with Minnesota to land four-time All-Star Jimmy Butler, who was in Philadelphia and not with the club in Miami. Butler will be introduced at the 76ers’ facility in Camden, New Jersey, on Tuesday, before he flies to Orlando and makes his debut with Philly on Wednesday night against the Magic.

In Oklahoma, Paul George matched his season high with 32 points and went 6 of 10 from 3-point range, Dennis Schroder added 20 points and nine assists, and Oklahoma City beat Phoenix, 118-101.

The Thunder have won eight of their last nine games after a 0-4 start while the Suns have lost four straight and 11 of their last 12.