Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Corey Brewer stepped up with a career-high 27 points to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves in a 101-89 defeat of the Washington Wizards at the Target Center.
Kevin Love had 17 points and 10 rebounds while Al Jefferson ended with 11 points, five boards and five assists for Minnesota, which won back-to-back games for the first time this season.
Ramon Sessions chipped in 10 points, eight rebounds and five assists and Damien Wilkins secured a game-high 13 rebounds to pair with nine points.
Gilbert Arenas totaled 26 points, nine assists and seven boards for the Wizards, who had won two straight and three of the previous four games.
Antawn Jamison dropped 20 points, Randy Foye 16 and Caron Butler 13 in the loss.
"They (had) six wins for a reason. Unfortunately they beat us. It's not like we have that many wins over them. They're one of the worst teams in the West. Now we're one of the worst teams in the East," said a frustrated Arenas.
The Timberwolves held a slim 23-22 edge at the close of the opening quarter.
Washington moved in front, 38-33, on back-to-back jumpers from Arenas and Foye with 5 1/2 minutes to play in the second.
Minnesota, though, scored the next eight points led by a pair of baskets from Jefferson to help reclaim a one-point 43-42 lead at the break.
The hosts opened up the second half with a 9-2 burst to run the margin to eight but it was a tie game just as quick following a Wizards run keyed by three straight buckets from Arenas. Jamison then sank a jumper for a 54-52 lead with 6 1/2 minutes left.
An ensuing 7-0 stretch for the T'Wolves signaled a back-and-forth game for the rest of the frame with the hosts eventually emerging with a 68-67 advantage heading to the fourth.
Nearly 3 1/2 minutes into the fourth, Minnesota was still holding a one-point lead following an authoritative dunk by Ryan Hollins. That sparked a 10-0 surge with Sessions' bucket approaching the midway point good for a 79-71 game.
Arenas broke up the stretch with a pair of free throws before the T'Wolves widened the gap to 10 with 5:11 to play. Six straight points from Brewer moments later kept the lead at double digits prior to Foye hitting a pair of threes on consecutive Washington possessions to make it a 91-83 deficit with 2:16 to go.
Another Brewer bucket with 1:09 remaining pushed the lead back to 10 and Minnesota made 8-of-10 at the line down the stretch to seal the win.
"We felt like we shut them down in the fourth and Corey stepped up and we just had an all-around good game," said Love.
Game Notes: Minnesota captured its first win in the series since February 25, 2007. Washington had won four straight and six of the last seven matchups...The Wizards moved to 5-11 away from the Verizon Center this season and 1-1 on a three-game road trip that wraps up in Memphis on Monday...The Wolves are 4-12 at home this season and next visit San Antonio Tuesday.
