Minnesota Timberwolves (6-31) at Phoenix Suns (23-18), 9 p.m. (ET)
(SportsNetwork.com) - The Phoenix Suns will continue the longest homestand in franchise history when they entertain the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves Friday night at US Airways Center.
The Suns kicked off an eight-game stay in the desert with a 107-100 victory over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday. The Suns blew a 19- point lead (80-61) with about three minutes left in the third quarter, but were able to reclaim the lead and used a 7-0 run for a 103-97 advantage.
Markieff Morris scored a career-high 35 points and made 10 straight baskets at one point. Goran Dragic scored 18 points, Alex Len added 13 and 10 rebounds, and Eric Bledsoe posted 12 points for the Suns, who shot 52.6 percent and scored 27 points off 19 Cleveland turnovers.
"We had a stretch where we had a lot of bad things going on," Suns coach Jeff Hornacek said. "We just pounded it into Markieff and he came through, play after play."
Phoenix is 11-4 in its last 15 games, averaging 111.5 ppg in that time, and improved to 32-1 when making 50 percent or better under Hornacek.
The Suns have won four in a row at home and are 10-7 as the host. They will also welcome the Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, Washington Wizards and Chicago Bulls to town.
Morris is averaging 19.0 points and 6.8 rebounds in his last five games, while Dragic is posting 18.9 ppg in his previous 22. Bledsoe is scoring at a 17.9 ppg clip over his last 15 contests.
Minnesota was able to stop a 15-game losing streak with a 110-101 triumph against the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday in the opener of a four-game road trip.
Mo Williams was a one-man show with a career-high and franchise-best 52 points, including 37 in the second half. Williams was 19-of-33 from the field and made 6-of-11 3-pointers for the Timberwolves, who won for the first time since Dec. 10 versus the Trail Blazers and halted a 10-game road slide.
"Mo was unbelievable," Minnesota coach Flip Saunders said. "He trusted guys. Other guys made shots. I thought that we played with a good sense of urgency and we played all 48 minutes."
Williams scored 21 points in a 41-point fourth quarter (41-26). Andrew Wiggins scored 20 points and Gorgui Dieng added 10 and 10 rebounds.
The T-wolves will also visit the Denver Nuggets and Charlotte Hornets on this road swing and are 3-15 outside the Twin Cities.
Minnesota is hoping to get some reinforcements soon in the form of Kevin Martin (wrist), Nikola Pekovic (wrist/ankle) and Ricky Rubio (ankle). Shabazz Muhammad went down recently with an abdominal strain. Martin and Pekovic are doubtful for Friday.
The Wolves and Suns will play the second of four meetings Friday night and are scheduled to play Feb. 20 and March 11. Phoenix recently took the first matchup, 113-111, on Jan. 7 and both Dragic and Wiggins scored 25 points.
Phoenix is 14-5 in the past 19 contests in this series.