MINNEAPOLIS — Karl-Anthony Towns had 25 points and 11 rebounds, Anthony Edwards scored 25 points and the Minnesota Timberwolves pulled away for a 138-119 victory Saturday over the Milwaukee Bucks, who were playing without star Giannis Antetokounmpo because of right knee soreness.

Naz Reid added 14 points off the bench for Minnesota in a matchup that turned testy early. Timberwolves guard Patrick Beverley and Milwaukee’s George Hill were ejected after a first-quarter skirmish.

Minnesota won for the 10th time in 11 games by taking control in the third quarter with a barrage of 3-pointers. The Timberwolves shot 22 of 47 from 3, including 9 of 14 in the third.

Khris Middleton scored 15 points for Milwaukee, which had won eight of nine. Antetokounmpo was ruled out as the team manages the strain on his knees.

Jrue Holiday added 14 points and Brook Lopez scored 15 in his third game back after recovering from back surgery. Lopez took Antetokounmpo’s spot in the starting lineup.

WIZARDS 127, LAKERS 119: LeBron James passed Karl Malone for second place on the NBA’s career scoring list, but it was part of another loss for visiting Los Angeles when Washington rallied from a 16-point deficit.

James scored 38 points, and Russell Westbrook added 22 in his return to Washington, but the Lakers’ small lineups couldn’t stop 7-foot-3 Kristaps Porzingis, who scored 16 of his 27 points in the final quarter.

James now trails only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387) for the career scoring lead. He entered the game 19 points behind Malone’s total of 36,928. After a six-point first quarter, James went on a scoring binge in the second that included a dunk and three 3-pointers.

HORNETS 129, MAVERICKS 108: Miles Bridges scored 23 points, P.J. Washington added a season-high 21 and Charlotte routed road-weary Dallas for its fourth straight victory.

Terry Rozier scored 18 points, and LaMelo Ball and Kelly Oubre each had 17 points for the Hornets, who shot 20 of 42 from 3-point range.

Luka Doncic had 37 points and eight 3s for the Mavericks, who were playing their fifth road game in eight nights and on the second night of a back-to-back. Doncic did not play in the fourth quarter with the game out of hand.

The Hornets (36-35) moved into sole possession of ninth place in the Eastern Conference, a half-game ahead of Atlanta. They are one game behind eighth-place Brooklyn.

CAVALIERS 113, PISTONS 109: All-Star point guard Darius Garland had 24 points and 12 assists, Evan Mobley got his NBA rookie-high 20th double-double and Cleveland won at home.

Mobley finished with 12 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. Cedi Osman scored 16 points and Kevin Love had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who extended their lead to 1 1/2 games over Toronto for sixth place in the Eastern Conference.

Jerami Grant scored 27 of his season-high 40 points in the first half and No. 1 overall draft pick Cade Cunningham added 15 points and 10 assists for Detroit. Saddiq Bey had 20 points, following up his career-best 51 at Orlando two days earlier.