Karl-Anthony Towns, T-Wolves Get Narrow Win vs. Russell Westbrook, Thunder

Andrew Wiggins had 40 points and 10 rebounds as the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 119-117 on Tuesday at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City.

Karl-Anthony Towns fought through foul trouble to score 20 points in 24 minutes.

The game marked interim Timberwolves head coach Ryan Saunders' first contest, as the 32-year-old took over for the fired Tom Thibodeau on Sunday. Saunders is the son of Flip Saunders, who was the team's head coach for 11 seasons.

Paul George had 27 points and nine rebounds for the 25-15 Thunder. Point guard Russell Westbrook added 25 points and 16 assists.

The 20-21 Timberwolves have won three straight.

A scary moment occurred in the third quarter, as Thunder big man Nerlens Noel was stretchered off the floor following a collision with a driving Wiggins at the rim. Wiggins' elbow unintentionally hit Noel's head, and Noel's head then hit the floor.

Thunder head coach Billy Donovan told reporters postgame that Noel was at OU Medical Center. No further update was provided on Tuesday evening.

George's MVP-Level Season Can Carry Thunder Through Westbrook's Struggles

From December 15 through January 6, Westbrook shot just 37.8 percent from the field. That span included 4-of-17, 3-of-17, 4-of-22 and 3-of-20 nights.

The 30-year-old shot much better on Tuesday (11-of-22), but he also committed seven turnovers, which makes 15 in two games. His 17.4 turnover percentage leading into Tuesday was his highest since his rookie year.

Westbrook is obviously an invaluable asset to the Thunder, who are still in third place in the Western Conference despite the loss.

But George's MVP-level play is keeping the team there right now. Entering Tuesday, the 28-year-old was averaging career-highs in points (26.8), rebounds (8.0) and steals (2.2). He was also shooting 45.0 percent from the field, which is his second-highest mark since becoming a full-time starter for the Indiana Pacers during the 2011-12 season.

George came to play again Tuesday, as he hit five three-pointers and led the team in scoring. His efforts helped stem Wiggins' hot start, although Minnesota eventually pulled away for the win.

Per ESPN.com, the ex-Pacer is first in real plus-minus wins and third in real plus-minus. He's also tied for ninth in estimated wins added.

There's reason to believe in Westbrook outside George, though, and you can take it from PG (via Cody Taylor of Thunder Wire):

"In Russ' case, he has been getting the shots he wants, the shots we want him to take. They are going to fall. It just comes down to him getting in a rhythm, him getting to his flow and getting comfortable. That's just really what it comes down to. He has been a guy that can explode offensively so there's really no concern there. We know he is going to come through. That's...trust me, the least that we're worried about."

Entering Tuesday, Westbrook was a career 43.4 percent shooter from the field and 30.7 percent from beyond the three-point line. His marks were 41.7 and 23.8 percent in those realms this year, respectively, so he could be due for a turnaround regardless.

As is, he's one of the best players in the game at his peak and was the NBA MVP just two years ago. He's also a Swiss Army knife who averages a triple-double.

However, George is the main reason OKC is a top-three team in the West (and perhaps on the rise). Provided his game is still sharp through the year, the Thunder should keep their top-three standing. And if Westbrook breaks out of his slump, then a No. 1 seed isn't out of the realm of possibility.

Ryan Saunders Is a Breath of Fresh Air for Young T-Wolves

The Timberwolves won despite a few notable obstacles.

First, they were missing Derrick Rose and Robert Covington.

Second, Towns was in foul trouble for much of the game.

Third, the Wolves were 5-15 on the road entering Tuesday and facing a Thunder team with a 13-5 record at home.

Still, they found a way to win against the mostly healthy Thunder. Despite missing Andre Roberson, OKC still has its Big Three of George, Westbrook and Steven Adams on the floor. And yet that trio and their supporting cast could not put away the Wolves, who went blow for blow with the Thunder before landing the victory.

Saunders seemingly injected new life into the team, and no one looked more energized than Wiggins, who was drilling shots from all over the court en route to his 11-of-24 performance.

Wiggins offered praise of Saunders on Monday, per Julian Andrews of Timberwolves.com. "I've known Ryan for a long time. He's the only coach that's been here since my rookie year," Wiggins said. "I trust him, I have a good relationship with him, I think he's going to do a good job. You can talk to him, he's not too much older than me, so I think we're going to go in the right direction."

Wiggins and his teammates are clearly in Saunders' corner based on their postgame celebration.

Also, Reid Forgrave of CBSSports.com praised Saunders in the aftermath of his hiring:

The main differences seemed to be the Wolves' aggressiveness, pace and ability to get to the line: On the night, they made 32 of 40 free throws compared to 19 of 26 for the Thunder.

Rodger Bohn of SLAM noticed the increased pace with which Minnesota played on Tuesday:

Despite missing two ball-handlers in Rose for the whole game and a half-game for Jeff Teague (who was ejected in the third quarter), the Wolves only committed 10 turnovers compared to Oklahoma City's 16.

We'll see if their aggressiveness and crisp offensive play becomes more of a norm, but the early returns for Saunders for a shorthanded team on the road against a top NBA side are encouraging.

What's Next?

The Timberwolves will host the Dallas Mavericks on Friday at 8 p.m. ET.

The Thunder will take part in a home-and-home series with the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday and Saturday. Oklahoma City will be the road team for the first game at 8 p.m. ET.