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Hood, Favors lead Jazz over Timberwolves 103-90

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Rodney Hood scored 22 points, Derrick Favors had 20 in his return to the starting lineup and the Utah Jazz beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 103-90 on Friday night.

The Jazz have won consecutive games for the first time in nearly three weeks.

The Timberwolves kept it tight until late in the third quarter, when the Jazz closed on a 14-0 run that started with Favors' put-back dunk and ended with Trey Burke's 3-pointer.

This was Favors' third game back and first as a starter since missing 16 games with a back/hip injury. He showed touch on his jumper, strength in the post and also had nine rebounds.

Hood reached 20 points for the fourth time in five games.

Karl-Anthony Towns led Minnesota with 32 points and 12 rebounds, and Gorgui Dieng added 20 points and 15 rebounds.

Towns and Dieng gave the Jazz fits, especially early, but the rest of the Timberwolves starters combined to score eight points.

The Jazz reached the 50-point mark in the first half for just the second time in 11 games and led 56-55 at the break.

TIP-INS

Timberwolves: Kevin Garnett missed his third consecutive game with a sore right knee. ... Kevin Martin missed his third straight game due to a sore right wrist. ... Tayshaun Prince, Ricky Rubio, Andrew Wiggins, Towns and Dieng started for the fifth time this season. The team is 0-5 when that unit starts.

Jazz: The entire 15-man Jazz roster has 32 combined years of NBA experience. Garnett and Prince have 33 alone. ... Alec Burks missed his 18th game with a broken left fibula, but he did some shooting before the game and is no longer using a scooter to walk around. ... Rudy Gobert scored 14 points and had 12 rebounds.

FEELING OUT

The Jazz have struggled with injuries all season, but the return of Gobert and Favors presents a good problem. While they were out, rookie Trey Lyles developed and started 29 games, and finding time for him and Trevor Booker just got more difficult.

"There's an adjustment phase now because there's just less minutes out there and you'd like to be able to play everybody," coach Quin Snyder said. "That's hard because, obviously, Derrick's one of our better players and he'll be in there. But I hope it strengthens our bench."

UP NEXT

The Timberwolves travel to face the Trail Blazers on Sunday.

The Jazz host the Bulls on Monday.

Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward dunks against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 29, 2016, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) The Associated Press
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Zach LaVine (8) drives as Utah Jazz guard Rodney Hood (5) defends during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 29, 2016, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) The Associated Press
Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns, right, and Utah Jazz forward Trey Lyles (41) vie for a rebound during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 29, 2016, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) The Associated Press
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Shabazz Muhammad (15) and Utah Jazz center Jeff Withey (24) compete for a rebound during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 29, 2016, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) The Associated Press
Minnesota Timberwolves coach Sam Mitchell shouts to his team during the second quarter in an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz on Friday, Jan. 29, 2016, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) The Associated Press
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Andrew Wiggins (22) goes to the basket as Utah Jazz's Rodney Hood, rear, defends as Gordon Hayward (20) and Derrick Favors (15) watch during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 29, 2016, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) The Associated Press
Minnesota Timberwolves center Gorgui Dieng (5) goes to the basket as Utah Jazz guard Rodney Hood, rear, defends during the first quarter in an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 29, 2016, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) The Associated Press
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio (9) passes the ball as Utah Jazz forward Derrick Favors (15) defends during the first quarter in an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 29, 2016, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) The Associated Press
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Andrew Wiggins (22) goes to the basket as Utah Jazz's Rodney Hood (5) defends as Raul Neto (25) watches during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 29, 2016, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) The Associated Press
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