BOSTON -- Brad Stevens, clearly happy with his team's win, was also clearly pleased to be part of the latest example of Boston Celtics pride on Monday night.

The TD Garden crowd, which came to pay tribute to old friend Kevin Garnett in what might well be his final visit as a player, turned this 113-99 win into a special night, repeatedly chanting for their hero, who didn't even play.

Asked what it felt like to be coaching a home game with the crowd continually chanting for a player on the other team, Stevens said: "Awesome. I think this is one of the great things about getting the chance to coach the Boston Celtics and being in the position where we're really building and growing and we will hopefully will continue to be in that direction for a long time, just getting better every day because those guys were SO good before this.

"What they were able to accomplish, how they came together quickly, won a championship (2008) and what that guy meant to that team and to the spirit of the organization at that time from everything I've been told is quite impressive. I was not chanting loudly but maybe under my breath as well."

Instead, with Garnett sitting on the bench and the fans calling for him, the local fans, some wearing Garnett Celtics shirts, had to settle for a win.

Garnett was wearing at least partial game attire, but the plan not to play him in back-to-back games left him there. Garnett, who will be 40 in May, played 10 minutes Sunday at Brooklyn.

The Garden crowd chanted "We want K-G" and "K-G" often and loud. Near the end of the game they chanted "Thank you, K-G." During a timeout with 1:02 left, Garnett rose and saluted the crowd, the words, "I love y'all" clear on his lips.

After the game, Garnett said, "Tonight the outcome wasn't the way I wanted to be, it was a great homecoming. It felt really good to be in the building.

"I like to say that Minnesota made me a young man and I grew up in Boston."

Said Minnesota coach Sam Mitchell: "KG don't play back-to-backs, so it is what it is guys. Come on, now. I'm not going to throw him out there because the fans are chanting. If you start listening to the fans, you're going to be sitting up there with them."

The late celebration took place while the "Gino Time" video, a Garnett favorite played late in Celtics blowouts, played above. "That was classic, that was like cherry on top for me," Garnett said.

Stevens, asked if the timeout he called with 1:02 left was to get Garnett the ovation, quickly said, "Sure," and noted he called the timeout to get subs into the game.

Big men Kelly Olynyk and David Lee, both starting because of injuries to Jared Sullinger and Amir Johnson, combined for 32 points and 13 rebounds and the Celtics ended a three-game losing streak with the wire-to-wire win.

Olynyk, making his first start of the season, scored 19 points and grabbed five rebounds. Lee, in his fourth start, had 13 points and eight boards and Boston shot 12 of 25 from 3-point range in the win.

The Celtics (15-13) ended the third quarter with an 18-4 run, with Lee scoring two baskets and guard Isaiah Thomas dishing out three straight assists on the 10-0 spurt that started the quarter finish. That gave Boston a 20-point lead.

Forward Jae Crowder had 18 points and 10 rebounds and center Tyler Zeller came off the bench with 14 points (and six fouls) in 16:53 of aggressive action. Thomas only had eight points (13.4 under his average), but dished out 12 assists and grabbed seven rebounds. Guard Evan Turner had 10 assists.

Forward Andrew Wiggins led the Timberwolves (11-17 after their two-game winning streak was snapped) with 26 points, while rookie center Karl-Anthony Towns had 25 points and 16 rebounds and guard Zach LaVine came off the bench with 17 points - the three 20-year-olds combining for 68 points.

Towns was born 12 days after Garnett made his NBA debut with the Timberwolves.

NOTES: C Tyler Zeller received the praise of his coach after his 14 points and eight rebounds in less than 17 minutes off the bench. "Surely it's tough when he doesn't play and he's disappointed when he doesn't play but he doesn't show it," Stevens said. "He's been a complete and total professional." ... The Celtics were missing Fs Jared Sullinger (back spasms) and Amir Johnson (plantar fasciitis), meaning they were without a combined 17.5 points and 15.2 rebounds per game. ... Minnesota coach Sam Mitchell and guard Andre Miller (from the bench) both got early technical fouls - 26 seconds apart but stemming from the same non-call. ... The Wolves were coming off a win at Brooklyn, which helped the Celtics, who still have multiple draft choices coming from the Nets - in the deal that sent Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to Brooklyn.