Tag: Minnesota Timberwolves

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Anthony Edwards’ clutch 3-pointer leads Timberwolves to victory over Rockets

Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets

Anthony Edwards made a key 3-pointer with 23.2 seconds left to complete a remarkable fourth-quarter comeback, leading the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 113-112 win over the Houston Rockets on Friday.

The Timberwolves ended the game with a 23-6 run, which included two 3-pointers each from Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Naz Reid, and Edwards’ three-point play with 1:31 left, cutting the Rockets’ lead to 110-108. Julius Randle followed up with a dunk, and then Edwards hit a pull-up 3-pointer to erase a 106-90 deficit with 4:57 remaining.

Edwards scored 24 points in the game. Randle had 27 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. Donte DiVincenzo added 22 points, while Alexander-Walker and Reid combined for 25 points, all coming off the bench.

Alperen Sengun led the Rockets with a season-high 38 points but missed two crucial free throws in the last 69 seconds. Sengun also grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds. Amen Thompson posted a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds.

Fred VanVleet added 18 points, six rebounds, and seven assists, and he, along with Sengun, helped the Rockets take control in the third quarter.

Alperen Sengun reacts in the 1st half

Houston was without Dillon Brooks (ankle) and Tari Eason (leg) and had its four-game winning streak snapped. Thompson’s two dunks and two 3-pointers by Jabari Smith Jr. sparked a 12-2 run early in the fourth quarter, putting the Rockets up by double digits.

Edwards had a strong first quarter, scoring 13 points on 5-for-6 shooting, including 3-for-3 from behind the arc. His coast-to-coast layup at the buzzer gave the Timberwolves a 22-21 lead at the end of the first quarter. Despite committing six turnovers, Minnesota shot just 3-for-11 in the opening period.

Randle and DiVincenzo came alive in the second quarter, with Randle leading a 10-2 run that gave the Timberwolves a 39-32 lead with five points. DiVincenzo added a corner 3-pointer to make it 45-36, with Edwards, DiVincenzo, and Randle all scoring 13 points.

The Rockets responded with an 8-0 run, closing the gap to 52-50, and despite shooting just 4-for-14 from 3-point range, they trailed by only five points at halftime.

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NBA (Basketball)

Rockets look to continue strong offense against struggling Timberwolves

Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors

The Houston Rockets are coming off a successful 3-0 road trip, which they capped with a 128-111 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday. This victory extended their winning streak to four games since their loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Cup semifinals. During this streak, the Rockets’ offense has found its rhythm.

Houston will now begin a five-game homestand, facing the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday. The Rockets are shooting 48.1 percent during their win streak, including an impressive 57.4 percent on shots inside the 3-point arc. While the team has already been one of the top defensive squads, their offensive struggles earlier in the season had held them back.

“We had the same looks against OKC in Las Vegas and missed those same looks,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said. “It would have been nice to have them that night against a team that loads up the paint and tries to make you prove it.

Guys are shooting with confidence, putting in the work. We’ve had some days to get some legs up under us and, yeah, have had some big shooting nights lately. And, obviously, when you play defense at the level we are and make shots, you have good results.”

The Rockets won their final two road games without key forwards Dillon Brooks (ankle) and Tari Eason (leg), with both players’ status for the Timberwolves game unknown.

Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA)

Despite these absences, the Rockets’ depth has stepped up, especially from the starting backcourt of Jalen Green and Fred VanVleet, who combined for 55 points against the Pelicans. Reserve Cam Whitmore also had a breakout performance, scoring a career-high 27 points.

The Timberwolves, on the other hand, had been on a strong stretch with six wins in seven games before a 26-point loss to the New York Knicks on Dec. 19. This loss sparked a three-game losing streak, which they broke with a 105-99 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Christmas. The Timberwolves are now back above .500.

Minnesota made significant moves in the offseason, trading Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks while adding Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. However, the new roster has taken some time to gel.

Anthony Edwards continues to be the team’s star, and his clutch performance helped Minnesota hold off a late comeback from the Mavericks. Despite Edwards’ heroics, the Timberwolves remain one of the bottom-10 offenses in the league, and the team is still figuring things out.

“We’ve got a good group of guys,” Edwards said. “It’s all about having patience. It’s a different team so we’ve got to have patience to be able to get it together. Sometimes it looks good, sometimes it looks bad and we’re still trying to figure it out. I think patience is what’s going to take us over the top. Being able to wait and figure it out, and once we figure it out, we’ll be all right.”

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NBA (Basketball)

Timberwolves hold off Mavericks’ intense rally to secure win

Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks (NBA)

Anthony Edwards scored 26 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Dallas Mavericks 105-99 on Wednesday. The Mavericks played the second half without their star player Luka Doncic, who suffered a left calf strain late in the second quarter.

Doncic got injured with 2:31 left in the second quarter and went straight to the locker room. At that point, he had 14 points in 16 minutes, and Dallas was trailing 51-38.

In the third quarter, the Timberwolves built a 28-point lead before the Mavericks started a comeback led by Kyrie Irving in the final period. Dallas narrowed the gap to 101-99 on Klay Thompson’s 3-pointer with 1:05 left.

Thompson finished with 12 points, making four 3-pointers and surpassing Reggie Miller for fifth on the NBA’s all-time career 3-pointers list with 2,562. Irving scored 15 of his 39 points in the fourth quarter, but he missed a 3-pointer that could have given Dallas the lead with 37 seconds left.

Edwards then scored on the next possession to give the Timberwolves a four-point lead, and Dallas native Julius Randle sealed the win with two free throws.

Minnesota Timberwolves and Sacramento Kings

The Timberwolves snapped a three-game losing streak, shooting 46.5 percent from the field and 14 of 32 (43.8 percent) from three-point range. Randle finished with 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists. Rudy Gobert added 14 points and 10 rebounds, Donte DiVincenzo scored 11 points off the bench, and Mike Conley had 10.

For Dallas, Quentin Grimes scored 10 points, and Dereck Lively II grabbed 10 rebounds. The Mavericks were down by two points at the end of the first quarter.

The Timberwolves closed the first half with a 12-2 run, leading 57-40 at halftime, holding Dallas without a field goal in the final 5:46 of the second quarter. Edwards, Gobert, and Randle combined for 34 points in the first half, while the Mavericks shot just 32.6 percent, including 8 of 24 (33.3 percent) from three-point range.

Minnesota led 90-68 at the end of the third quarter, but Dallas started the fourth quarter with a 10-1 run to begin their comeback.

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Frustrated superstars meet as Warriors take on Timberwolves

Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves

The Golden State Warriors will visit the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night, and one of the teams will have to bounce back from their recent losses.

Golden State is coming off a tough 51-point loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, marking their third straight defeat. Minnesota is recovering from a 26-point loss to the New York Knicks in a nationally televised game on Thursday night.

Both teams seem to be feeling frustrated right now. Timberwolves’ top scorer Anthony Edwards expressed his frustration with the team’s offense before Saturday’s game. He spoke to reporters after his team was beaten by his former teammate Karl-Anthony Towns and the Knicks.

“We don’t have any (offensive) identity,” Edwards said. “We know I’m going to shoot a bunch of shots. We know (Julius) Randle is going to shoot a bunch of shots. That’s all we know. We don’t really know anything else.”

Edwards continued, saying the problem is not with the coaches but with the players. “It’s on us,” he said. “We’re out there playing, but we’ve got to make it easier for each other. Coaches put us in a great position, too, man. We just don’t do it.”

When asked what he would like to see from the offense, Edwards added, “They’re not going to like what I say, so I’m just going to keep my answers to myself.”

The Warriors are also looking for answers during their slump. Stephen Curry spoke about the team’s need to play with urgency but emphasized the importance of staying calm.

Golden State Warriors (NBA)

“I don’t like the ‘panic’ word,” Curry said. “I like, ‘Accept where you are and try to change the momentum of the season.’ Panic kind of means you don’t have an answer. I think we do have answers. Obviously (we need) a sense of urgency, for sure.”

Curry struggled in the loss to Memphis, shooting 0-for-7 from the field and 0-for-6 from 3-point range, finishing with just two points. His previous season low had been 12 points. Curry leads the Warriors with 22.0 points per game and 6.4 assists. Andrew Wiggins (17.8 points per game), Jonathan Kuminga (15.3), and Buddy Hield (14.1) are also top scorers for the team.

Edwards leads the Timberwolves with 25.9 points per game, and Julius Randle is averaging 20.2 points. After them, the next highest scorer is Naz Reid with 11.8 points per game. Rudy Gobert has been averaging a double-double with 10.3 points and 10.7 rebounds, though he had one of his worst games of the season against New York, finishing with just three points and four rebounds in 22 minutes.

This is the third of four games between these teams this season. The first two games were held in San Francisco. Minnesota won the first game 107-90 on December 6, with Edwards scoring 30 points. Golden State responded with a 114-106 win two days later, with Curry leading the Warriors with 30 points.

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NBA (Basketball)

Knicks aim for strong finish to the year as they head to New Orleans

Karl-Anthony Towns (NBA)

The New York Knicks had a strong win against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday, even though they didn’t have their best roster. The game was the first between the two teams since the big trade that showed the Knicks were aiming for a championship.

The Knicks will look to have similar success on Saturday as they play the New Orleans Pelicans, starting a stretch of games that could be favorable for them.

Both teams had games on Thursday, with the Knicks winning 133-107 against the Timberwolves and the Pelicans losing 133-113 to the Houston Rockets.

The Knicks’ two big offseason additions, Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges, scored a combined 61 points on Thursday. Towns had an impressive 32 points and 20 rebounds in his first game back in Minnesota since being traded to the Knicks in a deal that sent Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle to the Timberwolves.

Towns’ performance was praised by Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, who said, “The way ‘KAT’ performed was ridiculous… he came out there ready to play, and we’re happy we got the win.”

The Knicks have a chance to build on this success, with five of their next seven games against teams with some of the worst records in the league.

New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray dribbles against the Houston Rockets during the second half of an NBA preseason basketball game

After facing the 5-23 Pelicans, the Knicks will play the Toronto Raptors (7-21) on Monday and then face the Washington Wizards (4-21) on the road later next week. They’ll start January with a home game against the Utah Jazz (6-20).

The Knicks will also have Josh Hart back in the lineup on Saturday after he missed Thursday’s game for personal reasons. Hart has been a strong contributor, averaging 14.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game this season.

On the other hand, the Pelicans are struggling, having lost 20 of their last 22 games. They’ve had to use 17 different lineups this season, and their optimal starting five, which includes Brandon Ingram, Herbert Jones, C.J. McCollum, Daniel Theis, and Zion Williamson, has only played together three times.

While McCollum and Jones are back from injuries, Ingram is out indefinitely with an ankle injury, Theis has been dealing with a neck injury, and Williamson has been out since November due to a hamstring injury.

In their loss to the Rockets, the Pelicans allowed a season-high number of points. Coach Willie Green mentioned, “We’ve got to cut out the mistakes in those moments,” as the Pelicans fell behind early and could never recover, committing turnovers that led to easy scores for the Rockets.

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Spurs face tough defensive challenge as Timberwolves come to town

San Antonio Spurs (NBA)

Defense will be a major focus when the Minnesota Timberwolves travel to face the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday night in a Western Conference matchup influenced by both teams’ performances in the NBA Cup.

Neither team made it to the quarterfinals of the in-season tournament and played against the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers, respectively, on Friday, ahead of their game on Sunday.

The Timberwolves arrive in San Antonio after a 97-87 victory at home against the short-handed Lakers. Anthony Edwards, despite dealing with an ankle injury, scored 23 points. Julius Randle added 21 points, and Minnesota forced a season-high 22 turnovers from Los Angeles.

The Timberwolves never trailed in the game and secured their fifth win in the last six games, even though they only shot 40.2 percent from the field. Their defense has been the key to their success.

“If we get more wins and less Ls, it’s a good trade-off — I’ll take it,” said Minnesota center Rudy Gobert, who finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds in the win. “It might be a little uglier to watch, but at the end of the day, it’s who we are.”

The Spurs, on the other hand, made a strong comeback from a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 118-116. Victor Wembanyama led the way with 28 points, including two clutch free throws with 2.4 seconds left. San Antonio, which went on a 24-4 run in the final period, also saw Devin Vassell score 23 points off the bench, with five Spurs players reaching double figures.

Minnesota Timberwolves players celebrates after a goal

The Spurs played most of the game without veteran point guard Chris Paul, who was ejected in the first quarter. They were already missing injured players Stephon Castle (shoulder), Keldon Johnson (calf), Zach Collins (back), and Tre Jones (shoulder), but still managed to win their second straight game after a three-game losing streak.

Wembanyama was a key contributor once again, despite dealing with a back injury.

“Man, I’m so glad about how (my back) feels now,” Wembanyama said after the Portland game. “I got hit at one point and it hurt, but nowhere near as much as it used to.”

Wembanyama made all 10 of his free throws in the victory and is shooting 88.5 percent from the line this season.

“(Wembanyama’s) poise, his physicality, composure, fundamentals — all those things played a part in it,” said Spurs interim coach Mitch Johnson. “(Getting to the free-throw line more) will be a part of his game that we continue to want to grow. When he does that, he’s going to be that much tougher to guard.”

This will be the second meeting of the season between the two teams. San Antonio won the first game 113-103 on Nov. 2, with five Spurs players scoring in double figures.

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NBA (Basketball)

The Lakers are focused on making a strong statement from the start in their upcoming rematch against the Grizzlies

Anthony Davis leaps to make the basket

Lakers star center Anthony Davis believes that the team will need to rely on its toughness when they face the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday night.

The Lakers struggled with this on Friday, losing 97-87 to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Davis scored 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds but also committed four of Los Angeles’ 22 turnovers, which was a season-high.

After watching his team fail to take a lead against Minnesota, Davis is focused on ensuring that the Lakers bring more intensity in their next game against Memphis.

“Being physical,” Davis said when asked how Los Angeles was going to compete with the Grizzlies. “We’re playing a physical team, and they’ll try to create turnovers with their physicality and disruption on the ball, passing lanes, things like that.”

Davis is also hoping for a much cleaner performance than what the Lakers showed on Friday.

“Once we take care of the basketball and get some ball movement and body movement, we’ll be able to score,” Davis said. “But we can’t have 22 turnovers like we did (against the Timberwolves).”

Superstar LeBron James is at risk of missing his third straight game for the Lakers as he continues to recover from a left foot injury. James, 39, is averaging 23.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 9.1 assists per game this season and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game.

James has averaged 37.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 10.0 assists in two games against Memphis this season. The Grizzlies and Lakers have split those matchups, with Los Angeles winning the most recent one 128-123 on November 13.

Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves

Since then, Memphis has been playing very well, going 11-3 over their last 14 games.

“We are making progress and developing right now, and I’m definitely excited where this group has trended the past couple weeks,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said earlier this week. “Are we going to maintain our pace? We’ve been committed to relying on our depth.

“Defensively, we’ve had progress in our pick-and-roll coverages and our one-on-one defense has improved. But it’s all about consistency. That’s the thing we’ve talked with the team about over this stretch.”

Memphis has been on a strong run, winning four straight games, including a 127-121 road win over the defending champion Boston Celtics. The Grizzlies also won 135-119 against the Nets on Friday.

Ja Morant led Memphis against Brooklyn with 28 points, seven rebounds, and 10 assists, while Desmond Bane had 21 points. Jaren Jackson Jr. and Santi Aldama each added 20 points.

“We’ve got to be proud of (the recent improvements),” Aldama said ahead of a four-day break before the win over the Nets. “Use this time off and then get back to work… Use these practice days to our advantage, and kind of crack down on things we need to get better at.”

Big men Zach Edey (ankle) and Jay Huff (knee) are questionable for Memphis on Sunday, as is guard Marcus Smart (knee).

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NBA (Basketball)

Timberwolves secure wire-to-wire victory against Lakers without LeBron

Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers

Anthony Edwards scored 23 points on 9-for-20 shooting, and the Minnesota Timberwolves held off the Los Angeles Lakers for a 97-87 victory on Friday night in Minneapolis.

Julius Randle added 21 points for Minnesota, which won five of its last six games. Jaden McDaniels scored 18 points, and Rudy Gobert recorded a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds.

Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Los Angeles, which has now lost eight of its last 11 games, never led in the game. Austin Reaves contributed 18 points, and Max Christie scored 15.

LeBron James was absent due to left foot soreness, marking only the second time this season the Lakers have played without him. James will turn 40 on Dec. 30.

Minnesota shot 40.2 percent (35 of 87) from the field and 28.1 percent (9 of 32) from three-point range. Los Angeles made 38.4 percent of their shots (33 of 86) and 28.6 percent (10 of 35) from beyond the arc.

Anthony Edwards
Anthony Edwards (NBA)

The Lakers cut the Timberwolves’ lead to 87-82 with 2:33 left in the game. Davis hit a 3-pointer from 25 feet to reduce the gap to five points.

Minnesota responded with a 6-0 run to push their lead back to 11 points. McDaniels made a layup, Edwards hit three of four free throws, and Gobert made one of two free throws during the run.

Los Angeles never got closer than eight points after that.

The Timberwolves were ahead 77-66 at the end of the third quarter. Edwards scored 11 points on 5-for-7 shooting in the third, while no other player on either team scored more than five points in that period.

Minnesota led by as much as 14 points before halftime. Donte DiVincenzo hit a 3-pointer to give the Timberwolves a 32-18 lead with 1:04 left in the first quarter.

The Lakers closed the gap to 50-44 by halftime, with Reaves finishing the half with a 3-pointer assisted by Christie.

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NBA (Basketball)

Rudy Gobert sets up screens and the scene as the Timberwolves take on the Lakers at home

Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Clippers

The Minnesota Timberwolves knew that Rudy Gobert would make a big impact on defense when he joined the team over two years ago.

Gobert’s offensive numbers might not stand out, but one of his key strengths is setting screens for Anthony Edwards, helping to spark the Timberwolves’ offense.

The two players will have another chance to shine when the Timberwolves face the Los Angeles Lakers at home on Friday night in Minneapolis.

Minnesota is aiming for its fifth win in the last six games. Part of the team’s recent success comes from the growing connection between Gobert and Edwards, according to Timberwolves coach Chris Finch.

“It has really developed over Rudy’s time here,” Finch said. “(There is) trust both ways. Rudy has long been one of the screen setters. … Ant’s willingness now to take that 3 has been huge, and Ant’s willingness to look for Rudy at different levels of the floor, like in the pocket or at the rim, we’ve been able to complete a lot more of that.”

“At times, I think we haven’t used Rudy as a screener in pick-and-roll enough,” Finch added.

The Lakers also have areas they need to improve as they head north. They have lost seven of their last 10 games but are coming off a 107-98 win against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night.

Los Angeles might face an extra challenge on Friday, as LeBron James is reportedly unlikely to play because of foot soreness.

Earlier this week, James missed practice due to personal reasons.

Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves

“LeBron is not with the team right now,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “He’s out for personal reasons, excused absence.”

James, who will turn 40 years old on Dec. 30, is averaging 23.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 9.1 assists this season. His shooting from the field is at 49.5 percent, and from three-point range, he’s shooting 35.9 percent, both lower than last season.

His teammates know they will need to step up if James misses time.

“He’s going to come back, and he’s still going to be the same,” Lakers backup center Christian Koloko said. “He’s going to give everything on the court.”

“We’ve just got to do our part and just get better so that when he comes back, he can just look at us and be like, ‘Oh yeah, (they) were actually working,’ when he wasn’t there. But we know he’ll come back and just pick up everything. He’s been in the NBA for a long time.”

Anthony Davis leads the Lakers with 27.5 points and 11.2 rebounds per game. James is second in scoring, and Austin Reaves ranks third with 16.7 points per game.

Edwards is leading the Timberwolves with 26.4 points per game. Julius Randle is second with 20.4 points per game, and Naz Reid is averaging 12.7 points. This is the third of four matchups between the Timberwolves and Lakers this season.

Los Angeles won the first game 110-103 on Oct. 22 at home, with Davis scoring a team-high 36 points, 16 rebounds, and three blocks. Edwards led the Timberwolves with 27 points.

Minnesota evened things out in the second game with a 109-80 victory on Dec. 2 in Minneapolis. Five players scored in double digits for the Timberwolves, with Randle leading with 18 points. For Los Angeles, D’Angelo Russell scored 20 points on 8-for-12 shooting, including 4-for-5 from three-point range.

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NBA (Basketball)

Warriors’ defense strengthens in the closing moments to secure victory over the Timberwolves

Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves

Stephen Curry, Buddy Hield, and Jonathan Kuminga scored a combined 77 points, while Gary Payton II made two important defensive plays, helping the Golden State Warriors beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 114-106 on Sunday night in San Francisco. The Warriors held the Timberwolves scoreless for the last 4:46 of the game.

Curry led all scorers with 30 points, Hield scored 27, and Kuminga added 20 for the Warriors, who bounced back from a 107-90 loss to the Timberwolves on Friday. This win was only their second in the last eight games.

The game saw both teams take turns with double-digit leads. The Timberwolves briefly took the lead at 106-105 after a 3-pointer by Anthony Edwards with 4:47 left in the fourth quarter. But from that point on, Minnesota didn’t score again, missing their last nine shots, plus two free throws.

Kuminga put the Warriors ahead for good with a dunk off a Curry assist at 2:55. Edwards then missed two crucial 3-pointers: the first could have given the Timberwolves the lead, and the second, after Curry made two free throws, could have tied the game.

Anthony Edwards (NBA)

Down by 109-106, the Timberwolves had two more chances to close the gap, but Payton came up big with two defensive plays: first, he blocked a layup by Nickeil Alexander-Walker, then he stole a pass from Edwards.

Hield extended the lead with a 3-pointer, making it 112-106 with 57.7 seconds left. Draymond Green finished off the scoring with a dunk with 28.3 seconds remaining.

Edwards led the Timberwolves with 27 points and six assists but missed six of his shots during their 0-for-9 finish. Alexander-Walker scored 19 points off the bench. The Timberwolves’ four-game winning streak came to an end. Julius Randle contributed 14 points and 11 rebounds, Mike Conley added 12 points, and Naz Reid scored 10 points for Minnesota.

Curry also recorded eight assists in the game and made half of his points with five 3-pointers out of 11 attempts. Hield scored most of his points with seven 3-pointers out of 13 attempts.

Kevon Looney had 12 points and a team-high nine rebounds for the Warriors, who ended a five-game losing streak against the Timberwolves with this win.

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NBA (Basketball)

Anthony Edwards scores 30 points as Timberwolves dominate Warriors

Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors

Anthony Edwards scored a game-high 30 points, Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid helped with strong defense, and the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Golden State Warriors 107-90 on Friday night in San Francisco.

The teams will play again on Sunday, also in Golden State.

The Timberwolves used a 23-2 run in the second quarter to erase an early deficit and set the stage for their fourth straight win.

The Warriors closed the gap to three points in the third quarter and again early in the fourth, but Minnesota responded with tough defense and just enough offense to maintain their lead.

Edwards scored 30 points for the sixth time this season. He made 11 of his 18 shots, including 4 of 10 from beyond the arc, and added a game-high nine assists.

Gobert grabbed 11 rebounds, also scoring 17 points. Reid contributed nine points, 10 rebounds, and two steals, plus two blocked shots, playing a big role in the Timberwolves’ fifth consecutive win over the Warriors dating back to the 2022-23 season.

Anthony Edwards reacts in the game

Julius Randle had 16 points and nine rebounds, Mike Conley added 13 points, and Jaden McDaniels scored 10 points for Minnesota. The Timberwolves outshot the Warriors 45.5 percent to 39 percent overall, and 33.3 percent to 28.2 percent on 3-pointers.

Minnesota held their fourth straight opponent to fewer than 92 points, allowing only 85.5 points per game during this stretch.

Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 23 points, but he struggled, shooting just 6-for-17 overall and 3-for-9 from three.

Draymond Green, returning after missing two games, recorded 10 points, nine rebounds, and six assists. Golden State hurt themselves with 22 turnovers during the second night of a back-to-back.

Jonathan Kuminga, coming off a career-high 33 points in a win over the Houston Rockets, scored 13 points for the Warriors. Andrew Wiggins added 11 points but sat out most of the second half due to a sore ankle.

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Timberwolves jump ahead of Clippers early and cruise to a win

Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Clippers

Julius Randle scored 16 of his 20 points in the first quarter as the Minnesota Timberwolves stretched their winning streak to three games with an easy 108-80 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday in Inglewood, Calif.

Anthony Edwards added 16 points, Josh Minott scored 13, and Jaden McDaniels and Mike Conley each had 11 for Minnesota. The Timberwolves have been improving after a four-game losing streak, which Edwards had criticized last week, mentioning issues with team effort and communication.

Their renewed focus started on Friday with a 93-92 win over the Clippers in Minneapolis.

For the Clippers, Bones Hyland scored 18 points, and Derrick Jones Jr. added 14. Amir Coffey finished with 12 points, and Ivica Zubac grabbed 10 rebounds. Los Angeles saw their nine-game home winning streak come to an end, and this was just their third loss in their last 11 games.

The Clippers were missing their leading scorer Norman Powell, who was out on the second night of a back-to-back after recently returning from a hamstring injury. Terance Mann (finger) and Kevin Porter Jr. (ankle) were also unavailable.

Julius Randle Reflects on Shocking Trade to Timberwolves, Embraces Fresh Start with Coach Chris Finch
Julius Randle Reflects on Shocking Trade to Timberwolves, Embraces Fresh Start with Coach Chris Finch

Minnesota came out strong, quickly building a double-digit lead at 22-12 and finishing the first quarter with a 33-14 advantage after shooting 52.4 percent from the floor.

The Timberwolves’ lead grew as large as 29 points in the second quarter, and they went into halftime with a 59-32 lead.

The Clippers struggled, with James Harden shooting 0-for-7 from the field and 0-for-4 from beyond the arc in the first half, as the team made only 28.6 percent of their shots. Harden ended the game with just five points on 1-for-10 shooting.

Minnesota continued to dominate in the second half, pushing their lead to 30 points early on, and went ahead by more than 40 points at 86-45 after a dunk by Nickeil Alexander-Walker with 2:03 left in the third quarter.

With the Clippers missing key players, Cam Christie and Trentyn Flowers made their NBA debuts. Christie scored his first points with a fastbreak dunk late in the third quarter and finished with five points, while Flowers scored nine points, all in the fourth quarter.