Obi Toppin scored 34 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 3.5 seconds remaining in overtime, while leading the Indiana Pacers to a 132-130 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday in Minneapolis.
Toppin made 7 of 10 shots and tied his season-best point total for Indiana (38-29), which won for the third time in games. He added 10 rebounds. Bennedict Mathurin finished with 22 points before fouling out in the fourth quarter.
Anthony Edwards scored 38 points in a losing effort for Minnesota (40-30), which had an eight-game winning streak end. Reserves Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo tallied 21 and 19 points, respectively.
Toppin drained two 3-pointers in the final 30 seconds of overtime. He knocked down a shot from long distance to put Indiana ahead 129-128 with 27.4 seconds remaining.
Edwards made two free throws on the opposite end to put the Timberwolves back on top 130-129 with 18.5 seconds to go.
That set the stage for Toppin once again. T.J. McConnell dished the ball to him, and Toppin sank a 22-foot shot to make it 132-130.
Julius Randle missed a last-ditch shot for the Timberwolves.
The score was even at 117-all at the end of regulation.
Edwards had a chance to win the game for the Timberwolves at the fourth-quarter buzzer, but he missed his shot. That play followed a driving layup by McConnell to even the score with 4.6 seconds remaining in regulation.
Both teams held the lead during a frenetic final minute of the fourth period. Toppin made a basket to put Indiana on top 115-112 with 57 seconds left, and Jaden McDaniels answered with a 3-pointer to even the score with 49 seconds to go.
Indiana’s Andrew Nembhard and Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert both were ejected after a skirmish in the third quarter.
The sequence started when Nembhard drove to the rim and appeared to shove Timberwolves guard Mike Conley in his upper chest. Gobert helped on defense and drove his shoulder hard into Nembhard, who reacted by throwing the ball at Gobert.
Both players were separated by teammates before tensions could further escalate.
Indiana led 60-46 at the half, but Minnesota got within 89-87 by the end of the third period.
–Field Level Media
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