Anthony Edwards scored 33 points and Naz Reid added 20 points — including six 3-pointers — to lead the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves to a 131-114 victory Saturday night over the short-handed Memphis Grizzlies.
Julius Randle added 27 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, and Jaden McDaniels contributed 20 points for the Timberwolves, who won their fourth straight game. Rudy Gobert collected 16 rebounds.
Minnesota was aided by making 18 3-pointers, two days after dropping in 22 from long range in the 123-111 home win against Oklahoma City. The Timberwolves shot 52.8% from the field against Memphis.
The Grizzlies, who lost their sixth straight game, were led by guard Ty Jerome, making his season debut after missing the first 46 games of the season with a right calf strain. Jerome finished with 20 points and six assists in 20 minutes.
GG Jackson came off the bench to add a season-high 19 points and five assists. Jaylen Wells, a starter, had 15 points and six rebounds.
Memphis played without its two NBA All-Stars. Guard Ja Morant missed his fifth straight game with a left elbow sprain, and forward Jaren Jackson Jr. was sidelined by a left quad contusion. Morant missed six games earlier in January due to a right calf contusion. The Grizzlies also were minus key reserve Santi Aldama (right knee).
Lacking the missing players’ scoring punch, the Grizzlies fell behind by 16 early in the second quarter and trailed 58-49 at the half. Memphis missed 15 of its first 16 3-point attempts and was held to a season-low-tying 21 first-quarter points.
Minnesota spent all but the first two minutes of the second half enjoying double-digit leads. The Timberwolves led by as many as 22 points on two occasions late in the fourth quarter, once following a three-point play by Randle and a few minutes later following a Randle 3-pointer with 53.9 seconds to go.
The Grizzlies and Wolves will play again in Memphis on Monday night.
–Field Level Media
