Julius Randle scored 28 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves extended their winning streak to four games with a 125-116 victory over the host New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday.
Naz Reid added 19 off the bench — including 11 in the fourth quarter — as Minnesota posted its second win at New Orleans in the space of three days. Rudy Gobert paired 15 points with 12 rebounds, and Jaden McDaniels had 14 points.
Anthony Edwards, who poured in 44 points in the Timberwolves’ overtime triumph on Tuesday, was held to 11 points in 31 minutes on Thursday. He committed eight turnovers.
Trey Murphy III posted 21 points, eight assists and seven boards for the Pelicans, who took their fifth loss in a row. Saddiq Bey and Jeremiah Fears contributed 20 points each, and Bryce McGowens had 15.
Randle was active early for Minnesota, which produced a 9-2 burst late in the opening period to lead 35-30 at the first change.
The Wolves’ cushion increased to 50-40 on a Randle trey, but Minnesota’s shooting went cold (8 of 28 in the second frame) as New Orleans drew level at 62 at the half.
Edwards was forced to sit out the last 10:32 of the third quarter after he was whistled for his fourth foul.
At the time, he had six points and four turnovers, as the three-time All-Star unable to breach the Pelicans’ double coverages and aggressive off-ball denials by the Pelicans.
Without their best player, the visitors still remained in touch, trailing 90-88 with a quarter to play, before seizing total control.
New Orleans missed its first eight field-goal attempts of the final period, suffocated by Minnesota’s zone defense.
Reid, who played the entire fourth quarter ahead of Gobert, had two 3-pointers and an alley-oop dunk to pilot a 15-0 burst. Edwards’ corner 3-pointer bobbled in to cap the spree, putting Minnesota in front 103-91 with 7:29 to go.
–Field Level Media
