Anthony Edwards scores 32 and the Timberwolves top the Pelicans 104-97 in Zion Williamson's return
NEW ORLEANS (AP) Anthony Edwards highlighted a 32-point performance with seven 3-pointers, and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the New Orleans Pelicans 104-97 on Tuesday night to take some luster off of Zion Williamson's return from a 27-game absence.
Williamson, who'd been sidelined by a left hamstring strain, had 22 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block in 27 minutes in his seventh game this season.
Former Pelican Julius Randle scored 16 points and ex-LSU star Naz Reid had 13 points and 12 rebounds for Minnesota, which led most of the game and by as many as 13 points. Rudy Gobert had 14 rebounds and six blocks.
Edwards hit four early 3s and had 14 points less than seven minutes in. He surpassed the 30-point mark for the ninth time this season.
Dejounte Murray scored 27 points for New Orleans, but CJ McCollum, who scored 50 points just two games earlier, shot 1 of 14 as the Pelicans lost for the 21st time in 24 games.
Timberwolves: Donte DiVincenzo started at point guard for a second straight night in place of Mike Conley, who was a reserve for just the second time in his 132 games with the Timberwolves. DiVincenzo scored 10 points and Conley eight.
Pelicans: Williamson and Murray worked well together in the first Pelicans game this season with both in the lineup. Twice, a Murray steal resulted in a Williamson breakaway dunk -- one of them a 360-degree, double-clutch, roundhouse jam. They just needed more help against the Wolves.
Edwards hit a free throw and a pair of 3s during a 19-2, third-quarter run that helped Minnesota turn a 64-57 deficit into a 75-66 lead in less than four minutes. Minnesota did not trail again.
Edwards shot 63.6% from 3-point range.
The Timberwolves visit Orlando on Thursday. The Pelicans host Portland on Wednesday.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 |  | Rudy Gobert vs. Yves Missi (Jaden McDaniels gains possession) | ||
| 11:40 |  | +2 | Julius Randle makes two point stepback jump shot | 2-0 |
| 11:23 | | Dejounte Murray misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:20 | | Jaden McDaniels defensive rebound | ||
| 11:11 | | +3 | Anthony Edwards makes three point stepback jump shot (Donte DiVincenzo assists) | 5-0 |
| 10:58 | | CJ McCollum misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 10:57 | | Rudy Gobert defensive rebound | ||
| 10:45 | | +2 | Julius Randle makes two point turnaround fadeaway jump shot | 7-0 |
| 10:27 | | Jaden McDaniels blocks Herbert Jones's two point driving layup | ||
| 10:26 | | Pelicans offensive rebound | ||
| 10:23 | | CJ McCollum misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 10:19 | | Yves Missi offensive rebound | ||
| 10:19 | | Yves Missi misses two point tip layup | ||
| 10:19 | | Zion Williamson offensive rebound | ||
| 10:14 | | Rudy Gobert shooting foul (Dejounte Murray draws the foul) | ||
| 10:14 | | +1 | Dejounte Murray makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 7-1 |
| 10:14 | | +1 | Dejounte Murray makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 7-2 |
| 10:02 | | Jaden McDaniels misses three point jump shot | ||
| 9:58 | | Herbert Jones defensive rebound | ||
| 9:55 | | +2 | Dejounte Murray makes two point driving floating jump shot (Herbert Jones assists) | 7-4 |
| 9:55 | | Anthony Edwards shooting foul (Dejounte Murray draws the foul) | ||
| 9:55 | | Dejounte Murray misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | ||
| 9:54 | | Rudy Gobert defensive rebound | ||
| 9:42 | | +3 | Julius Randle makes three point jump shot (Anthony Edwards assists) | 10-4 |
| 9:31 | | Zion Williamson turnover (lost ball) (Donte DiVincenzo steals) | ||
| 9:26 | | Julius Randle misses three point running pullup jump shot | ||
| 9:25 | | Timberwolves offensive rebound | ||
| 9:25 | | Herbert Jones personal foul (Loose ball) (Rudy Gobert draws the foul) | ||
| 9:13 | | +3 | Anthony Edwards makes three point stepback jump shot | 13-4 |
| 8:58 | | Herbert Jones turnover (bad pass) (Jaden McDaniels steals) | ||
| 8:53 | | +3 | Anthony Edwards makes three point running pullup jump shot | 16-4 |
| 8:51 | | Pelicans 60 second timeout | ||
| 8:46 | | Julius Randle personal foul (Zion Williamson draws the foul) | ||
| 8:28 | | Herbert Jones misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 8:25 | | Zion Williamson offensive rebound | ||
| 8:23 | | +2 | Zion Williamson makes two point putback layup | 16-6 |
| 8:12 | | Donte DiVincenzo misses three point jump shot | ||
| 8:09 | | CJ McCollum defensive rebound | ||
| 8:04 | | +2 | Zion Williamson makes two point running alley-oop dunk (CJ McCollum assists) | 16-8 |
| 7:51 | | +2 | Rudy Gobert makes two point cutting dunk (Anthony Edwards assists) | 18-8 |
| 7:36 | | Dejounte Murray misses three point jump shot | ||
| 7:34 | | Anthony Edwards defensive rebound | ||
| 7:25 | | Anthony Edwards turnover (bad pass) (Dejounte Murray steals) | ||
| 7:20 | | +2 | Dejounte Murray makes two point running layup (Zion Williamson assists) | 18-10 |
| 7:08 | | Zion Williamson personal foul (Julius Randle draws the foul) | ||
| 6:56 | | +2 | Rudy Gobert makes two point cutting layup (Donte DiVincenzo assists) | 20-10 |
| 6:42 | | Rudy Gobert blocks Yves Missi's two point hook shot | ||
| 6:40 | | Jaden McDaniels defensive rebound | ||
| 6:37 | | Julius Randle misses three point running jump shot | ||
| 6:33 | | Yves Missi defensive rebound | ||
| 6:14 | | CJ McCollum misses three point stepback jump shot | ||
| 6:10 | | Anthony Edwards defensive rebound | ||
| 6:05 | | +3 | Anthony Edwards makes three point stepback jump shot | 23-10 |
| 5:45 | | +3 | Herbert Jones makes three point jump shot (Dejounte Murray assists) | 23-13 |
| 5:33 | | +2 | Anthony Edwards makes two point turnaround jump shot | 25-13 |
| 5:20 | | Dejounte Murray misses two point stepback jump shot | ||
| 5:16 | | Yves Missi offensive rebound | ||
| 5:16 | | Yves Missi misses two point tip layup | ||
| 5:15 | | Rudy Gobert defensive rebound | ||
| 5:07 | | Anthony Edwards misses three point jump shot | ||
| 5:02 | | Naz Reid offensive rebound | ||
| 4:58 | | Mike Conley turnover (bad pass) (Dejounte Murray steals) | ||
| 4:54 | | +2 | Dejounte Murray makes two point running finger roll layup | 25-15 |
| 4:54 | | Naz Reid shooting foul (Dejounte Murray draws the foul) | ||
| 4:54 | | Dejounte Murray misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | ||
| 4:52 | | Rudy Gobert defensive rebound | ||
| 4:36 | | Nickeil Alexander-Walker misses two point floating jump shot | ||
| 4:33 | | Jeremiah Robinson-Earl defensive rebound | ||
| 4:23 | | +3 | Jeremiah Robinson-Earl makes three point jump shot (Herbert Jones assists) | 25-18 |
| 4:03 | | Anthony Edwards misses three point jump shot | ||
| 4:00 | | Naz Reid offensive rebound | ||
| 3:59 | | Dejounte Murray blocks Naz Reid's two point putback layup | ||
| 3:58 | | Naz Reid misses two point tip layup | ||
| 3:58 | | Pelicans defensive rebound | ||
| 3:58 | | Naz Reid offensive rebound | ||
| 3:57 | | Rudy Gobert personal foul (Loose ball) (Herbert Jones draws the foul) | ||
| 3:57 | | +1 | Herbert Jones makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 25-19 |
| 3:57 | | +1 | Herbert Jones makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 25-20 |
| 3:43 | | +3 | Mike Conley makes three point jump shot (Naz Reid assists) | 28-20 |
| 3:20 | | +3 | Herbert Jones makes three point jump shot (Dejounte Murray assists) | 28-23 |
| 3:19 | | Timberwolves 60 second timeout | ||
| 2:57 | | Naz Reid misses two point driving floating bank jump shot | ||
| 2:54 | | Zion Williamson defensive rebound | ||
| 2:46 | | Jordan Hawkins misses three point jump shot | ||
| 2:43 | | Mike Conley defensive rebound | ||
| 2:36 | | Herbert Jones shooting foul (Julius Randle draws the foul) | ||
| 2:36 | | +1 | Julius Randle makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 29-23 |
| 2:36 | | Julius Randle misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 2:34 | | Jeremiah Robinson-Earl defensive rebound | ||
| 2:26 | | +2 | Jeremiah Robinson-Earl makes two point driving layup (Jose Alvarado assists) | 29-25 |
| 2:16 | | Julius Randle turnover (out of bounds lost ball) | ||
| 2:00 | | +2 | Zion Williamson makes two point driving layup (Jeremiah Robinson-Earl assists) | 29-27 |
| 1:34 | | Nickeil Alexander-Walker misses three point jump shot | ||
| 1:32 | | Timberwolves offensive rebound | ||
| 1:23 | | Julius Randle misses two point driving floating bank jump shot | ||
| 1:21 | | Jeremiah Robinson-Earl defensive rebound | ||
| 1:15 | | Zion Williamson misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 1:13 | | Jeremiah Robinson-Earl offensive rebound | ||
| 1:13 | | Jeremiah Robinson-Earl misses two point tip layup | ||
| 1:12 | | Julius Randle defensive rebound | ||
| 1:05 | | Josh Minott misses three point jump shot | ||
| 1:02 | | Jeremiah Robinson-Earl defensive rebound | ||
| 0:52 | | +3 | Jordan Hawkins makes three point jump shot (Brandon Boston assists) | 29-30 |
| 0:41 | | Jeremiah Robinson-Earl blocks Josh Minott's two point cutting dunk | ||
| 0:40 | | Josh Minott offensive rebound | ||
| 0:40 | | +2 | Josh Minott makes two point putback layup | 31-30 |
| 0:34 | | +3 | Jose Alvarado makes three point jump shot (Zion Williamson assists) | 31-33 |
| 0:24 | | +3 | Nickeil Alexander-Walker makes three point jump shot (Mike Conley assists) | 34-33 |
| 0:05 | | Jordan Hawkins misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:01 | | Naz Reid defensive rebound | ||
| 0:01 | | Naz Reid misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:01 | | Timberwolves offensive rebound | ||
| 0:00 | | End of period |
| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11:44 | | Jose Alvarado turnover (bad pass) (Donte DiVincenzo steals) | ||
| 11:39 | | +2 | Nickeil Alexander-Walker makes two point driving floating bank jump shot (Donte DiVincenzo assists) | 36-33 |
| 11:39 | | Jose Alvarado shooting foul (Nickeil Alexander-Walker draws the foul) | ||
| 11:39 | | +1 | Nickeil Alexander-Walker makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 37-33 |
| 11:21 | | Brandon Boston misses two point pullup jump shot | ||
| 11:19 | | Daniel Theis offensive rebound | ||
| 11:17 | | Brandon Boston misses two point pullup jump shot | ||
| 11:14 | | Brandon Boston offensive rebound | ||
| 11:10 | | Jose Alvarado misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:07 | | Josh Minott defensive rebound | ||
| 10:50 | | +3 | Naz Reid makes three point jump shot (Nickeil Alexander-Walker assists) | 40-33 |
| 10:25 | | Daniel Theis misses two point turnaround jump shot | ||
| 10:18 | | Nickeil Alexander-Walker defensive rebound | ||
| 10:16 | | Donte DiVincenzo misses three point running jump shot | ||
| 10:13 | | Brandon Boston defensive rebound | ||
| 10:03 | | Jeremiah Robinson-Earl misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:00 | | Julius Randle defensive rebound | ||
| 9:49 | | Naz Reid misses three point jump shot | ||
| 9:45 | | Daniel Theis defensive rebound | ||
| 9:41 | | Brandon Boston misses three point running jump shot | ||
| 9:39 | | Naz Reid defensive rebound | ||
| 9:25 | | Nickeil Alexander-Walker misses three point jump shot | ||
| 9:22 | | Brandon Boston defensive rebound | ||
| 9:15 | | CJ McCollum misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 9:14 | | Pelicans offensive rebound | ||
| 9:07 |