Anthony Edwards scored 37 points and made nine 3-pointers, and the Minnesota Timberwolves cruised to a 127-102 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night in Minneapolis.
Julius Randle added 22 points and six rebounds for Minnesota, which won its second game in as many nights. Naz Reid scored 15 points off the bench, and Rudy Gobert finished with eight points and 15 rebounds.
Scoot Henderson scored 16 points off the bench to lead Portland, which also played on short rest and lost its second contest in as many nights. Anfernee Simons contributed 14 points and Robert Williams III finished with 13.
Minnesota shot 48.5 percent (47 of 97) overall and 44 percent (22 of 50) from 3-point range. Portland shot 42.9 percent (39 of 91) from the field and 24 percent (6 of 25) from distance.
The Timberwolves led by as many as 27 points. Portland never led during the game.
Minnesota set the tone as it started on a 10-0 run. The early outburst included three free throws and a 3-pointer by Edwards, a dunk by Gobert and a layup by Jaden McDaniels.
By the end of the first quarter, the Timberwolves established a 35-17 lead.
Portland chipped five points off the deficit during the second quarter but trailed 64-51 at the half. Jerami Grant finished the first-half scoring when he buried a 3-pointer off an assist from Simons with 25.4 seconds remaining.
Minnesota outscored Portland 34-24 in the third quarter to bring its lead to 98-75. The quarter included an 8-0 run that was fueled by Mike Conley’s floating jump shot from 10 feet and back-to-back 3-pointers by Edwards.
Reid and Simons traded 3-pointers in the final minute of the third quarter.
McDaniels put the Timberwolves past the 100-point mark with a 3-pointer with 11:25 remaining.
Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe finished with six points on 2-for-8 shooting in his second game since returning from a shoulder injury. He missed all four of his 3-point attempts.
–Field Level Media
