Anthony Edwards scored a game-high 31 points and added six rebounds and six assists as the Minnesota Timberwolves pulled away for a 112-99 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night in Minneapolis.
Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 23 points and 11 rebounds for Minnesota, which has won 11 of 14 games to surge to the top of the Western Conference. Rudy Gobert tallied 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Tyrese Maxey, De’Anthony Melton and Marcus Morris Sr. scored 16 points apiece for Philadelphia, which dropped its second game in as many nights. Tobias Harris finished with 15 points, and Maxey handed out eight assists.
The 76ers played without Joel Embiid, whom the team ruled out in the second night of a back-to-back set because of left hip soreness. Embiid, who had appeared in every game this season before Wednesday, has team-high averages of 31.9 points and 11.3 rebounds.
The Timberwolves also adjusted their rotation as they played their first game since Jaden McDaniels sprained his right ankle two nights earlier against the New York Knicks. Nickeil Alexander-Walker replaced McDaniels in the starting lineup and finished with seven points, six rebounds and four assists.
Naz Read scored on a tip shot with 1.1 seconds remaining in the third quarter to put Minnesota on top 91-79 entering the final period.
The 76ers fell further behind as Minnesota opened the fourth quarter on an 18-9 run. Included was a 9-2 scoring binge that featured a 3-pointer and a jumper by Alexander-Walker, a layup by Gobert and a dunk by Towns off an Alexander-Walker assist.
Minnesota built a 57-49 lead entering halftime. Edwards scored 18 points before the break.
The Timberwolves raced to a 37-20 advantage at the end of the first quarter. A pull-up jumper by Shake Milton made it a 19-point lead for Minnesota late in the period, and Paul Reed finished the scoring with a dunk for Philadelphia with 22.1 seconds to go.
–Field Level Media
