Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns led the Minnesota Timberwolves (40-17) to a resounding 101-86 win over the Brooklyn Nets (21-35) on Saturday night, securing sole possession of first place in the Western Conference.

Edwards scored game-high 29 points, including 11 crucial points in the fourth quarter, while Towns contributed 28 points and nine rebounds to fuel Minnesota’s victory.

Despite Brooklyn’s efforts, led by Cam Thomas with 18 points, the Nets struggled to match the Timberwolves’ offensive firepower throughout the game.

The game witnessed a brief altercation in the closing moments, resulting in offsetting technical fouls for both teams after a physical exchange between Dennis Schroder and Jaden McDaniels.

Minnesota faced adversity with the absence of center Rudy Gobert due to a sprained left ankle, impacting their rebounding efforts against a relentless Brooklyn squad.

Brooklyn encountered additional challenges as point guard Ben Simmons exited the game in the third quarter with a leg injury, adding to the team’s injury woes this season.