Anthony Edwards delivered a dominant performance with 44 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Phoenix Suns 116-98 on Sunday night.
Julius Randle made his return after a 13-game absence and contributed 20 points in his first action since January 30. Minnesota (33-29) secured just its third win in nine games, strengthening its push for a higher playoff seed.
Edwards took over in the third quarter, scoring 17 points as the Timberwolves flipped a two-point halftime deficit into an 83-72 lead. The team never trailed again, closing the game with a comfortable victory.
Donte DiVincenzo provided a spark off the bench, knocking down eight three-pointers on his way to 24 points. Jaden McDaniels also played a key role, finishing with 13 points, seven rebounds, and four assists.
Phoenix (28-33) struggled once again, losing for the 11th time in its last 14 games. Kevin Durant led the Suns with 26 points, while Devin Booker was limited to 17 after scoring 12 in the first half.
The Suns started strong, holding a 51-49 lead at halftime. Randle paced all scorers in the first half with 16 points, helping the Timberwolves keep the game close before their decisive third-quarter push.
Minnesota capitalized on Phoenix’s mistakes, scoring 40 points off 22 turnovers. One key sequence came early in the fourth quarter when Randle dunked over Suns rookie Ryan Dunn. On the next possession, Dunn’s inbounds pass was stolen by McDaniels, who converted an easy layup to extend the lead to 95-78.
Naz Reid contributed seven points and 10 rebounds for Minnesota, while Mike Conley added three points and an assist in limited minutes. The Timberwolves connected on 21 three-pointers, shooting 40.4% from deep.
Bradley Beal finished with 18 points for Phoenix, and Bol Bol chipped in nine points and 11 rebounds. Despite having their full lineup available, the Suns once again fell short against a playoff-caliber opponent.
With the win, Minnesota moves into the eighth spot in the Western Conference, closing in on the No. 6 seed. The Timberwolves will look to build on this victory as Randle works his way back to full strength.
