Julius Randle scored 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds as the Minnesota Timberwolves overcame a quiet night from Anthony Edwards to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 125-116 on Thursday at Smoothie King Center.
Randle’s performance helped Minnesota (14-8) extend its winning streak to four games, while Edwards managed just 11 points after a 44-point outing in Tuesday’s overtime win.
Naz Reid added 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists, fueling a decisive fourth-quarter run that saw the Timberwolves outscore New Orleans 37-26. Rudy Gobert contributed 15 points and 12 rebounds, and Donte DiVincenzo also scored 15 for Minnesota.
Trey Murphy III led the Pelicans (3-20) with 21 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, while Jeremiah Fears and Saddiq Bey each added 20 points. New Orleans scored first in the fourth to briefly lead 91-88, but Minnesota responded with a 15-0 surge to seize control.
During the decisive run, Reid hit two 3-pointers and finished an alley-oop dunk, giving the Timberwolves a 103-91 lead that they never relinquished.
Minnesota shot 46% from the field and 39% from three, converting 26 of 29 free throws for a 90% mark, keeping its offense efficient throughout the contest.
The Pelicans struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just seven of 25 three-point attempts (28%) and committing 11 turnovers. Despite strong contributions from Murphy, Fears, and Bey, New Orleans could not keep pace with Minnesota’s depth and balanced scoring.
The Timberwolves now prepare to host the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday, while the Pelicans will visit the Brooklyn Nets in their next matchup.
