Anthony Edwards scored 29 points and shot 7-for-14 from 3-point range as the Minnesota Timberwolves escaped with a 119-116 win over the Denver Nuggets on Friday night in Minneapolis.
Julius Randle added 23 points, seven assists and six rebounds for Minnesota. Rudy Gobert notched 17 points and 14 rebounds, Naz Reid scored 16 off the bench, and Jaden McDaniel contributed 10 points.
Aaron Gordon scored a game-high 31 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for Denver. Nikola Jokic had 26 points, nine rebounds and 13 assists, and Michael Porter Jr. also logged 26 points. Christian Braun added 14 points.
The Timberwolves trailed by 10 points in the fourth quarter before closing the game on a 17-4 run to secure the victory.
Edwards scored the go-ahead basket with a floating jump shot that put Minnesota on top 117-116 with 25.7 seconds to go. Gobert added a pair of free throws with 10.1 seconds left to increase the lead to three.
Jokic fired a 3-point attempt from the right corner that missed in the waning seconds.
Denver played down the stretch without guard Jamal Murray, who left in the third quarter after colliding with Randle. Murray was placed in the concussion protocol, the Nuggets said.
Despite Murray’s absence, Denver stormed to a 25-3 run to grab a 112-102 lead with 4:17 remaining. The run included a highlight-reel play by Braun, who leaped for a dunk over Gobert, the Timberwolves’ 7-foot-1 center.
After the play, Braun screamed in celebration and drove his shoulder into Gobert. The Timberwolves’ big man took offense, grabbing Braun and shoving him away.
Both players received a technical foul after officials reviewed the play.
The Timberwolves had a 91-85 advantage at the end of the third quarter.
Gordon made a 3-pointer to give Denver a 71-69 lead with 10 minutes left in the third quarter.
Randle answered with a 3-pointer, which started a 10-1 run for Minnesota. Gobert finished the run with an alley-oop dunk to put the Timberwolves on top 79-72 with 7:05 left in the quarter.
Minnesota led 64-61 at the half.
The Timberwolves opened a 16-point lead in the second quarter. Donte DiVincenzo dished a pass to Gobert for a basket to put Minnesota on top 49-33 with 7:18 remaining.
The Nuggets answered with an 18-2 run to even the score at 51-all with 4:09 left in the half.
