Anthony Edwards made the most of a second chance, scoring 43 points to help the Minnesota Timberwolves clinch a playoff spot with a 116-105 victory over the Utah Jazz on Sunday in Minneapolis.
With the win, the Timberwolves (49-33) earned either the fifth or sixth seed in the upcoming Western Conference playoffs.
Brice Sensabaugh scored 22 points as the Jazz (17-65) finished the season with the NBA’s worst record after Washington’s upset win at Miami earlier in the day.
Edwards was allowed to play in the critical regular-season finale after the NBA rescinded his 18th technical foul — and the accompanying automatic one-game suspension — that he’d been assessed Friday against Brooklyn.
He took full advantage of the opportunity, exploding for 18 points in the decisive third quarter while notching his seventh consecutive 30-point game vs. Utah. Edwards made 15 of 31 shots, including seven 3-pointers, and added six rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Former Jazz center Rudy Gobert contributed 19 points, 18 rebounds and four blocks, while Donte DiVincenzo added 16 points off the bench in the win. Julius Randle had 10 points, 10 boards and five assists.
Keyonte George finished with 14 points, seven assists and five boards while playing the entire game for the Jazz. He became the first Utah player to play all 48 minutes in regulation since John Stockton did that against Phoenix on March 1, 1992, according to the Jazz broadcast.
Oscar Tshiebwe chipped in 18 points and 12 rebounds, while Kyle Filipowski and Johnny Juzang each scored 15 in the loss.
The Timberwolves seized control of the game in the third quarter, beginning with a 6-0 spurt out of the locker room.
Utah remained within two points midway through the third until Edwards took over. The Wolves’ star scored 16 of his 18 third-quarter points in the final six minutes of the period, including a last-second shot that put Minnesota up 90-77.
Minnesota used an 11-0 run to go up by nine before settling on a 30-24 lead by the end of the first quarter.
Tshiebwe sparked a seven-point spurt for the Jazz in the second quarter, with Utah regaining the lead, 38-37.
The Timberwolves went into the locker room with a one-point advantage, 50-49, after a Gobert dunk with six seconds left.
