NBA: Wolves’ Anthony Edwards explodes on Pacers again, scores 44 in win

Anthony Edwards scored 44 points and recorded a key block with 1.6 seconds remaining to fuel the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 113-111 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday in Indianapolis.

Edwards made 18 of 35 shots from the floor while playing through an apparent injury he sustained after stepping on a defender’s foot just 26 seconds into the game. Edwards retreated to the locker room then and again after a hard fall toward the end of the first quarter, only to return both times.

Edwards, who also had six rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks, scored 37 points in Minnesota’s 127-109 victory over Indiana on Dec. 16 in Minneapolis.

Rudy Gobert collected 18 points and 14 rebounds and Naz Reid added 13 and eight, respectively, for the Timberwolves, who overcame the absence of Karl-Anthony Towns. The four-time All-Star sat out with what the team called left knee soreness, but the Wolves later reported that an MRI revealed that Towns had a left knee lateral meniscus tear. Towns will undergo surgery next week and will be re-evaluated in four weeks.

Minnesota benefited from a 48-39 advantage in rebounds to win its fifth straight road game while opening a season-high six-game trek.

Indiana’s Pascal Siakam scored 24 points and Tyrese Haliburton collected 23 points and 13 assists. Jalen Smith scored 14 points off the bench for the Pacers, who have lost three of their last four games.

Haliburton made one of two free throws to forge a tie at 105-105 with 1:28 remaining in the fourth quarter before Edwards answered with a 3-pointer and a 15-foot jumper on consecutive possessions.

Myles Turner responded with a 3-pointer, before Edwards sank a mid-range jumper to give Minnesota a 112-108 lead with 22.1 seconds left.

Aaron Nesmith made three free throws to bring Indiana within one, and Edwards answered with one of his own and blocked Nesmith’s shot to seal the win.

Edwards made back-to-back buckets to extend the Timberwolves’ advantage to 17 points at 54-37 with 4:46 remaining in the second quarter. The Pacers shaved their deficit to 11 at 60-49 at halftime before beginning the third quarter on a 21-8 run to take a two-point lead, capped by a basket by Siakam.

–Field Level Media/Reuters