Anthony Edwards isn’t satisfied.
The Minnesota Timberwolves superstar tied Kevin Love’s franchise record with his sixth straight 30-point game when he poured in a season-best 44 in his side’s 149-142 overtime win over the host New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday.
Edwards has even more up his sleeve when the two sides meet again in New Orleans on Thursday.
“I should have had 50,” he deadpanned moments after posting the 23rd 40-point night of his career.
Edwards, who is averaging a career-best 29.8 points this season, played every minute of the second half against the Pelicans, plus all of overtime as the Wolves were stretched to the limit.
Minnesota’s hot start and fast finish masked a poor second quarter, during which New Orleans assumed complete control.
The lesson, while ultimately not costing the Timberwolves the game, will hold them in good stead in the return bout, according to Edwards.
“You can’t come into the game thinking you’re going to win it before it starts,” he said. “You’ve got to play till it says three zeroes at the end of the fourth quarter — I think that’s super important. I think we didn’t do that (Tuesday). God blessed us with another opportunity in overtime and we handled business, but it may not be like that in the next game, so we’ve got to come out ready to go.”
Rudy Gobert paired 26 points with 13 rebounds, while Naz Reid (18), Jaden McDaniels (17), Julius Randle (16) and Donte DeVincenzo (15) all offered useful contributions.
Minnesota coach Chris Finch credited his team’s zone defense for slowing the Pelicans down after the home side’s 43-27 second-quarter binge.
“I thought we started defensively really good, and then things got loose a little bit in the second quarter,” he said. “They got rolling, they got a rhythm and saw the ball go in a bunch. We tried to go zone to slow them down.”
Trey Murphy III posted 33 points and 15 boards for New Orleans in his return from a two-game absence with an elbow injury.
Saddiq Bey added 22 points, while rookies Derick Queen and Jeremiah Fears had 21 each.
Zion Williamson, who was questionable going for Tuesday’s game, before being downgraded to out, will miss extended time with a Grade 2 right adductor strain.
He will be re-evaluated in three weeks, according to ESPN.
While results aren’t going the short-handed Pelicans’ way — they currently have the worst record in the league — they are winning admirers with the way they continue to fight against stacked odds.
“You’ve got to stay in the moment, keep believing in the team,” New Orleans interim head coach James Borrego said. “It’s a mental grind right now, it’s a mental challenge. We’ve got to keep our heads about us. Everybody wants to doubt (us). These are the moments that strengthen you as a team. These are the moments that build character — these are the fiber moments. They’re not easy, but if you can get through it, there’s a reward on the other side of it. We just have to get there.”
The Pelicans hold a slender 40-39 edge in all meetings against the Wolves.
