Anthony Edwards made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 2:24 remaining to lift the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 93-92 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night in Minneapolis in West Group A action of the NBA Cup.
Edwards turned a 90-87 deficit into a 93-90 lead by throwing down a dunk, knocking down his triple and sinking a free throw.
Ivica Zubac converted a putback with 50.9 seconds left to get Los Angeles within one, but a sloppy defensive sequence in the final seconds prevented the Clippers from stealing a victory.
Minnesota guard Mike Conley came up with a steal with 26.1 seconds to play, then helped the Timberwolves move the ball around to run out the clock. Conley eventually got the ball back late in the shot clock, forcing the veteran to shoot a quick 3-pointer.
Conley was off the mark, but Edwards was there for the rebound. He also missed a shot, but teammate Rudy Gobert got another offensive rebound and ran out the clock.
Edwards finished with 21 points, Conley scored 13 and Nickeil Alexander-Walker had 12 points and 10 boards for the Timberwolves, who finished group play 2-2.
James Harden (20 points, 11 assists) and Zubac (16 points, 13 rebounds) each recorded a double-double as Los Angeles fell to 1-2 in West Group A with one more game to play. Kevin Porter Jr. added 17 points but sustained an apparent ankle injury late in the fourth quarter.
The Clippers tied the score at 57-all on Zubac’s hook shot with 9:38 remaining in the third quarter. Julius Randle answered with a jumper just over a minute later, igniting a 15-4 surge by the Timberwolves.
It was all Los Angeles from there, though, as the visitors rattled off seven unanswered points to end the frame, trimming Minnesota’s lead to 72-68 heading into the fourth.
After Porter hit a floater for the first points of the second quarter, the Timberwolves took over, going on a 14-2 run to go up 40-29 with 8:17 left in the first half.
Minnesota was still ahead, 51-41, after two free throws by Edwards with 2:20 to go, but the Clippers scored six of the final eight points of the period to get within 53-47 at the break.
