MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Anthony Edwards banked in a go-ahead, 3-foot runner with 16.8 seconds and the Minnesota Timberwolves overcame a 19-point deficit to beat the San Antonio Spurs 104-103 on Sunday night.
Edwards scored 23 points. Julius Randle had 15 points, eight rebounds and the winning defensive possession against Victor Wembanyama, who had 29 points in 27 minutes in his return to San Antonio’s starting lineup. The 7-foot-4 Frenchman had trouble shedding Randle and his upper-body strength, clanking a 16-foot jumper with 6.6 seconds to go.
De’Aaron Fox’s 3-point heave near the buzzer missed, too, sending the Minnesota crowd into a frenzy after the back-and-forth finish between two of the top teams in the Western Conference.
Donte DiVincenzo scored 19 points with a major spark for the comeback from the 19-point deficit early in the third quarter for the Timberwolves (26-14), who are 16-6 since Thanksgiving Day.
Edwards gave the Wolves their first lead at 100-98 on a turnaround jumper with 2:19 remaining, before Harrison Barnes put the Spurs back in front with a 3-pointer.
Wembanyama was a plus-17 with seven rebounds and three steals to upstage his fellow Frenchman and ace rim protector Rudy Gobert. The four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year award winner was outdone on both ends of the floor by Wembanyama, who has been on a minutes restriction since hyperextending his knee on Dec. 31 and missing two games. Wembanyama missed 12 games earlier this season with calf tightness.
Naz Reid had 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Wolves, who played without head coach Chris Finch due to illness and were down 16-0 before finally making their first basket 4:39 into the game. Assistant coach Micah Nori took the lead on the bench for Finch.
Up next
Spurs: At Oklahoma City on Tuesday night.
Timberwolves: At Milwaukee on Tuesday night.
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