Behind Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves pursue quick sweep of Cavs
The Minnesota Timberwolves and Cleveland Cavaliers will complete a rare home-and-home set between Western and Eastern Conference opponents on Saturday afternoon in Cleveland.
Julius Randle racked up 28 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, and Anthony Edwards became the third-youngest player in NBA history to score 10,000 career points as Minnesota posted a 131-122 win over the visiting Cavaliers on Thursday.
Edwards also made a run at a triple-double with 25 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, but the big takeaway from the game was the baseline jumper he made over Sam Merrill midway through the fourth quarter to put him in the five-figure points club.
The superstar guard reached 10,000 points at 24 years and 156 days old, trailing only future Hall of Famers LeBron James (23 years, 59 days) and Kevin Durant (24 years, 33 days).
"He's him; he's one of one," Randle said of Edwards. "He's the best player in the league. What can I say?"
Edwards' magnificence has powered the Timberwolves to four straight wins, moving them past the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets into fourth place in the West entering play on Friday. Edwards is averaging a career-high 29.2 points, but his all-around game has elevated him to the next level.
"The scoring comes naturally to him in a number of ways, but what I'm most proud of is he's playing a great floor game," Minnesota coach Chris Finch said. "He really is. He's making the offense go and making the right plays."
Small forward Jaden McDaniels also hurt Cleveland with 26 points. He combined with Randle and Edwards to essentially put the game away in the third quarter, when the Timberwolves outscored their guests 43-22.
Utilizing a three-pronged attack against the Cavaliers will be key in the rematch, when Minnesota will seek its first road victory in the series since Jan. 13, 2022.
"I don't mind spacing the floor and just expanding my game," Edwards said. "We let (Randle) be himself and be super aggressive. And Jaden is playing extremely well for us, too."
Cleveland acted out a familiar script in Minnesota, digging a 20-point hole in the third period before making things interesting in the final minutes. The Cavaliers got as close as 126-122 with 1:06 remaining on an Evan Mobley dunk before fading.
Cleveland has lost two of its last three games.
Franchise player Donovan Mitchell collected 30 points, seven rebounds and eight assists vs. Minnesota for his 21st 30-point game of the season. Mobley had 19 points, and center Jarrett Allen continued his surge with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
"The third quarter did us in," Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. "And the start of the game, when we got down 17-5."
"In this league, that matters," Atkinson said. "They shot the heck out of it, and we've got to shoot it better."