Depth Over Star Power: Timberwolves Surge Late to Silence Pelicans 125-116
In the NBA, the narrative often fixates on the singular superstar—the hero who puts the team on his back and wills them to victory. On Tuesday, Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards was exactly that, exploding for a season-high 44 points. But fast forward to Thursday night at the Smoothie King Center, and the script flipped entirely. Edwards was human, finishing with a quiet 11 points. In his place, the collective strength of the Timberwolves roster stepped into the spotlight, proving that in Minnesota, the whole is far greater than the sum of its parts.
The Timberwolves defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 125-116, but the final score doesn’t quite capture the tension that permeated the arena heading into the final frame. This wasn’t a wire-to-wire blowout; it was a grind, a test of character, and ultimately, a flex of superior depth against a Pelicans squad desperate to end a slide.
Timberwolves Dominate Crunch Time with 15-0 Run
For three quarters, the game felt like a trap. The Pelicans, sitting at a dismal 3-20 record and riding a five-game losing streak, were playing with the reckless abandon of a team with nothing to lose. When New Orleans opened the fourth quarter with a bucket to take a 91-88 lead, the upset alert bells began to ring.
Then, the Timberwolves flipped a switch that the Pelicans simply couldn’t find.
What followed was a masterclass in closing. Minnesota rattled off 15 unanswered points, turning a three-point deficit into a commanding 103-91 lead. It wasn’t just one player; it was a symphony of execution. The defense tightened, forcing New Orleans into difficult shots, while the offense moved the ball with surgical precision. Jaden McDaniels was everywhere, cutting for layups and flushing dunks. Donte DiVincenzo, who finished with 15 points, acted as the connector, setting up teammates and hitting a demoralizing three-pointer midway through the quarter to push the lead to 13. By the time the Pelicans finally stopped the bleeding, the momentum had shifted irrevocably to the visitors.
Naz Reid Provides Spark for Timberwolves in Homecoming
There is something poetic about a player returning to their college stomping grounds and putting on a show. Naz Reid, the former LSU standout, looked right at home in Louisiana. Reid was the catalyst for that decisive fourth-quarter run, injecting energy into the lineup that the starters had struggled to maintain earlier in the game.
Reid finished with 19 points, seven rebounds, and six assists, but his impact went beyond the box score. During the 15-0 blitz, he was lethal. He drained back-to-back threes that sucked the air out of the building and capped the sequence with an alley-oop dunk from Edwards that served as the exclamation point. When Reid is rolling, the Timberwolves become a nightmare to defend because his versatility forces opposing bigs out to the perimeter, opening up the paint for cutters like McDaniels and Randle.
Julius Randle Carries the Offense
While the fourth quarter belonged to the collective, the first three quarters belonged to Julius Randle. On a night where Edwards struggled to find his rhythm (shooting just 4-of-4 from the line but struggling from the field), Randle was the rock. He poured in a game-high 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds, bullying his way into the paint and hitting timely shots whenever the Pelicans threatened to pull away.
Randle’s performance highlighted why Minnesota is such a dangerous team this season. Even when their primary option is neutralized, they have an All-Star caliber forward ready to shoulder the scoring load. His ability to facilitate—dishing out assists late in the game—showed a maturity and comfort within the system that bodes well for Minnesota’s playoff aspirations.
Pelicans Show Fight, But Fall Short Again
Credit must be given to the Pelicans for their resilience. Despite their record, they fought hard. Trey Murphy III led the way with 21 points, while Jeremiah Fears and Saddiq Bey each chipped in 20. For three quarters, they looked like a team capable of stealing a win.
However, the difference in pedigree showed when it mattered most. The Pelicans faltered under the pressure of the fourth quarter, managing just 26 points to Minnesota’s 37 in the final period. It was their sixth straight loss, a harsh reminder that in the NBA, moral victories don’t show up in the win column.
For the Timberwolves, this win wasn’t about flash or highlights. It was about professionalism. It was about Rudy Gobert quietly securing a 15-point, 12-rebound double-double. It was about weathering a storm on the road and trusting the system. They leave New Orleans not just with a win, but with the reassurance that even when their superstar has an off night, the pack remains dangerous.
