Field Level Media
Jan 26, 2022
Anthony Edwards scored 40 points and D'Angelo Russell was credited with the decisive basket with 2.9 seconds left as the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves rallied for a 109-107 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday.
Portland's Anfernee Simons was called for goaltending on Russell's layup after CJ McCollum's 3-pointer tied the game at 107 with 10.5 seconds left.
Minnesota escaped with its eighth win in its last 11 games after Simons missed a 3-point attempt at the buzzer.
Russell scored 22 points while Karl-Anthony Towns tallied 17 points and 17 rebounds for Minnesota, which trailed by 13 points early in the third quarter. Jarred Vanderbilt recorded his sixth double-double of the season, with 13 points and 13 rebounds.
Nassir Little recorded 20 points and eight rebounds for Portland before leaving midway through the fourth quarter due to a strained left shoulder.
Jusuf Nurkic added 20 points and 14 rebounds for the Blazers. Simons added 17 points, and McCollum had 15.
Edwards recorded his fifth 30-point game of the season for the Wolves, who trailed 29-26 after the first quarter.
Little scored 14 points in the first half for Portland, which led 63-55 at the break after shooting 10 of 21 (47.6 percent) from 3-point range.
Simons hit a 3-pointer to extend Portland's lead to 73-62 with 7:35 left in the third quarter. Minnesota then answered with a 15-6 run to cut the deficit to 79-77.
Minnesota closed the third quarter on a 20-7 run to move ahead 84-82. Towns scored 12 points in the period after being held to three in the first half.
Portland trailed by two with 5:03 left in the game before Minnesota responded with seven straight points to move ahead 104-95.
Norman Powell returned following an eight-game absence and had eight points in 26 minutes for Portland, which has lost its first two meetings against the Wolves this season.
Minnesota played without guard Patrick Beverley, who missed his second straight game with a right ankle sprain.
--Field Level Media