Field Level Media
Mar 17, 2024
Mike Conley scored 25 points in his Salt Lake City return and Anthony Edwards scored 31 to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 119-100 win over the Utah Jazz on Saturday night.
The night began with a video tribute for Conley, who played three-plus seasons in Utah before being traded to Minnesota in February 2023. The evening finished with the point guard hitting 8 of 12 shots from the floor and igniting a game-changing run to help the Timberwolves win despite not having Rudy Gobert (left rib sprain) and Karl-Anthony Towns (knee surgery).
Edwards topped all scorers and added 10 rebounds, five assists, three steals and three blocks for Minnesota (46-21), which will remain in Utah and face the Jazz for the second straight game on Monday night.
Edwards hit 12 of 20 shots, including five 3-pointers, to break Kevin Love's team record for 30-point games in a season with 26. Naz Reid contributed 22 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocked shots as the Timberwolves won after a four-day break.
Collin Sexton, coming off the bench, led the Jazz (29-38) with 22 points and 10 assists. Utah played without its top three veterans: Lauri Markkanen (quadriceps), Jordan Clarkson (groin) and John Collins (rest).
Keyonte George added 18 points, Omer Yurtseven scored 14 and Taylor Hendricks totaled 15 points and 10 rebounds as Utah lost on the second night of a home back-to-back set.
The Jazz were up by two in the third quarter when Conley ignited a run with eight straight points on back-to-back 3-pointers and a layup. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who was traded with Conley to Utah, then hit a 3 and Reid capped the 13-0 run with a bucket for a 68-57 lead midway through the third quarter.
Utah pulled within two late in the quarter, but the Timberwolves dominated the rest of the way to beat the Jazz for the third time this season.
Minnesota erased an early Utah lead with a 13-1 run for a 43-35 lead in the second quarter, but the Jazz responded with eight straight to tie the score.
--Field Level Media