MINNEAPOLIS — 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 (Monday in Manila).
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. 21 and missing two games. Wembanyama missed 12 games earlier this season with calf tightness.
Magic 128, Pelicans 118
In Orlando, Paulo Banchero had 23 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, Desmond Bane added 27 points and Orlando beat the New Orleans Pelicans in Magic center Moritz Wagner’s return from a serious knee injury.
Wagner missed more than a year after tearing his left ACL, last playing Dec. 21, 2024. He had eight points and two rebounds in 10 minutes Sunday in the Magic’s last game before their two-game series against Memphis in Berlin and London.
Zion Williamson led New Orleans with 22 points, and Trey Murphy III and Jordan Poole added 21 each. The Pelicans have lost 10 of 11.
Anthony Black added 26 points, seven assists and three steals for the Magic. Goga Bitadze had 14 points, 13 rebounds and three steals in his first start of the season at center. Bitadze replaced Wendell Carter Jr., who had a back strain.
Raptors 116, 76ers 115
In Toronto, Scottie Barnes hit a tiebreaking free throw with 0.8 seconds remaining in overtime and the Toronto Raptors beat the Philadelphia 76ers in the first of back-to-back meetings between short-handed teams.