MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Anthony Edwards scored 21 points on 7-for-21 shooting to help the Minnesota Timberwolves stop a four-game losing streak by holding off the Los Angeles Clippers 93-92 in an NBA Cup game Friday night.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker had 12 points and 10 rebounds and Julius Randle added 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who overcame 22 turnovers and another blown double-digit lead.
James Harden had 20 points and 11 assists and Ivica Zubac added 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Clippers, who went ahead 90-87 with 4:10 left on Harden’s four-point play for their first lead since 27-26.
Kevin Porter Jr., who had 17 points and seven rebounds for the Clippers, rolled his left ankle on a drive to the basket with 1:29 left as he lost the ball out of bounds with his team trailing by three.
The Timberwolves finished 2-2 in West Group A. The Clippers are 1-2 with one group stage game left. Both teams are long shots to reach the quarterfinals of the in-season tournament.
Edwards hit a pull-up 3-pointer with 2:24 to go for a 92-90 lead.
The Clippers made only one basket, a layup by Zubac, over the final four minutes.
Clippers: With star Kawhi Leonard (knee) yet to play this season and starter Norman Powell (hamstring) sidelined for a his sixth straight game, the Clippers have been hanging in there in the loaded West.
Timberwolves: The 11-point second-quarter lead evaporated in the type of funk that has troubled this team since reaching the conference finals last season, be it from a lack of intensity on defense, a stoppage of movement on offense, or both. With three straight turnovers to start the second half, the Timberwolves found themselves in a tie game soon after.
The Clippers host Denver Sunday. The Timberwolves host the Lakers on Monday.
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| TOP SCORERS | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
  |
J. Harden PG | 20PTS | 6REB | 11AST | |
  |
A. Edwards SG | 21PTS | 4REB | 3AST | |
| STARTERS | PTS | REB | AST | PF |
| J. Harden | 20 | 6 | 11 | 1 |
| I. Zubac | 16 | 13 | 1 | 3 |
| A. Coffey | 12 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| D. Jones Jr. | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| K. Dunn | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| BENCH | PTS | REB | AST | PF |
| K. Porter | 17 | 7 | 3 | 3 |
| N. Batum | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| J. Miller | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| T. Mann | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| M. Bamba | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| T. Flowers | – | – | – | – |
| C. Christie | – | – | – | – |
| B. Hyland | – | – | – | – |
| K. Jones | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 92 | 39 | 20 | 16 |
| STARTERS | PTS | REB | AST | PF |
| A. Edwards | 21 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| M. Conley | 13 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| J. Randle | 11 | 10 | 4 | 2 |
| J. McDaniels | 11 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| R. Gobert | 8 | 12 | 3 | 3 |
| BENCH | PTS | REB | AST | PF |
| N. Alexander-Walker | 12 | 10 | 1 | 4 |
| D. DiVincenzo | 9 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| N. Reid | 8 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| P. Dozier | – | – | – | – |
| D. Nix | – | – | – | – |
| J. Minott | – | – | – | – |
| L. Miller | – | – | – | – |
| L. Garza | – | – | – | – |
| R. Dillingham | – | – | – | – |
| J. Edwards | – | – | – | – |
| T. Shannon Jr. | – | – | – | – |
| J. Clark | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 93 | 49 | 25 | 14 |