On Friday night, the Timberwolves defeated the Nuggets 111-98 with Anthony Edwards scoring 25 points and Rudy Gobert contributing 21 points and 12 rebounds.
Mike Conley scored 23 points and Jaden McDaniels added 17 for the Timberwolves, who have won four consecutive games despite Karl-Anthony Towns being sidelined due to knee surgery. Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 32 points and 10 rebounds, while Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. each contributed 14 points. Reggie Jackson had 12 points and 10 assists, and DeAndre Jordan added 11 points for the Nuggets, who have lost two consecutive games at home for the first time this season.
This loss pushed Denver down to third place in the Western Conference, trailing the Timberwolves and the Oklahoma City Thunder by half a game. Jamal Murray, the Nuggets’ guard, missed his fourth consecutive game due to knee inflammation, marking his 20th absence this season. Denver has a record of 11-9 when Murray is not in the lineup.
Victor Wembanyama scored 40 points and secured 20 rebounds to assist the Spurs in overcoming a remarkable 61-point performance by Jalen Brunson of the Knicks in a 130-126 NBA overtime win on Friday. Wembanyama made history as the first rookie since Shaquille O’Neal in 1993 to achieve a 40-point, 20-rebound game. The 20-year-old also contributed seven assists, two steals, and a blocked shot as he and the Spurs disrupted a standout game by Brunson, who fell just one point short of the Knicks’ franchise record of 62 points set by Carmelo Anthony in 2014.
In another location, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George delivered in a critical moment for the Los Angeles Clippers, scoring consecutive baskets in the last minute to secure a 100-97 win against the Magic in Orlando.
In Indiana, Pascal Siakam scored 22 points and Tyrese Haliburton contributed 21 points to help the Pacers secure a 109-90 win against the Los Angeles Lakers. Siakam also recorded 11 rebounds, while Haliburton had eight rebounds and eight assists. The Pacers improved their defense following a high-scoring loss to the Lakers on Sunday. Anthony Davis scored 24 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, while LeBron James added 16 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists, but the Lakers were limited to their lowest scoring output of the season.
