POSTGAME NOTES
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES 123, PHOENIX SUNS 119
March 18, 2021
TIMBERWOLVES NOTES
Player Notes
• Anthony Edwards went off for a career-high 42 points on 13-of-31 shooting, including 4-of-13 from beyond the arc and 8-of-13 from the free throw line, becoming the first Timberwolves rookie to score 40+ points in a game. He also grabbed seven rebounds and dished out three assists. The 41 points in his rookie season are the most points by a rookie since Trae Young had 49 on Mar. 1, 2019 vs Chicago.
• Edwards becomes the third youngest player in NBA history to score 40+ points:
o 2003-04, LeBron James, 19 years and 88 days
o 2007-08, Kevin Durant, 19 years and 200 days
o 2020-21, Anthony Edwards, 19 years and 225 days
• Over the last three games (Mar. 14 – Mar. 18), Edwards has a total of 105 points, setting the record for most points by a Timberwolves rookie in a three-game span, passing Andrew Wiggins who had 84 points from Apr. 7, 2015 – Apr. 10, 2015. Per Elias, the last Timberwolves player to record 105 or more points over a three-game span was Karl-Anthony Towns (108) between Apr. 7, 2019 and Oct. 25, 2019. The last to do it within a single season was also Karl-Anthony Towns (107) between Jan. 22, 2020 and Jan. 22, 2020.
• Since the All-Star Break (six games), Edwards is averaging 28.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 35.8 minutes per game. He has scored 20+ points on five-straight occasions, the second most by a Timberwolves rookie (six games, Andrew Wiggins, Dec. 30, 2014- Jan. 9, 2015). The five-game streak is also the second-longest streak of 20+ games by a rookie this season (six games, LaMelo Ball, Feb. 22, 2021-Mar. 19, 2021).
• Karl-Anthony Towns scored 41 points on 15-of-24 shooting, 10 rebounds and eight assists, accounting for his eighth 40+ points/10+ rebounds game of his career. He now has nine 40+ career performances the second most in Timberwolves history (Kevin Love – 10).
• Towns connected on a season-high-tying five triples, extending his franchise-high streak of games with at least one three pointer made to 56 games.
• Ricky Rubio tallied six points, five assists and three steals. With his fourth assists, he passed Wilt Chamberlain for 79th on the All-Time assists list with 4,644.
• In 21:47 minutes off the bench, Juancho Hernangómez registered 14 points, his fourth 10+ point performance of the season. He also pulled down five rebounds, his 29th career 10+ points/5+ rebounds game (fourth of the season).
• Naz Reid scored 10 points, going 4-of-5 from the free throw line, accounting for his 24th game of the season scoring in double figures.
Team Notes
• Edwards (42) and Towns (41) both tallied 40+ points in tonight’s victory, marking the second time in Timberwolves history that two players scored 40+ points in the same game. The only other duo to accomplish that feat was Andrew Wiggins (41) and Karl-Anthony Towns (40) on Apr. 9, 2017 vs Los Angeles Lakers.
• Since 2010, only five duos have scored 40+ points in the same game in NBA history:
o Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook (three times)
o Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins
o Russell Westbrook and Paul George
o Kawhi Leonard and Paul George
o Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards
• Led by Towns’ 11 points, Minnesota registered 40 points in the fourth quarter, outscoring Phoenix 40-28 to secure the victory. This marks their 11th 40+ point fourth quarter in team history and their second of the season (45, at Dallas, Feb. 8, 2021).
• Minnesota connected on 11 shots from deep, their 33rd game of the season connecting on 10+ threes.
• Led by Towns’ eight assists, the Timberwolves dished out 22 assists, the 39th time this season with 20+ assists as a team.
• Led by Rubio’s three steals, Minnesota swiped 14 steals tonight, their second-highest steal total of the season.
Edwards Talks
(info courtesy of Timberwolves)