Tuesday, March 3, 2020 08:00 PM (ET)

Timberwolves outlast Pelicans with balanced attack

Field Level Media
Mar 3, 2020

Malik Beasley scored 28 points and D'Angelo Russell added 23 to lead eight Minnesota players in double figures as the visiting Timberwolves beat the New Orleans Pelicans 139-134 on Tuesday night.

James Johnson scored 19, Juancho Hernangomez had 16, rookie Naz Reid had his first double-double with 13 points and a career-high 14 rebounds for Minnesota, which made 14 of 34 3-point attempts and shot 55.7 percent from the floor. Jordan McLaughlin scored 13, and Jarrett Culver and Josh Okogie had 11 each.

It was a dramatic offensive bounce-back for the Timberwolves, who missed 11 of their first 12 shots on Sunday while making 36.4 percent of their field-goal attempts overall in a 111-91 home loss to Dallas. That was the first time in 25 games they were held to fewer than 100 points.

Jrue Holiday had 27 points and 12 assists, Lonzo Ball scored 26, rookie Zion Williamson scored 25, Brandon Ingram had 24, Josh Hart 11 and Derrick Favors 10 to lead the Pelicans, who saw their playoff chances take a hit with the loss.

New Orleans made 52 percent of its field-goal attempts.

The Pelicans scored the first five points of the third quarter and continued on a 15-5 run that gave them an 83-77 lead.

The Timberwolves closed within one point three times before finally taking a one-point lead in the final minute of the quarter. But that lasted momentarily as Ball answered with a 3-pointer with three seconds left to give New Orleans a 111-109 lead at the end of the period.

Williamson made three driving layups as the Pelicans increased the lead to 119-113 early in the fourth quarter.

The Wolves regained a one-point lead on Russell's 3-pointer before the Pelicans tied the score twice.

Russell sank another 3-pointer to start a 7-0 run that put Minnesota in control.

Holiday scored 10 points as New Orleans took a 31-28 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Pelicans opened a 50-38 edge, but Reid scored five points during a 17-1 run by the Wolves.

Minnesota wound up scoring 44 points in the second quarter and took a 72-68 halftime lead.

--Field Level Media

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