New Orleans Pelicans guard Saddiq Bey (41) dunks the ball against Minnesota Timberwolves guard Terrence Shannon Jr. (1) during the first half of the basketball game at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. (Staff Photo by David Grunfeld, The Times-Picayune)
STAFF PHOTO BY DAVID GRUNFELD
Anthony Edwards scored 44 points and Julius Randle had six key points in overtime against his former team as the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 149-142 on Tuesday night in the Smoothie King Center.
Trey Murphy had 33 points and a career-high 14 rebounds. Saddiq Bey scored 22. Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen had 21, Jose Alvarado added 14, and Jordan Hawkins had 10 for the Pelicans (3-19).
Rudy Gobert had 26 points and 13 rebounds, former LSU player Naz Reid scored 18, Jaden McDaniels scored 17, Randle had 16, and Donte DiVincenzo 15 for the Timberwolves (13-8).
These teams will meet again at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Smoothie King Center.
Randle made two free throws to give the Timberwolves a one-point lead early in overtime. He added a layup after a Fears' miss, then Edwards scored on a layup after a Pelicans' turnover pushed the lead to 137-132 with 2:48 left.
Fears had eight points and an assist as New Orleans extended its 10-point halftime lead to 82-67 early in the third quarter.
Edwards scored 16 points during the last 7:39 of the quarter, and Minnesota closed within 103-100 at the end of the third quarter. He scored the Wolves’ first six points of the fourth quarter and they took a one-point lead.
Minnesota held a three-point lead before the Pelicans went on a 9-0 run to take a 118-112 edge. The Wolves pulled even at 125-125 on a 3-pointer by Edwards with 1:49 left.
Bey made two free throws and Queen made a dunk to put the Pels up four, but McDaniels made a jumper and Fears missed on a drive, leaving New Orlans with a two-point lead.
Minnesota called a timeout with seven seconds left and Edwards drove in for a layup to tie the score at 129-129 with 2.3 seconds left. Queen missed on a drive at the buzzer.
The Pelicans never led in the first quarter but they did force three ties, the last at 18-18. Edwards scored six points and Mike Conley three during a 9-0 run by the Wolves.
Alvarado’s basket ended the run, and he added a 3-pointer to get New Orleans within four points before Minnesota held a 31-25 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The lead changed hands seven times and the score was tied five times in the second quarter before the Pelicans finished with a surge. Bey scored seven points, Murphy had five and Alvarado made a 3-pointer during a 15-0 run.
Gobert’s three-point play trimmed the lead to 68-58 at halftime.