INDIANAPOLIS – The Timberwolves defense continued its limp to the All-Star break on Sunday, so if the Wolves were going to come out of a Sunday afternoon matchup against the Pacers, they were going to need to just outscore Indiana.
Enter Anthony Edwards. Edwards has said his ailing knee has been feeling better of late. It looked like it in the Wolves' 129-120 victory.
Edwards scored 37 to go with four assists and four steals as he prevented the Wolves from losing an 18-point lead in the second-half to an Indiana team that detonated its roster at the trade deadline. In the fourth quarter with the Wolves up 112-108 with 7 minutes, 11 seconds remaining, Edwards blocked Indiana's Terry Taylor, then came down to hit a three. After Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton answered with a three, Edwards set up Patrick Beverley for another three, forcing an Indiana timeout.
Edwards wouldn't let the Wolves lose on Sunday, as much as they looked like they wanted to let the game go at times. D'Angelo Russell finished with 23 while the newly-acquired Tyrese Haliburton had 22 points and 16 assists for Indiana.
The Wolves starters had a sluggish opening to the game and Indiana grabbed a 27-17 lead as the Wolves' rotations were out of sync and a step late. It wasn't until the bench entered the game with Edwards running the show that the Wolves made their first charge of the afternoon. Edwards attacked the rim relentlessly and to great effect with 16 first-half points. He was also active on the defensive end with three steals. That unit of Edwards, Naz Reid, Jordan McLaughlin, Jaden McDaniels and Malik Beasley helped turn that early deficit into a 56-44 lead nearly halfway through the second quarter.
Reid played one of his most effective games in a while and was a plus-21 during the first half.
The starters re-entered the game and nearly relinquished the lead, but Edwards helped get them back on track at the end of the half, a stretch that included a soaring dunk as Indiana's Buddy Hield just got out of the way.
The Wolves led 74-62 at halftime despite 18 first-half points from Indiana's Oshae Brissett.
Things looked fine for the Wolves at the start of the third quarter as they increased their lead to 18, and it appeared as if they might blow the Pacers out.
But the defense stayed absent and the offense outside of Edwards disappeared. The Wolves, aside from Edwards, shot 4 of 15 in the third quarter while Indiana was 14 of 24. This allowed the Pacers to come back into the game and get as close as two before entering the fourth down 102-98.
Indiana threatened, but never took the lead in the fourth. Edwards helped make sure of it.
