Anthony Edwards scores 44, Wolves pour in 52 points in 3rd and beat Grizzlies 141-125

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Anthony Edwards went off for 44 points Thursday night, sparking a record-setting third quarter as the Minnesota Timberwolves rolled past the Memphis Grizzlies, 141-125. The win was crucial for both teams as they jockey for playoff positioning and try to avoid the play-in tournament.

Edwards was electric in the third, dropping 18 points while the Timberwolves exploded for a franchise-best—and NBA season-high—52 points in the quarter. He didn’t miss a shot, going 5-for-5, while Julius Randle chipped in 14 of his 31 points during the surge. Randle also grabbed 10 rebounds, and Minnesota hit an incredible 18 of 21 shots (85.7%) in the quarter to blow the game wide open.

Naz Reid added 14 points as the Wolves notched their sixth win in the last seven games. The victory pulled them into a tie with the Warriors and Grizzlies for the sixth through eighth spots in the Western Conference standings, all sitting at 47-33.

Ja Morant led Memphis with 36 points and added some flair by miming a grenade toss into the crowd after a made three-pointer. Desmond Bane had 28 points, and Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 23, but the Grizzlies’ three-game win streak came to a halt.

Minnesota’s win was a bounce-back moment after a frustrating collapse on Tuesday against Milwaukee, where the Wolves squandered a 24-point lead to snap a five-game streak.

The Grizzlies, meanwhile, had been surging under interim coach Tuomas Iisalo, and their recent form had put them within reach of a top-six seed. But Thursday’s loss could dent their hopes of staying out of the play-in round.

The Timberwolves opened the second half on a 26-5 run, including a dominant 17-point stretch. Randle knocked down his first five shots of the half to lead the charge, and the Wolves crushed Memphis 52-25 in the third quarter alone.

Despite shooting around 50% from both the field and three-point range, Memphis couldn’t overcome 15 turnovers, which Minnesota turned into 23 points.

What’s Next:
Both teams are back in action Friday night. The Timberwolves will host the Brooklyn Nets, while the Grizzlies head to Denver to face the Nuggets.