The Minnesota Timberwolves continued their long road trip Tuesday night with a matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers. Minnesota came into the game on the heels of a dominant showing against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday, so a young Blazers team could’ve been a handful on the second night of a road back-to-back.
However, Anthony Edwards and the bench was not going to let the team down, as the Timberwolves continued their road dominance this season with a 121-109 win in Portland on Tuesday night.
Anthony Edwards catches fire early, closes in style
Edwards went nuclear in the first quarter on Tuesday night. The All-Star guard dropped 18 points in the opening frame including three triples. Ant’s early production was a big spark on the second night of a back-to-back. Behind his unreal start, the Timberwolves took a 37-25 lead into the second quarter.
Edwards kept up his aggression as he finished with 23 first-half points. Each time the Portland made a push, Minnesota' franchise player answer. His continued development as a pick-and-roll ball handler remains a key focal point. Utilizing Rudy Gobert screens, Edwards' ability to navigate tight angles and slash his way to the rim in traffic remains a key part of his attack.
His unwavering confidence continues to propel him as one of the league’s brightest ascending stars. On Monday in Los Angeles, Edwards shot just 1-11 from deep. Some players would shrink away from pulling the trigger following such a tough perimeter shooting performance. Edwards is the complete opposite. Ant hunted the long ball against the Blazers, going 4-of-8 from beyond the arc.
Edwards closed the game in style, pouring it on Portland late to help seal the deal. Scoring nine more points in the final frame, he pushed his total to a ridiculous 41 points. With late-game dunks, post-ups and left-handed floaters, Edwards was having fun late at the expense of the Trail Blazers.
On nights like this, Edwards appears to be virtually unguardable. Impressive touch around the rim, unbelievable athletic dominance and deep-range shotmaking puts defenses in a bind when dealing with the star guard.
Bench comes up big on second night of back-to-back
Coming into Tuesday night, NBA teams this season had a combined 114-152 (42.8%) record when playing with no rest. The Timberwolves are one of just a few teams with a winning record when playing on the second night of a back-to-back. Minnesota showed exactly why late in the fourth quarter in the road win, their depth coming up big in the game's biggest moments.
As Portland closed the gap late and even took the lead, Nickeil Alexander-Walker took the game over with some clutch deep-range shotmaking. The Wolves backup guard drilled five threes on the night, including four in the final quarter.
NAW’s timely buckets allowed the Timberwolves to reclaim the lead. Sixth man Naz Reid joined the party with a giant rim-rocking jam. The bench duo combined for 28 points on just 15 shots.
Behind Minnesota’s strong play this season has been a collection of impressive performances from the bench, especially on the road. With the win on Tuesday, the Timberwolves now have a 19-11 road record away from. Over their last three road wins, Minnesota has outscored opponents by a combined 57 points, the most ever in franchise history for a three-game road stretch.
The Timberwolves will continue their long road trip by staying in Portland as the two teams are set to face off again on Thursday. Following the short stay in Rip City, Chris Finch and his coaching staff will join Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns on a flight to Indianapolis for the 2024 All-Star Game.
Minnesota’s long road trip is almost over. Finally, the team will soon get some well-earned rest for the stretch run of the regular season.
Follow Us
Subscribe