Anthony Edwards condemned the Dallas Mavericks to a 10th consecutive loss — their worst slump since 1998 — scoring 40 points in an ultimately convincing win Friday for the Minnesota Timberwolves.<\/p>\n
Fresh from winning MVP at last weekend’s All-Star Game in Los Angeles, Edwards also managed six rebounds, while Rudy Gobert scored a double-double, with 22 points and 17 rebounds.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Down by 18 points in the second quarter, the ailing Mavericks had nearly pulled off an improbable comeback.<\/p>\n
Dallas showed resilience to draw level at 103-103 with just under seven minutes to go, only for Edwards to take the game away from them again, with a final score of 122-111.<\/p>\n
“We take pride in being able to win clutch games,” said Edwards. “We struggled with that last year.”<\/p>\n
“We came out aggressive in the start, but it ended up going flat for us, and they found a run.<\/p>\n
“Basketball is a game of runs, and they played real hard. So big shout out to those guys.”<\/p>\n
Fourteen of Edwards’ points came in the final quarter. For the Wolves it was an eighth win in 11 games, sitting fifth in the Western Conference.<\/p>\n
For Dallas, a 10th straight loss leaves the Mavericks marooned in 12th in the Western Conference, and outside of playoff contention. Their rookie teen phenom Cooper Flagg did not play, suffering a foot injury.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere the Oklahoma City Thunder stormed back from the NBA All-Star Game break with a 105-86 win over the lowly Brooklyn Nets, consolidating their lead at the top of the Western Conference.<\/p>\n
Having not played since last Thursday, the Thunder were still without reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, with an abdominal strain, and star guard-forward Jalen Williams.<\/p>\n
But the defending NBA champions have the best defense in the league, and showed their strength in depth, with half of their points coming from the bench.<\/p>\n
Jared McCain, traded from the Philadelphia 76ers earlier this month, top-scored with 21 points, and praised the Thunder’s “chemistry.”<\/p>\n
“Me coming in, just trying to learn the defensive principles… there’s a reason why they’re so good at it,” he said.<\/p>\n
– LA derby –<\/p>\n
The Cleveland Cavaliers won their seventh game on the trot, beating the Charlotte Hornets 118-113.<\/p>\n
It extended a joint league-best hot streak that has gathered pace since the signing of former MVP James Harden earlier this month.<\/p>\n
Harden, the NBA veteran known as “The Beard,” scored 18 points Friday, but was outshone by Donovan Mitchell’s 32, and Jarrett Allen, who managed 26 points plus 14 rebounds.<\/p>\n
Later Friday, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated their local rivals the Clippers in an intense derby 125-122.<\/p>\n
Luka Doncic scored 38 points with six rebounds and 11 assists, well supported by LeBron James, with 13 points and 11 assists.<\/p>\n
Nikola Jokic poured in 32 points as the Denver Nuggets handed the Portland Trail Blazers a resounding 157-103 defeat.<\/p>\n
The 54-points margin was the second-largest victory in Nuggets franchise history.<\/p>\n
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