CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Julius Randle scored 30 points to lead the Timberwolves past the Charlotte Hornets 122-105 on Saturday night, their first victory without injured All-Star Anthony Edwards.
Edwards left in the first quarter of a victory over Indiana last weekend because of a right hamstring strain. Since then, the Wolves had lost home games to Denver and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Donte DiVincenzo and Naz Reid added 18 points each, Rudy Gobert had 14 points and 15 rebounds and Jaden McDaniels added 14 points for the Wolves.
The Wolves have struggled on defense for much of this young season, but on Saturday they held the Hornets to 39.5% shooting, including 35.7% in the second half (15-for-42).
Miles Bridges scored 30 points on 10-for-16 shooting, but the rest of the team shot 2…
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Julius Randle scored 30 points to lead the Timberwolves past the Charlotte Hornets 122-105 on Saturday night, their first victory without injured All-Star Anthony Edwards.
Edwards left in the first quarter of a victory over Indiana last weekend because of a right hamstring strain. Since then, the Wolves had lost home games to Denver and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Donte DiVincenzo and Naz Reid added 18 points each, Rudy Gobert had 14 points and 15 rebounds and Jaden McDaniels added 14 points for the Wolves.
The Wolves have struggled on defense for much of this young season, but on Saturday they held the Hornets to 39.5% shooting, including 35.7% in the second half (15-for-42).
Miles Bridges scored 30 points on 10-for-16 shooting, but the rest of the team shot 24-for-70 (34.3%). LaMelo Ball had 18 points and Tre Mann had 16 for Charlotte, which has lost its past three games.
Charlotte ended the first half on a 10-2 run over the final 2:08 to take a 56-50 lead into the break. But the Wolves chipped away in the third quarter, taking the lead for good on a Randle three-pointer following a Rob Dillingham steal with 5:20 to play in the period. The Wolves eventually built a 20-point lead.
The Wolves shot 17-for-36 (47.2%) from three-point range and also outscored Charlotte 56-36 on points in the paint. DiVincenzo was 5-for-12, Randle 3-for-6, Reid 3-for-5, McDaniels 2-for-2, Johnny Juzang 1-for-1 and Bones Hyland 1-for-1 from long range.
The Hornets were 13 of 45 (28.9%) from three-point range.
This was the first game since the Hornets announced they had exercised their fourth-year team option on guard Brandon Miller and third-year team option on forward Tidjane Salaun.
Miller, the second overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft, has appeared in 103 career games, but missed 65 games last year after needing right wrist surgery and missed his fourth straight game Saturday with a left shoulder injury.
Wolves guard Rob Dillingham was playing in his second career game near his hometown of Hickory, N.C., 60 miles northwest of Charlotte. He had four points and three assists in 15 minutes.