Ant caps furious Wolves rally with block on SGA
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OKLAHOMA CITY -- Anthony Edwards blocked Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's go-ahead shot attempt, capping a 25-point second-half comeback as the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the top-ranked Oklahoma City Thunder 131-128 in overtime on Monday night.
Jaden McDaniels scored 27 points, Naz Reid had 22 points and 11 rebounds and Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 21 points for the Timberwolves. Edwards had 17 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists for Minnesota, which lost 130-123 to the Thunder on Sunday night.
Gilgeous-Alexander had 39 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, but Edwards blocked him at the rim with 13.2 seconds remaining in overtime. Gilgeous-Alexander also missed a 3-pointer with 2.9 seconds left in the extra period that would have tied the game.
The Timberwolves were trailing by as much as 16 points in the final four minutes of the fourth quarter. They are just the second team in the play-by-play era (since 1997-98) to win after trailing by at least that much with that little time left in regulation, according to ESPN Research. The Bucks did it against the Raptors on Jan. 4, 2023 after trailing by 21 in the final four minutes.
Jalen Williams scored 27 points and Aaron Wiggins added 19 for the Thunder, who still lead the Western Conference at 46-11.
Thunder forward Chet Holmgren, who missed three months with a pelvic fracture before recently returning, rested. Center Isaiah Hartenstein left the game in the second quarter and did not return with what Thunder coach Mark Daigneault called a facial contusion.
Oklahoma City led 82-57 in the third quarter and was ahead 102-80 going to the fourth. But rookie reserve Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 11 of his 17 points in the period and the Timberwolves outscored the Thunder 41-19.
Minnesota's rally happened mostly without Edwards, who played less than four minutes in the fourth quarter. Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said Edwards' leg was bothering him in the fourth, which is why he was on the bench. But with the game back in reach late, Finch said he was told Edwards was good to return.
The Timberwolves also won without center Rudy Gobert, who was out with lower back spasms.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.