Wolves end Pelicans win streak

Minnesota visitors defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 115-109 on Friday night, stopping a four-game winning streak for the home team.

Ayo Dosunmu led the Timberwolves with 26 points. Jaden McDaniels added 23. LaMelo Ball contributed 22 points and eight assists. Jonathan Kuminga scored 17. Rudy Gobert pulled down 11 rebounds and Trey Lyles grabbed 13, a personal season high.

Jeremiah Fears topped the Pelicans scoring sheet with 24 points. Karlo Matkovic added 18. Saddiq Bey scored 17. Zion Williamson had 13 points and eight rebounds. Trendon Watford recorded 12 points and Trey Murphy III added 10.

The game stayed close through three quarters. Matkovic made four three-pointers in the first quarter as New Orleans led 30-27. Minnesota took a 57-51 lead at halftime after outscoring the Pelicans 30-21 in the second period. Williamson scored eight points during a 12-0 run late in the third quarter to give New Orleans a 79-77 lead entering the final period.

The fourth quarter swung decisively for Minnesota. The visitors outscored the Pelicans 38-30. Lyles dunked with 3:55 remaining to cap a 15-4 run that put Minnesota ahead 102-94. Bey hit a three-pointer with 2:53 left to cut the deficit to 104-99, but New Orleans missed its next two shots. Dosunmu hit a three and McDaniels made two free throws to extend the lead to 10 points with 1:32 remaining.

Fears scored with 12 seconds left to bring the score to 113-109. Kuminga dunked on the final possession to seal the result. The Timberwolves now have won three straight games and four of their last five. Backup center Joan Beringer left the game in the second quarter with a nasal fracture and did not return.

The match served as a Group B contest in the NBA Cup West. Minnesota shot 6 of 23 from the field in the third quarter, a 26.1% clip. The Pelicans missed shots on two consecutive possessions after Bey's late three-point attempt, allowing the visitors to maintain control until the buzzer.