Timberwolves start with a sizzle and don't fizzle in beating Magic; Anthony Edwards scores 35

ORLANDO – Wednesday's 126-108 Timberwolves victory over Orlando had the makings of another nail-biter.

The Wolves let a 27-point lead dwindle to 98-89 with just over 10 minutes remaining. But for once, the Wolves spared cuticles across Minnesota. They regrouped and turned what could have been a stress-inducing finish into the blowout it was supposed to be against a shorthanded Magic team that was without multiple key contributors, including No. 1 draft pick Paolo Banchero.

Of note for the Wolves was who got them back on track — their starting lineup. The group that faced its share of criticism for looking out of sync and uninterested a few weeks ago helped the Wolves win their second consecutive game after they dropped six of seven prior to this mini-streak.

"We took a big leap as far as the confidence and camaraderie with the first group," guard Anthony Edwards said. "I think we took a pretty good leap."

Edwards got the Wolves going with 35 points, 19 of which came in the first quarter. He also had a good night in other columns of the box score with eight rebounds and six assists. He passed the scoring torch to Karl-Anthony Towns in the second half, as Towns scored 13 of his 30 in that quarter as the Wolves opened a 25-point halftime lead.

Minnehaha Academy grad Jalen Suggs had 23 for the Magic, and it was Suggs' four-point play early in the fourth quarter that pulled the Magic within single digits for the first time since the first. Coach Chris Finch made a few substitutions to get his starting group back in, and the Wolves scored 26 of the next 40 points. Then Finch pulled them the rest of the night.

Jaden McDaniels had 10 points and eight rebounds while Rudy Gobert added 16 points and eight rebounds. D'Angelo Russell hit a few key buckets in that stretch and scored nine of his 11 in the fourth, and Finch credited Russell with calling plays that got the offense back on track during those nervous moments.

"Selfless. I think as a group we're becoming more and more selfless every game," Russell said.

The starting five's offense has looked much improved over how it did in losses to San Antonio and Phoenix earlier this month when an outcry came to play the bench unit important minutes in close games. The offense, which shot 52% against Orlando, is now beginning to take the form the Wolves want.

"We've seen the offense growing now and looking more like it needs to for a number of games," Finch said. "... Phase two of it will be recognizing the different types of defenses. First we were just trying to find a rhythm and move the ball. Now, it's about trying to recognize the different types of defenses and how we exploit it."

Movement has been the name of that winning game — whether it be movement of the ball, or the movement of players who don't have the ball.

"Trying to reward guys that are open, reward guys that cut, reward guys that screen," Russell said. "Then it makes guys want to do that because they're getting some type of token out of it."

The Wolves have improved to 7-8 and didn't let opportunities slip in picking up needed wins against a Cleveland team that was down multiple starters and a rebuilding and injured Orlando team. It bought them time to figure out some of their issues and stopped the hemorrhaging of losses before the schedule intensifies again.

"The starting unit is doing its job now," Towns said. "We're doing good, but we got some good tests to see how much we really are improving. Philly [on Saturday] and the Heat on Monday. We got some good tests. We say we're getting better. We got to show it now."

It's hard to say their problems are behind them, but maybe at least their worst days are.