Timberwolves pull off epic comeback to beat Thunder

The Minnesota Timberwolves surprised the nearly all-powerful Oklahoma City Thunder. Not only are they one of the few teams that have managed to beat the leaders of the West, but they also completed a historic 24-point comeback in the fourth quarter and a colossal block by Anthony Edwards on opposing star and MVP candidate,Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The Timberwolves, who came into the game with the notable absences of Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle, seemed to be no match for the West leaders, who went up by 24 points (106-82) with 11 minutes left to play. Gilgeous-Alexander led the way for the Thunder with 39 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists.

Gilgeous-Alexander, hero and villain for the Thunder

Just then, and inexplicably, a team coming off a streak of nine wins in 10 games collapsed, starting with the offense. The Wolves did not waste the gift and, spurred by a 16-0 run, managed to tie the game at 121. To make the drought worse, Gilgeous-Alexander missed a drive to the basket with three seconds left that would have given the win to the home team.

Oklahoma City's blackout continued into overtime. With Minnesota up 129-128, Gilgeous-Alexander again attacked the rim but was met with a colossal block by Edwards that all but secured the visitors' win with 13 seconds left.

Edwards-Daniels, a lethal tandem for a Thunder that was blocked on offense

The Timberwolves, who were 25 points behind in the third quarter, matched the greatest comeback in franchise history. Edwards, the final hero of the game with his block, finished with 17 points for Minnesota. He was the best support for forward Jaden Daniels, the top scorer for the visitors with 27 points and 11 rebounds.

Despite the loss, the Thunder maintain their comfortable lead in the West with 46 wins and 11 losses, while the Wolves are seventh with a 32-27 record. That said, the Cavaliers increased their lead in the race to be the best team in the regular season.

Another Sixers debacle

In another of Monday's eight games, the slumping Philadelphia 76ers took a 142-110 thrashing on their home court at the hands of the Chicago Bulls. With this eighth consecutive loss, the Sixers continue to pull away from a playoff spot in the East.

The franchise could soon drop out of that race depending on the decision they make about the recurring left knee problems of their leader, Joel Embiid. One of the options the franchise is weighing is surgery that would sideline the Cameroonian center for the season.

Embiid, winner of the MVP award in 2023, has only played 19 of 57 games this season with averages of 23.8 points and 8.2 rebounds, far from his usual level. Veteran Paul George and Tyrese Maxey, with 19 and 13 points, were again unable to compensate for the absence of the center.

For the Bulls, Australian point guard Josh Giddey racked up 25 points, 16 rebounds and 6 assists.

Nuggets and Kings win

In other games, the Denver Nuggets beat the Indiana Pacers 125-116 on the road with 18 points and 19 assists from Nikola Jokic.

In the day's finale, the Sacramento Kings dominated the Charlotte Hornets 130-88 with 42 points and 8 3-pointers from recent acquisition Zach LaVine.

Monday's NBA scores:

Detroit Pistons - Los Angeles Clippers 106-97

Indiana Pacers - Denver Nuggets 116-125

Philadelphia 76ers - Chicago Bulls 110-142

Washington Wizards - Brooklyn Nets 107-99

Atlanta Hawks - Miami Heat 98-86

Oklahoma City Thunder - Minnesota Timberwolves 128-131 in overtime

Utah Jazz - Portland Trail Blazers 112-114

Sacramento Kings - Charlotte Hornets 130-88