NBA Scores: Hawks Beat Magic 132-125, Timberwolves Rout Heat 131-106
Anthony Edwards scored 45 points in Minnesota's 131-106 win at Miami, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 31 as Atlanta won 132-125 at Orlando in Wednesday's early NBA finals.
Key points
- Two road teams posted the biggest early finals on the NBA slate on Wednesday night.
- Anthony Edwards scored 45 points for Minnesota, making 16 of his 29 shots and nine of his 17 three-point attempts.
- LaMelo Ball added 21 points and six assists for Minnesota, Jaden McDaniels scored 17 points with eight rebounds, and Ayo Dosunmu gave the bench 16 points.
Two road teams posted the biggest early finals on the NBA slate on Wednesday night. The Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Miami Heat 131-106 in Miami, and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Orlando Magic 132-125 in Orlando. Both games are final. The late games on the 11 game slate, led by the Golden State Warriors at the Los Angeles Lakers, were still in progress at the time of publication.
Edwards scores 45 in Miami
Anthony Edwards scored 45 points for Minnesota, making 16 of his 29 shots and nine of his 17 three-point attempts. He also took 10 rebounds. The Timberwolves won all four quarters, 34-32, 35-27, 30-22 and 32-25, and led by as many as 30 points.
LaMelo Ball added 21 points and six assists for Minnesota, Jaden McDaniels scored 17 points with eight rebounds, and Ayo Dosunmu gave the bench 16 points. Rudy Gobert scored five points but took 15 rebounds, and Minnesota won the rebounding battle 67-44. Minnesota made 21 of its 50 three-point attempts. Miami made eight of 33.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led Miami with 35 points, making 13 of his 19 shots and nine of his 14 free throws, with six rebounds. The support around him was thin. Bam Adebayo scored 15, Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell scored 11 each, Mitchell added 11 assists against five turnovers, and Klay Thompson scored 10. Miami gave the ball away 19 times.
Hawks hold off Banchero and the Magic
Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 31 points for Atlanta, making five of his eight three-point attempts and 10 of his 13 free throws. Atlanta turned the game in the second quarter, outscoring Orlando 44-29 to lead 72-62 at halftime after losing the first quarter 33-28. Orlando won the third quarter 38-27 to close the gap, but Atlanta won the fourth 33-25 and closed the game out.
Jalen Johnson had 20 points and 14 rebounds with six assists, Dyson Daniels scored 20 points with five steals, and CJ McCollum added 19 on seven of nine shooting. Aaron Wiggins scored 16 off the Atlanta bench, and the Hawks scored 60 points in the paint to Orlando's 50.
Paolo Banchero led Orlando with 35 points and 10 assists, making 10 of his 12 shots and 12 of his 16 free throws in 41 minutes. Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr. scored 22 each, Carter on eight of 10 shooting, and Desmond Bane added 18.
Also final on Wednesday
Washington beat Milwaukee 128-116 in Washington. Milwaukee led by as many as eight and still led 96-90 early in the fourth quarter, before a 21-2 Washington run flipped the game. The Wizards outscored the Bucks 38-23 in the fourth quarter.
Anthony Davis scored 34 points with 11 rebounds in his Wizards debut, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Davis made 11 of his 14 free throws, drew 10 fouls and helped foul out Bucks center Kel'el Ware. New Washington guard Trae Young shot four of 13 but went 12 of 16 at the line and finished with 13 assists in his debut for the team. Tyler Herro led Milwaukee with 24 points and nine assists in his first game for his hometown team. Washington scored 70 points in the paint and attempted 41 free throws. This site carries a full report of that game on its own page.