Timberwolves Rout Clippers 127-101 Behind LaMelo Ball's 24 for First Win Without Anthony Edwards

The Minnesota Timberwolves found an answer without their star.

LaMelo Ball scored a season-high 24 points, Jaden McDaniels added 23, and the Timberwolves pulled away from the Los Angeles Clippers for a 127-101 win on Friday night, Oct. 30, at Target Center in Minneapolis, the Associated Press reported. The NBA Cup group-stage game was Minnesota’s first win without Anthony Edwards, who is recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery.

Minnesota improved to 4-2. The Clippers fell to 1-4 and have lost four straight.

Clippers vs. Timberwolves: final score by quarter

Minnesota led 69-56 at halftime and won every quarter. The Wolves dominated inside, outscoring the Clippers 62-42 in the paint, according to NBA.com’s team stats.

How Minnesota pulled away

The game was not a blowout all the way through. NBA.com lists four lead changes and four ties. But in the fourth quarter, Ball hit three 3-pointers as Minnesota used a 20-2 run to put it away, AP reported. All four of the Timberwolves’ wins this season have come by more than 20 points.

McDaniels was efficient at both ends, going 11-for-15 from the floor with seven assists and six rebounds. Bones Hyland added 19 points and eight assists off the bench.

Defensively, backup guard Jaylen Clark took some of the assignment on Darius Garland off McDaniels’ plate and helped force five turnovers by the Clippers guard. Clark finished with five points, two steals and a plus-23 rating in 17 minutes, according to AP.

Life without Anthony Edwards

Edwards needed the procedure after a fresh exam following Monday’s 127-125 overtime loss at Cleveland, AP reported. The wear-and-tear knee injury had limited him to a career-low 61 regular-season games in 2025-26. No timeline for his return was given in the game report.

Minnesota looked out of sorts in Wednesday’s 119-114 loss to Golden State before regrouping Friday.

Clippers’ struggles continue

Garland led Los Angeles with 24 points on 10-for-22 shooting. Brook Lopez added 13 points and six rebounds off the bench, and Rui Hachimura returned to the starting lineup after missing a game with a quadriceps issue, scoring 12 in 26 minutes. Rookie Keaton Wagler scored 12 on 2-for-11 shooting.

The Clippers are still waiting on newcomers Brandon Ingram and Max Strus, who have not played yet because of foot injuries, AP reported.

What’s next

• Timberwolves: at the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, Oct. 31.
• Clippers: at the Golden State Warriors on Sunday, Nov. 1.

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