For the first time this season the Minnesota Timberwolves played New Orleans without Anthony Edwards. For the first time, in this third meeting between the two teams, the Timberwolves played a Pelicans lineup that included Zion Williamson and C.J. McCollum.
The result: New Orleans 121, Timberwolves 107.
Edwards hip injury kept him out of action. But McCollum and Williamson were action-packed. The two combined for 59 points on 21-for-32 shooting as the Pelicans (12-12) ended a six-game winning streak for the Wolves (17-5).
And even though the Wolves bench — augmented by the return of Jaden McDaniels and Jordan McLaughlin — had a big game, the Wolves much-vaunted defense let them down.