Timberwolves Beat Pelicans 115-109 in NBA Cup Without Anthony Edwards

The Minnesota Timberwolves beat the New Orleans Pelicans 115-109 on Friday night, November 6, 2026, at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans in an NBA Cup West Group B game. Ayo Dosunmu led Minnesota with 26 points, Jaden McDaniels added 23 points, and LaMelo Ball had 22 points and 8 assists. Minnesota outscored New Orleans 38-30 in the fourth quarter after entering the final period down by 2 points. The win snapped the Pelicans four-game winning streak and gave Minnesota its third straight win. Anthony Edwards missed the game after a procedure on his right knee at the Mayo Clinic on October 29.

Quick Facts

How Minnesota Took Control in the Fourth Quarter

The fourth quarter was where Minnesota changed the story of the game. New Orleans led by 2 points entering the final period, and the home crowd had good reason to believe the Pelicans could hold on and extend their winning run. Minnesota had other plans. The visitors opened the fourth quarter with an 8-0 run, and that burst set the tone for everything that followed. A run like that does more than add points to the scoreboard.

By the end of the night, Minnesota had outscored New Orleans 38-30 in the fourth quarter. That eight point margin in a single quarter was larger than the final margin of six points. The quarter by quarter scores show how the game moved back and forth before the finish. New Orleans took the first quarter 30-27, Minnesota won the second 30-21 for a 57-51 halftime lead, and New Orleans won the third 28-20 to go ahead by 2 points. Minnesota then had the last strong run, and that is why the Timberwolves left New Orleans with the win.

Ayo Dosunmu Led the Way for Minnesota

Ayo Dosunmu was the leading scorer for Minnesota on Friday night, and his performance gave the Timberwolves a steady source of points from start to finish. He scored 26 points on 8 of 14 shooting from the field. That shooting line shows a player who picked his spots well and made the most of his chances. When a team is missing its best-known scorer, it needs someone else to step forward, and Dosunmu did that on this night.

His scoring also mattered because of the way the game developed. Minnesota did not win by pulling away early and holding a safe lead. The Timberwolves had to fight through a close game, respond to a strong third quarter from New Orleans, and then produce a big fourth quarter. In that kind of game, a leading scorer has to be reliable when the defense tightens and the shots become harder. Dosunmu provided that reliability. His 26 points were the highest total for Minnesota, and they gave the Timberwolves a foundation to build on while other players added their own contributions around him.

Jaden McDaniels and LaMelo Ball Shaped the Night

Jaden McDaniels scored 23 points for Minnesota, and his contribution went beyond the points total. He helped Minnesota stay in the game through the middle periods, and he was central to the finish as well. Late in the game, McDaniels blocked Jeremiah Fears, and that block ended the comeback hopes of New Orleans. McDaniels made that play at the right time, and it helped Minnesota protect a lead that New Orleans was trying hard to erase.

LaMelo Ball added 22 points and 8 assists for Minnesota, and that combination of scoring and passing shows how much he shaped the offense. Eight assists means that Ball was creating chances for his teammates as well as scoring himself. A player who can do both is hard to defend, because the defense has to respect the shot and also watch for the pass. Together, Dosunmu, McDaniels, and Ball gave Minnesota a balanced attack.

The Final Seconds Decided a Close Game

The final seconds of the game were tense, and they showed why the fourth quarter run mattered so much. New Orleans refused to give up, and the Pelicans kept pushing even when Minnesota had taken control. Jeremiah Fears scored with 12 seconds left to pull New Orleans within 113-109. That basket cut the lead to four points and gave the home crowd a final reason to hope. A four point gap with 12 seconds left is still a hard gap to close, and Minnesota had to stay calm.

Minnesota did exactly that. Jonathan Kuminga dunked to seal the final margin, and that dunk took the score to 115-109 and removed any doubt about the result. A dunk in the final seconds leaves the other team with too little time to respond. The game also had moments that showed the physical side of the contest. Trey Lyles had a notable dunk for New Orleans, and LaMelo Ball bullied Zion Williamson on switches, according to the Canis Hoopus recap. Those small matchup battles added up over a full game, and on Friday night they were part of how Minnesota found a way to win.

What the Result Means for Both Teams

The win snapped the four-game winning streak of New Orleans, and that result changes the mood around both teams. A four-game winning streak is a sign that a team has found form and confidence. To see that run ended at home is a disappointment, especially when the game was close and the team had a lead going into the fourth quarter. New Orleans will now have to start a new run, and the players will know that they let a winnable game slip away. The record after the game was 4-5 for New Orleans, which shows a team still trying to build consistency in the early part of the season.

For Minnesota, the win was the third straight victory and the fourth win in the last five games. That run of form is a strong sign. Three straight wins give a team confidence, and four wins from five games shows that the good form is not just a one night story. Minnesota moved to 7-3 after the game, and that record puts the Timberwolves in a good place as the season develops. The win also came in NBA Cup play, and a road win in West Group B is a useful result for Minnesota in the group standings.

Playing Without Anthony Edwards

Anthony Edwards missed the game after a procedure on his right knee at the Mayo Clinic on October 29. That is a major absence for Minnesota, because Edwards is the player most fans think of first when they think of the Timberwolves. His scoring and energy are central to the way Minnesota plays. When a player like that is out, the team has to find new ways to score, new ways to create space, and new ways to lead on the court. On Friday night, Minnesota found those ways, and the result was a win that will give the team belief while Edwards is away.

The absence also changes the way opponents prepare. New Orleans would have planned for a game with Edwards on the court, and his absence meant that the Pelicans had to adjust to a different Minnesota attack. Dosunmu, McDaniels, and Ball took on bigger roles, and the Timberwolves shared the scoring load between them. That shared load is a good sign for the future, because it shows that Minnesota is not a one player team. When Edwards returns, the team will be stronger for having learned to win without him, and the players who stepped up in his absence will carry that confidence with them. Minnesota will want Edwards to recover fully before he returns.

FAQs

What was the final score between the Timberwolves and the Pelicans?

The final score was Minnesota Timberwolves 115, New Orleans Pelicans 109. The game was played on Friday night, November 6, 2026, at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. It was an NBA Cup West Group B game, and Minnesota won the fourth quarter 38-30 to secure the result.

Who were the top scorers for Minnesota?

Ayo Dosunmu led Minnesota with 26 points on 8 of 14 shooting from the field. Jaden McDaniels added 23 points, and LaMelo Ball had 22 points and 8 assists. The three players gave Minnesota a balanced attack, with each scoring more than 20 points on the night.

Why did Anthony Edwards miss the game?

Anthony Edwards missed the game after a procedure on his right knee at the Mayo Clinic on October 29. Minnesota still won the game without him, with Dosunmu, McDaniels, and Ball sharing the scoring load and the team winning the fourth quarter by eight points.

What happened in the final seconds of the game?

Jeremiah Fears scored with 12 seconds left to pull New Orleans within 113-109. Jonathan Kuminga then dunked to seal the final margin at 115-109. Jaden McDaniels also blocked Fears late in the game, which ended the comeback hopes of New Orleans and helped Minnesota close out the win.

Sources

• Reuters – Timberwolves rally to snap Pelicans four-game streak
• Canis Hoopus – Timberwolves vs Pelicans game recap
• Field Level Media – Timberwolves rally to snap Pelicans four-game streak

Final Thoughts

The Timberwolves 115-109 win over the Pelicans was a night that showed the strength of the Minnesota team. The visitors won without Anthony Edwards, they won on the road, and they won a close game by finishing strongly in the fourth quarter. Ayo Dosunmu led the scoring with 26 points, Jaden McDaniels added 23 points and a key late block, and LaMelo Ball had 22 points and 8 assists. Minnesota opened the fourth quarter with an 8-0 run, outscored New Orleans 38-30 in the final period, and sealed the win with a late dunk from Jonathan Kuminga. The result snapped a four-game winning streak for New Orleans and gave Minnesota a third straight win and a 7-3 record. It was a complete team win, and it showed that Minnesota can find different ways to win when the game is on the line. The NBA Cup gives teams a chance to test themselves in games that feel like playoff games, and Minnesota passed that test on Friday night. For more NBA action from the same night, see how the Cavaliers spoiled LeBron James homecoming with a win over the 76ers, read about Kristaps Porzingis stepping away from basketball, and catch up on NBA results from November 2 featuring the Knicks, Warriors and 76ers.