The Timberwolves led by five points before Williamson took over,
scoring his team's final 14 points of the game. His 3-pointer
and hook shot on back-to-back possessions tied the score at
112-112 with 1:49 left.
Minnesota's Jaylen Nowell broke the tie with a jumper, but
Williamson answered with a layup.
The Wolves' Jaden McDaniels made two free throws, but Williamson
had a layup and a steal and a dunk to give New Orleans a 118-116
lead with 39.1 seconds left.
Anthony Edwards tied it with a dunk before Williamson was fouled
and made one of two free throws to give the Pelicans a 119-118
lead with four seconds left. Edwards missed a baseline jumper as
time expired.
Williamson made 14 of 21 field goals and 14 of 19 free throws in
his return from a three-game absence due to health and safety
protocol. Trey Murphy III added 21 points, CJ McCollum scored
20, Jonas Valanciunas had 12 points and 11 rebounds, and Naji
Marshall scored 12 points as New Orleans won its fourth
straight.
Edwards and D'Angelo Russell each scored 27 points, McDaniels
added 19, Nowell scored 14, Naz Reid had 13 and Rudy Gobert 10
before fouling out as Minnesota lost its fourth straight.
The Pelicans trailed 55-49 at halftime, but closed within one
point on Marshall's three-point play early in the third quarter.
Russell scored 13 points in the third as the Wolves expanded the
lead to 81-71.
New Orleans closed within four on Murphy's 3-pointer before
Minnesota twice increased the lead to seven.
Murphy made another 3-pointer to get the Pelicans within 88-86
at the end of the third quarter.
McCollum scored the first five points of the fourth quarter to
give New Orleans a 91-88 lead.
The lead changed hands seven times before McDaniels scored on a
drive and made a 3-pointer to give the Wolves a 104-100 lead
midway through the quarter.
Then Williamson took over.
--Field Level Media
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