Anthony Edwards led the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 122-111 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, scoring 40 points and handing Dallas their 10th consecutive loss — the team’s worst slump since 1998.

Fresh off his MVP performance at last weekend’s All-Star Game in Los Angeles, Edwards added six rebounds, while Rudy Gobert posted a double-double with 22 points and 17 rebounds.

Despite trailing by 18 points in the second quarter, Dallas mounted a resilient fightback, drawing level at 103-103 with under seven minutes remaining. Edwards, however, dominated the closing stages, scoring 14 points in the final quarter to secure a convincing Timberwolves win.

“We take pride in being able to win clutch games,” Edwards said. “We struggled with that last year. We came out aggressive in the start, but it ended up going flat for us, and they found a run. Basketball is a game of runs, and they played real hard. So big shout out to those guys.”

The Timberwolves recorded their eighth win in 11 games, climbing to fifth in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, the Mavericks remain 12th, firmly outside playoff contention, with rookie phenom Cooper Flagg sidelined due to a foot injury.

Around the league

Elsewhere, the Oklahoma City Thunder returned from the All-Star break with a 105-86 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Despite missing reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and star guard-forward Jalen Williams, the defending Western Conference leaders showcased their depth, with half their points coming off the bench. Jared McCain, recently traded from the Philadelphia 76ers, top-scored with 21 points.

The Cleveland Cavaliers extended their hot streak to seven wins, defeating the Charlotte Hornets 118-113, with Donovan Mitchell scoring 32 points and Jarrett Allen adding 26 points and 14 rebounds. Former MVP James Harden contributed 18 points.

In Los Angeles, the Lakers edged the Clippers 125-122, with Luka Doncic recording 38 points, six rebounds, and 11 assists, supported by LeBron James’s 13 points and 11 assists.

Finally, the Denver Nuggets crushed the Portland Trail Blazers 157-103, a 54-point margin marking the second-largest victory in franchise history, with Nikola Jokic scoring 32 points.