Timberwolves bullied by Pelicans, Zion Williamson in 121-107 loss, six-game win streak snapped

For the first time this season, the Timberwolves played New Orleans without guard Anthony Edwards. For the first time, in this third meeting between the teams, the Wolves played a Pelicans lineup that included forward Zion Williamson and guard C.J. McCollum.

The result: New Orleans 121, Wolves 107.

The Wolves (17-5) saw their six-game winning streak end. They had a hard time avoiding fouls and found the task of trying to defend the 6-6, 284-pound Williamson almost impossible.

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 for the Pelicans (13-11).

And even though the Wolves bench — augmented by the return of forward Jaden McDaniels (sprained ankle) and guard Jordan McLaughlin (right MCL sprain) — had a big game, the Wolves' much-vaunted defense let them down.

New Orleans, more physical from start to finish, shot 49.4% overall and had a 40-19 edge on free-throw attempts.

"The story was 40 free-throw attempts,'' Wolves coach Chris Finch told reporters after the game. "Nineteen in the third quarter, 28 in the second half. A lot of fouls. A lot of foul calls."

Finch said he'd have to look at the film, but suggested he had a problem with some of the calls. Foul problems handcuffed Rudy Gobert; fellow center Karl-Anthony Towns fouled out in the fourth quarter.

Having cut a 15-point Pelicans lead to 90-86 through three quarters, the Wolves were outscored 9-0 to start the fourth and they never recovered.

Williamson bullied his way to 36 points, going 11-for-13 in the restricted area. McCollum scored 23, Brandon Ingram had 20 and Jonas Valanciunas had 14 points and 13 rebounds.

For the Wolves, Towns had 15 points and 11 rebounds in the first half, then two points the rest of the way after the Pelicans put Herb Jones on him, then added a physical double team. Mike Conley had 17 points. Gobert had eight points, eight rebounds and four fouls. The Wolves bench — led by McDaniels (12 points), Naz Reid (17) and Shake Milton (12) — scored 53 points.

"I thought [McLaughlin] was really good," Finch said. "Jaden was good in moments. He struggled to find an offensive rhythm there, which is to be expected in his first game back."

It was only the second road loss in nine games for the Wolves, who remain atop the Western Conference with a game at Dallas scheduled for Thursday.

The Wolves committed 10 fouls and sent the Pelicans to the free-throw line 12 times in the first half. In the second quarter alone, 18 fouls led to the Pelicans' 28 attempts. New Orleans' 17-point edge on points from the line were, as Finch noted, the difference in a game in which both teams made 40 field goals and the Wolves had a nine-point edge from the three-point line.

But the Pelicans were clearly more physical and were a load in the paint, where they scored 56 points. This was especially true with Williamson, who made 13 of 17 shots and 10 of 12 free-throw attempts.

Still, down 15 midway through the third quarter, the Wolves bench made a charge. McDaniels scored eight points and Reid six in a 23-12 end to the quarter — ended by McLaughlin's half-court, buzzer-beating three — that pulled Minnesota within 90-86 entering the fourth.

That didn't last. McCollum hit two threes and Jones had a three-point play to start the fourth quarter and the Pelicans' lead was back to 13.

After scoring 15 points on 5-for-5 shooting in the first half, Towns had only two points, one rebound and no field goals made in the second. And there wasn't enough help around him, with Edwards on the bench, to make up for that.

"They were doubling [Towns]," Finch said. "They were super physical. He couldn't get a clean look in the post."

The Star Tribune did not send the writer of this article to the game. This was written using a broadcast, interviews and other material.