NBA Notes: Timberwolves, Anthony Edwards, Nuggets, Tim Hardaway Jr., Magic

Timberwolves

Anthony Edwards banked in a go-ahead runner from three feet with 16.8 seconds left, lifting Minnesota to a 104-103 comeback home win over the Spurs on Sunday night.

The Timberwolves erased a 19-point deficit and improved to 26-14, including 16-6 since Thanksgiving. Edwards finished with 23 points.

Julius Randle added 15 points, eight rebounds and delivered the winning defensive stand against Victor Wembanyama, who missed a contested 16-footer with 6.6 seconds remaining.

Wembanyama scored 29 points in 27 minutes in his return to the starting lineup but struggled to shake Randle’s physical defense. Donte DiVincenzo sparked the Wolves’ rally with 19 points, while Naz Reid posted 17 points and 11 rebounds.

Minnesota played without head coach Chris Finch, who missed the game due to illness. Assistant Micah Nori led the team after the Wolves opened the night down 16-0 and did not score their first basket until 4:39 into the game.

Nuggets

Short-handed but stubborn, the Nuggets leaned on depth to knock off the visiting Bucks, 108-104.

Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 25 points and Aaron Gordon added 23 as the Nuggets played without five of their top eight scorers. Those sidelined players are averaging a combined 84.6 points per game this season.

Peyton Watson continued his surge with 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Over his past seven games, Watson is averaging 23.7 points and 6.9 rebounds. Zeke Nnaji recorded his first double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Denver remains without Nikola Jokic due to a bone bruise in his left knee and Jamal Murray because of a sprained left ankle.

Magic

Paolo Banchero delivered 23 points, eight rebounds and eight assists as the Magic beat the Pelicans, 128-118.

The night marked the return of center Moritz Wagner, who played for the first time since tearing his left ACL more than a year ago. Wagner had eight points in 10 minutes in Orlando’s final game before its two-game series against Grizzlies in Berlin and London.

Anthony Black scored 26 points with seven assists and three steals, while Goga Bitadze added 14 points, 13 rebounds and three steals in his first start of the season. Bitadze replaced Wendell Carter Jr., who sat out with a back strain.

Since losing to the Knicks in the NBA Cup semifinals on Dec. 13, the Magic have responded to every loss with a win. Seven straight times.