Pistons defang Timberwolves

LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Cade Cunningham scored 40 points to lead the Detroit Pistons, who withstood a career-high 53 points by Anthony Edwards, to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 119-105 on Saturday.

Edwards, who had voiced frustration after averaging just 16.3 points over the last three games in the face of strong double-team defense, found plenty of ways to score.

He connected on 16 of his 31 shots from the field, including 10 of 15 from three-point range, and made 11 of his 12 free-throw attempts.

But he had little scoring support and the Timberwolves trailed virtually all the way against a Pistons team powered by Cunningham, who notched his season high in points and added six rebounds and nine assists.

Unlike Edwards, Cunningham had plenty of support.

Malik Beasley added 23 points off the bench for the Pistons, Tobias Harris scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Ausar Thompson finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds and six steals.

In San Antonio, Nikola Jokic scored 46 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for the Denver Nuggets, who spoiled Victor Wembanyama’s 21st birthday with a 122-111 overtime victory over the Spurs.

Wembanyama scored 20 points and grabbed 23 rebounds with three assists and four blocked shots.

But the French star — whose late-game heroics sealed the Spurs’ win over the Nuggets in Denver on Friday — was scoreless in overtime.

Harrison Barnes scored 22 points for San Antonio and Devin Vassell added 19. Vassell tied it at 108-108 with a put-back basket with 14 seconds left in regulation.

Jokic missed a potential game-winner but dominated with nine points in the extra session, when the Nuggets outscored the Spurs 14-3 to pull away.

The Serbian star, who claimed a third National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player award last season, added 10 assists, two steals and a pair of blocked shots.

In Brooklyn, Joel Embiid scored 28 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to power the Philadelphia 76ers in a 123-94 victory over the short-handed Nets.

Tyrese Maxey finished with 18 points while Paul George and Caleb Martin scored 17 apiece for the Sixers, who led by 64-47 at halftime.

The Portland Trail Blazers, led by 28 points from Anfernee Simons, snatched a 105-102 victory over the Bucks in Milwaukee.

Simons came through in the clutch, converting a three-point play with 23.5 seconds left to put the Trail Blazers up by one.