The last time the Timberwolves played the Jazz on Feb. 28, Anthony Edwards was watching somewhere away from the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, serving a one-game suspension for picking up 16 technical fouls during the season.
The Wolves lost that night in the final seconds, and after that game, Jaden McDaniels said it was "desperation time, for real."
The Wolves haven't lost since.
Edwards was back in the lineup as the Wolves faced Utah again, and he wasn't going to let this game slip away in a 128-102 Wolves victory at Target Center, their eighth victory in a row.
With his 41 points, Edwards passed Andrew Wiggins for third-most points in franchise history.
The only thing standing between Edwards and getting 50 points was that the Wolves were up 30 early in the fourth quarter, and coach Chris Finch emptied his bench with over nine minutes to play. Jaylen Clark had eight points off the bench and had a major hand in several of the 22 Utah turnovers. McDaniels had his 10th double-double of the season with 20 points and 12 rebounds.
Edwards starts hot
A few weeks ago, Edwards said when the Wolves played teams below them in the standings, he had to come out more aggressive and looking to score, instead of trying to defer to his teammates in such games. The first quarter was a great example of that. Edwards had 21 points on 8-for-12 shooting for 21 points in the first as the Wolves opened a 34-20 lead after one quarter.
He was 3-for-7 from three-point range and added another highlight-reel dunk to his repertoire for the season as he took flight down the lane at the 3 minute, 55 second mark. Utah rim protector Walker Kessler stayed out of the way so he didn't end up on a poster for the wrong reason.
Utah makes a run
The Wolves relaxed on defense to open the second, and the Jazz hit their first five shots as they cut what was once a 19-point Wolves lead to four at 36-32 with 9:11 left in the first half. But the Wolves got back on track with a 12-2 run following a Finch timeout. Nickeil Alexander-Walker had seven points and three rebounds off the bench before halftime as the Wolves shuffled ballhandling duties between him, Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo with Mike Conley out because of rest on the first night of back-to-back games.
McDaniels had a double-double by halftime with 11 points and 10 rebounds. He had five points in that 12-2 run. Clark caused a few turnovers off the bench and was credited with two steals in the second. The Wolves led 62-51 at the half after shooting only 6-for-22 from three-point range in the first half.
Pulling away after halftime
Edwards was slow to get up at the six-minute mark of the third quarter after taking a hard fall on a drive to the rim, but he was able to stay in the game as the Wolves maintained a double-digit lead for most of the third. He appeared just fine as the quarter went on, as Edwards helped bring some excitement to an otherwise dull third quarter. He had a flourish at the finish, which included a pair of threes and a layup off another Clark-induced turnovers to bring him up to 41 by the end of the third.
The Wolves led 99-76, and the only question was whether Edwards would hit 50. But with the Wolves leading by so much, that wasn't going to happen. But the large lead allowed Bones Hyland to make his Wolves debut, and he finished with two points in the fourth.

U coaching hire expected soon with Colorado State's Medved the favorite

Wolves' winning streak at eight with rout of Jazz

Frost fall to New York Sirens in front of record crowd for pro women's hockey game in U.S.

Twins' Lewis likely headed to IL after straining hamstring
