Anthony Edwards scored 41 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Memphis Grizzlies 117–110 on March 3, 2026, at Target Center in Minneapolis. In this 2025–26 NBA regular-season game, Edwards made seven three-pointers and recorded five steals. Julius Randle added 23 points and 11 rebounds, while Jaylen Wells led Memphis with 19 points.
The game turned in the third quarter. Memphis led 62–57 at halftime and stretched its advantage to eight early in the second half. Minnesota then held the Grizzlies to 20 points in the period, took the lead and carried a seven-point cushion into the fourth. Memphis rallied late, but never reclaimed the lead.
All player statistics below are from this one March 3 game.
Quarter-by-quarter score
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis Grizzlies | 32 | 30 | 20 | 28 | 110 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 23 | 34 | 32 | 28 | 117 |
Wells gave Memphis its fast start, scoring 14 points in the first quarter while making all five of his shots, including four three-pointers. The Grizzlies led 32–23 after one period and remained ahead at the break. Minnesota made only three of its 16 first-half three-point attempts; Edwards accounted for all three makes.
Memphis was still in control at 70–62 with 9:49 left in the third. Minnesota closed the gap, tied the game at 72 and went ahead 74–72 on an Edwards layup with 6:40 remaining in the quarter. The Timberwolves did not trail again. They finished the period ahead 89–82.
That swing came through more than outside shooting. Minnesota went 12-for-23 from the field in the third quarter, while Memphis went 8-for-24. Rudy Gobert collected eight rebounds in the period, helping the Timberwolves limit the Grizzlies’ chances to answer missed shots.
Minnesota Timberwolves player stats
FG and 3PT show made shots–attempted shots. PTS, REB and AST are points, rebounds and assists.
| Player | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3PT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthony Edwards | 41 | 6 | 2 | 15–29 | 7–13 |
| Julius Randle | 23 | 11 | 4 | 7–15 | 0–4 |
| Jaden McDaniels | 16 | 7 | 1 | 6–8 | 0–1 |
| Ayo Dosunmu | 14 | 3 | 4 | 5–9 | 0–1 |
| Donte DiVincenzo | 7 | 4 | 6 | 3–7 | 1–5 |
| Bones Hyland | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2–6 | 2–6 |
| Rudy Gobert | 5 | 12 | 1 | 1–2 | 0–0 |
| Naz Reid | 3 | 6 | 1 | 1–8 | 0–4 |
| Kyle Anderson | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0–0 | 0–0 |
| Team total | 117 | 52 | 19 | 40–84 | 10–34 |
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Edwards supplied the scoring and the late separation
Edwards’ 41 points were the most by any player in the game. He shot 15-for-29 overall, 7-for-13 from three and 4-for-4 at the free-throw line. His seven threes represented seven of Minnesota’s 10 makes from beyond the arc.
His impact extended to defense: the official box score credited him with five steals and one block. Minnesota needed that contribution during a game in which Memphis made more three-pointers and recorded more assists.
Edwards scored 13 points in the fourth quarter, hitting three of four three-point attempts in the period. His step-back three with 3:41 remaining put Minnesota ahead 111–94, its largest lead of the night. That shot did not end the contest—Memphis cut the margin to four—but it gave the Timberwolves room to absorb the comeback.
Randle and Gobert helped Minnesota control the interior
Randle finished with 23 points, 11 rebounds and four assists. He also made nine of 12 free throws, providing a scoring route when his outside shot was not falling. His four offensive rebounds were part of a wider Minnesota advantage on the glass.
Gobert scored five points on just two field-goal attempts, but led the game with 12 rebounds, including four offensive boards. His third-quarter rebounding was especially valuable as Minnesota reversed Memphis’ halftime lead.
McDaniels gave the Timberwolves 16 points on 6-for-8 shooting and seven rebounds. Dosunmu contributed 14 points and four assists off the bench. DiVincenzo scored seven points but led Minnesota with six assists; four came during the pivotal third quarter.
Minnesota’s starters scored 92 of its 117 points. Edwards and Randle combined for 64, giving the Timberwolves a substantial scoring edge from their opening lineup.
Memphis Grizzlies player stats
| Player | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3PT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaylen Wells | 19 | 1 | 0 | 7–12 | 4–7 |
| Cedric Coward | 15 | 2 | 1 | 4–8 | 2–4 |
| Ty Jerome | 14 | 4 | 2 | 4–13 | 2–6 |
| Rayan Rupert | 13 | 6 | 1 | 5–9 | 2–4 |
| GG Jackson | 12 | 11 | 0 | 4–5 | 1–1 |
| Cam Spencer | 10 | 2 | 4 | 3–6 | 1–2 |
| Walter Clayton Jr. | 9 | 1 | 9 | 2–6 | 1–3 |
| Scotty Pippen Jr. | 8 | 3 | 5 | 3–7 | 1–4 |
| Taylor Hendricks | 8 | 1 | 2 | 3–9 | 1–4 |
| Olivier-Maxence Prosper | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1–4 | 0–3 |
| Team total | 110 | 33 | 27 | 36–79 | 15–38 |
Wells opened strongly; Coward drove the comeback
Wells finished with a team-high 19 points, but 15 came before halftime. His 14-point first quarter was central to Memphis’ early nine-point lead. Minnesota held him to four points in the second half, a change that made the Grizzlies’ offense less productive during the decisive stretch.
Memphis received 55 points from its reserves, matching the output of its starters. Coward led that group with 15 points on 4-for-8 shooting and made all five of his free throws. Rupert added 13 points and six rebounds, while Spencer had 10 points and four assists.
Coward scored 10 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter. With Minnesota ahead 113–98, he made two free throws, two layups—one followed by a free throw—and a three-pointer during a rapid push that brought Memphis back within six. Spencer’s two free throws later cut the deficit to 114–110 with 33 seconds remaining.
Jackson supplied Memphis’ strongest rebounding line: 12 points and 11 boards, four of them offensive. Clayton scored nine points but led all players with nine assists, while Pippen added five assists. The Grizzlies moved the ball effectively enough to finish with 27 assists, eight more than Minnesota.
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How Minnesota won despite Memphis making more threes
The team totals show two different offensive strengths. Memphis made 15 of 38 three-pointers; Minnesota made 10 of 34. That was a 15-point Memphis advantage in scoring from beyond the arc. The Grizzlies also led 27–19 in assists.
Minnesota answered with a much larger advantage inside the arc and on the boards.
| Game statistic | Grizzlies | Timberwolves |
|---|---|---|
| Field goals | 36–79 | 40–84 |
| Three-pointers | 15–38 | 10–34 |
| Free throws | 23–29 | 27–34 |
| Player rebounds | 33 | 52 |
| Offensive rebounds | 5 | 13 |
| Assists | 27 | 19 |
| Points in the paint | 36 | 50 |
| Second-chance points | 9 | 13 |
| Turnovers | 17 | 18 |
Subtracting three-point makes from total field goals, Minnesota made 30 two-point baskets to Memphis’ 21. The Timberwolves also scored 50–36 in the paint and finished with 19 more player rebounds. Those are the clearest statistical explanations for how they won while shooting a lower percentage from three.
The rebounding gap mattered most when Memphis’ shooting cooled in the third quarter. Minnesota secured repeated defensive rebounds, then produced enough offense through Edwards, Randle and McDaniels to turn an eight-point deficit into a seven-point lead by the end of the period. Its 13 offensive rebounds also helped generate a 13–9 edge in second-chance points.
Memphis’ bench kept the result close, particularly late. But its 55–25 advantage in reserve scoring was outweighed by Minnesota’s 92–55 advantage in starter scoring. Edwards’ 41-point night was the largest part of that difference.
The final minutes
Minnesota led 111–94 after Edwards’ three with 3:41 to play. Memphis then scored 16 of the next 19 points, reaching 114–110 on Spencer’s free throws with 33 seconds left.
Edwards made two free throws with 17.2 seconds remaining. Coward missed a three-point attempt with 8.7 seconds left, Randle secured the rebound and made one free throw to set the final score at 117–110.
The takeaway from the player stats: Edwards was the game’s decisive scorer, but Minnesota’s third-quarter defense and 52–33 rebounding advantage made his performance enough to win. Wells’ hot start and Coward’s late burst gave Memphis chances at opposite ends of the game; the Grizzlies could not sustain their first-half lead through the third quarter.
Editorial verification note, separate from the article: Player totals, team totals, venue and play-by-play were checked against the NBA’s official scorer’s report. The game result and key sequence were also checked against the Associated Press recap.
FAQ
Did Ja Morant play against the Timberwolves on March 3, 2026?
No. The NBA’s official scorer’s report listed Morant as inactive for this game with a left elbow UCL sprain. That listing describes his status on March 3, not his current injury status.
What was each team’s largest lead?
Minnesota led by as many as 17 points, reaching 111–94 in the fourth quarter. Memphis’ largest lead was 11 points in the first half.
Conclusion
Anthony Edwards’ 41 points defined Minnesota’s 117–110 win, but the third quarter decided it. The Timberwolves turned a halftime deficit into a seven-point lead by holding Memphis to 20 points in the period. Their 52–33 rebounding advantage helped them withstand the Grizzlies’ 15 made three-pointers and late rally. Wells gave Memphis an excellent start, and Coward made the finish tense; Minnesota’s stronger work on the glass and Edwards’ fourth-quarter scoring secured the result.
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