Edwards scores 30, Timberwolves cruise to 138-116 win against short-handed Hawks

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Anthony Edwards scored 21 of his 30 points in the first half as the Minnesota Timberwolves used a dominant second quarter to cruise to a 138-116 win against the short-handed Atlanta Hawks on Monday night.

Edwards led seven Minnesota players scoring in double figures, pushing the Timberwolves to a commanding win after a pair of disappointing losses to New Orleans and the Los Angeles Clippers. Julius Randle has 18 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for Minnesota, which had lost three of four.

A game without much intensity changed early in the fourth when Atlanta’s Mouhamed Gueye appeared to trip up Wolves center Naz Reid. The two came together in an altercation that included a crowd of people trying to break up the two players. Both players were ejected.

Newcomer Ayo Dosunmu, playing his second game after being acquired in a trade from Chicago, had 21 points off the bench as Minnesota led by as many as 31.

CJ McCollum had 38 points for the Hawks, who have lost four of five and were playing without Jalen Johnson (left knee inflammation), Dyson Daniels (right ankle inflammation) and newly acquired Jonathan Kuminga (left knee bone bruise).

Johnson was just named the Eastern Conference player of the week for the second time this season. Kuminga hasn’t played since the trade from Golden State for Kristaps Porzingis.

McCollum had 18 of his points in the first quarter, but Minnesota used a 40-18 run from the end of the first to midway through the second for a 79-52 advantage. Atlanta got no closer than 16 the rest of the way.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker had 23 points and 12 rebounds for the Hawks against his former team.