Collin Gillespie had a season-high 20 points including the game-winner with 6.4 seconds remaining and the host Phoenix Suns overcame an eight-point deficit in the final 1:09 to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 114-113 in an NBA Cup game Friday.
Dillon Brooks had 22 points and four threes and Mark Williams had 19 points and eight rebounds for the Suns, who improved to 2-0 in Group A in Cup play and have won nine of 11.
Anthony Edwards had 41 points and five 3-pointers and Julius Randle had 20 points for the Minnesota Timberwolves, who had overcome an 18-point deficit and seemed in control before falling apart in the final moments.
Minnesota committed three turnovers, two leading directly to Suns points, and Edwards missed two free throws in the final 50 seconds.
Jordan Goodwin made a 3-pointer and a layup after consecutive turnovers when the Suns closed it 113-112, and Edward missed two free throws with 12.7 seconds left, setting up Gillespie’s game-winner.
The Wolves led 113-105 on Donte DiVicenzo’s two free throws with 1:09 left.
Rudy Gobert had 12 points and 12 rebounds and Jaden McDaniels had 13 points for the Timberwolves, who dropped to 2-1 in Group A in Cup play and with one Cup game remaining at Oklahoma City.
Edwards has 37, 30 and 41 points in three Cup games this season.
Devin Booker had a season-low 16 points on 4 of 18 shooting before fouling out. He had 10 assists and nine turnovers.
The Suns have Cup games remaining against Sacramento and Oklahoma City.
Edwards had 19 points and three threes in the third quarter, when the Timberwolves outscored the Suns 33-19 to turn a 62-49 halftime deficit into an 82-81 lead.
DiVincenzo’s 3-pointer, his first basket off the game, gave Minnesota a 92-84 lead, and Gobert’s three-point play made it 95-86 with just under eight minutes remaining.
Edwards’ was fouled attempting a 3-pointer and made all three free throws for a 107-104 lead with 2:21 left after the Sun overcame a six-point deficit to tie it, and the Wolves extended their lead to eight.
The Suns committed a season-high 27 turnovers that the Timberwolves turned into 29 points, but the Wolves’ turnovers down the stretch made the difference.
