NBA roundup: Irving outduels Edwards as Mavericks defeat Wolves in rematch

Kyrie Irving recorded 35 points as the Dallas Mavericks overcame an early surge from Anthony Edwards to secure a 120-114 victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday.

Edwards appeared ready to lead Minnesota in avenging last season's defeat to Dallas in the Western Conference finals, scoring 24 points in a dominant first quarter.

He made six three-pointers and shot six-of-10 from the field, helping Minnesota establish a 34-26 lead by the end of the first quarter. However, Dallas responded effectively, outscoring Minnesota 35-25 in the second quarter to take a 61-59 advantage at halftime.

Irving dominated the third quarter, contributing 16 points as Dallas extended their lead to 93-82 heading into the final period.

Despite Minnesota narrowing the gap to two points with just over three minutes left, Dallas regrouped, with Luka Doncic hitting a crucial three-pointer and Irving scoring nine points in the fourth quarter to secure the win.

"We're just very resilient and understood what the game plan was," a relieved Irving stated following the victory. "They were making a lot of threes."

"We know this team very well. They know us very well - so we knew it was going to be a personal one. Emotions were high, so I'm just grateful that we came in here and got the win."

Irving led the Mavericks in scoring, with Doncic contributing 24 points. P.J. Washington added 17 points, while Daniel Gafford chipped in with 14.

On the other hand, Minnesota's Edwards led all scorers with a game-high 37 points, and new addition Julius Randle finished with 20 points.

Irving expressed satisfaction with the performance, noting that Dallas improved to 3-1 for the season as they aim to position themselves as serious contenders in the Western Conference.

"We're just getting acclimated, finding a great rhythm, and getting into excellent shape," Irving remarked regarding Dallas's promising start to the season.

"We want to value possessions right now; we're focused on developing that chemistry."

Nikola Jokic Achieves 150th Triple-Double

In a thrilling matchup, the Denver Nuggets secured a 144-139 victory over the Brooklyn Nets in overtime, marking the 150th triple-double of Nikola Jokic's illustrious career. This game followed a previous overtime win against the Toronto Raptors, demonstrating the Nuggets' resilience.

The Nets initially established a commanding 17-point lead during the second quarter, but the Nuggets gradually closed the gap. Jokic played a pivotal role in forcing overtime, scoring a crucial hook shot with just nine seconds left to tie the game at 125.

During the overtime period, the Nuggets outperformed the Nets, scoring 19 points to Brooklyn's 14, ultimately sealing the win and improving their record to 2-2.

Jokic's impressive stat line included 29 points, 18 rebounds, and 16 assists, while teammates Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon each contributed 24 points. Off the bench, Russell Westbrook added 22 points for the Nuggets. For the Nets, Dennis Schroder led the scoring with 28 points.

Meanwhile, in San Francisco, the Golden State Warriors overcame the absence of injured stars Steph Curry and Andrew Wiggins to defeat the New Orleans Pelicans 124-106.

The Pelicans initially threatened to dominate, outscoring the Warriors 31-14 in the first quarter and building a 20-point lead early in the second. However, the Warriors regrouped after halftime, outscoring the Pelicans 77-55 to secure a comfortable victory.

The Warriors showcased their shooting prowess, making 21 three-pointers, with Buddy Hield contributing seven of those and finishing with 28 points. Zion Williamson led the Pelicans with 31 points, while Brandon Ingram added 30. In another game on Tuesday, the Sacramento Kings triumphed over the Utah Jazz with a score of 113-96.

SportsLigue