The Minnesota Timberwolves dominated the Portland Trail Blazers 133-109 on Wednesday night, ending their winning streak at three. Julius Randle led the way with 41 points, capping his performance with a thrilling windmill dunk that sent the crowd into a frenzy at the Target Center. Jaden McDaniels contributed 21 points, and the team played their final game before the All-Star break. The Trail Blazers struggled, trailing by 28 points and committing 25 turnovers, with Jrue Holiday scoring 23 points. Scoot Henderson, returning from a hamstring injury, added 18 points. Minnesota, led by Anthony Edwards, who finished with 14 points, was on a roll after a 138-116 win over Atlanta, breaking a two-game losing streak. The Timberwolves' momentum continued with McDaniels' floating jumper, pushing their lead to 50-38 in the second quarter. They led 61-51 at halftime. In the third quarter, Randle and Edwards hit back-to-back 3-pointers, extending their lead to 73-59. A 16-2 run by Minnesota, capped by a dunk from Rudy Gobert, made it 79-59. Portland rallied in the third, closing the gap to 96-82, but couldn't overcome the deficit. Deni Avdija struggled for the Blazers, scoring just 11 points. The team was without Shaedon Sharpe, who missed his third straight game due to a left calf strain. The Trail Blazers' next game is at Utah, while the Timberwolves host Dallas on February 20. The night's excitement took an unexpected turn when an ICE chase ended in a crash in St. Paul, resulting in one injury. The details of this incident are still under investigation.
