Anthony Edwards just misses third career 50-point game in win over Bulls

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Anthony Edwards didn’t quite look right in Monday night’s 116-114 loss to the Sacramento Kings, admitting he was exhausted after missing a game due to illness.

He looked just fine Wednesday night, dropping 49 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Chicago Bulls 127-108. He was 13-of-28 from the field, 6-of-14 from three-point range and added nine rebounds and three assists. He scored 20 of his 49 in the third quarter as the Timberwolves pulled away.

The only thing missing was getting to 50 points, which he’s done two other times in his career. He missed a free throw that would’ve gotten him there, then missed two more shots and had a turnover before Chris Finch pulled him from the game. It was his 13th career 40-point game, which ties Karl-Anthony Towns for the franchise record.

"I’m not frustrated. It’s a game, I’m 23. If God lets me, I should be able to play for at least 10 more years. If I’m as good as I think, I should be able to get 50 points. I wanted to get 50, but it’s not like aw man. I’ll be alright," Edwards said.

"He got it going, he got hot and we all know when he gets hot, it’s pretty electrifying. He couldn’t make that last free throw, I’m going to get on him for that," said Naz Reid, who finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds and six assists despite dealing with a sprained finger.

"The way we are now, we need these big nights from him," Finch said of Edwards. "Loved his aggressiveness. I think he came in with a really aggressive mindset."

Edwards turns down All-Star 3-Point contest

Why you should care:

Edwards told reporters in the locker room after the game NBA officials asked him if he’d participate in the 3-Point Contest as part of All-Star Weekend. He declined. Edwards is making, on average, 4.1 3-pointers per game and is shooting 36.6 percent from the perimeter on the season. He said one of the reasons is because the format of the competition won't let him dribble and shoot.

Edwards is fifth in the NBA in scoring this season, but leads the league with 207 made 3-pointers. He recently passed Karl-Anthony Towns for the most made 3-pointers in franchise history.

The schedule

What's next:

The Timberwolves are 28-23 and are a half game out of the No. 6 spot in the Western Conference. They improved to 13-12 at Target Center this season, and continue a home stand against the Houston Rockets Thursday night. The home stand ends against the Portland Trail Blazers Saturday night.