DENVER — In one corner of the Minnesota Timberwolves locker room sat Julius Randle, ice bags on both knees and eyelids at half mast, his body in shambles and the words coming slowly after he spent 50 minutes on the Ball Arena court wrestling a 6-foot-11, 284-pound Serbian bear.

On the Minnesota side was Anthony Edwards, who was quiet for most of the game until the fourth quarter began. He entered the frame with 10 points on the night and left with 23, with six of them coming on back-to-back 3-pointers to help swing the game in regulation.