Anthony Edwards scores 32 and the Timberwolves top the Pelicans 104-97 in Zion Williamson's return

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Anthony Edwards highlighted a 32-point performance with seven 3-pointers, and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the New Orleans Pelicans 104-97 on Tuesday night to take some luster off of Zion Williamson's return from a 27-game absence.

Williamson, who'd been sidelined by a left hamstring strain, had 22 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block in 27 minutes in his seventh game this season.

Former Pelican Julius Randle scored 16 points and ex-LSU star Naz Reid had 13 points and 12 rebounds for Minnesota, which led most of the game and by as many as 13 points. Rudy Gobert had 14 rebounds and six blocks.

Edwards hit four early 3s and had 14 points less than seven minutes in. He surpassed the 30-point mark for the ninth time this season.

Dejounte Murray scored 27 points for New Orleans, but CJ McCollum, who scored 50 points just two games earlier, shot 1 of 14 as the Pelicans lost for the 21st time in 24 games.

Timberwolves: Donte DiVincenzo started at point guard for a second straight night in place of Mike Conley, who was a reserve for just the second time in his 132 games with the Timberwolves. DiVincenzo scored 10 points and Conley eight.

Pelicans: Williamson and Murray worked well together in the first Pelicans game this season with both in the lineup. Twice, a Murray steal resulted in a Williamson breakaway dunk -- one of them a 360-degree, double-clutch, roundhouse jam. They just needed more help against the Wolves.

Edwards hit a free throw and a pair of 3s during a 19-2, third-quarter run that helped Minnesota turn a 64-57 deficit into a 75-66 lead in less than four minutes. Minnesota did not trail again.

Edwards shot 63.6% from 3-point range.

The Timberwolves visit Orlando on Thursday. The Pelicans host Portland on Wednesday.

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in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) slam dunks ahead of Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) in the second half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) slam dunks over New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray (5) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) shoots against New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (2) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

New Orleans Pelicans forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (50) battles for a rebound with Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid (11) and forward Julius Randle in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green calls out from the bench in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) battles for the ball against Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson shoots against Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson reacts to an official's call in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson moves the ball around Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo (0) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) shoots against New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (2) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

“Wicked” topped nominations to the 31st Screen Actors Guild Awards on Wednesday, landing a leading five nominations including best ensemble, and individual nods for Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey.

Out-of-control wildfires that swept across Los Angeles and Southern California on Tuesday night forced the Screen Actors Guild to cancel its plans to announce the nominations live Wednesday morning. The nominations were instead issued by press release by SAG, which last year began a multiyear deal with Netflix to stream the awards.

The smash hit musical “Wicked” saw its Oscar chances rise in the SAG nominations, which came the morning after the film was celebrated by the National Board of Review Awards in New York. “Wicked” even scored a nod for best stunt ensemble.

The other nominees for best ensemble are: “Anora,” “Conclave,” “Emilia Pérez” and “A Complete Unknown.”

It was an especially strong showing for the Bob Dylan drama “A Complete Unknown." It came away with four nominations, including Timothée Chalamet for best male actor, and supporting nods for both Edward Norton and Monica Barbaro.

The best male lead nominees were largely as expected: Adrien Brody (“The Brutalist”), Daniel Craig (“Queer”), Colman Domingo (“Sing Sing”), Ralph Fiennes (“Conclave”) and Chalamet.

Coming off her rousing victory at the Golden Globes, Demi Moore was among the nominees for best female actor in a leading role for “The Substance.” She was joined by Erivo, “Emilia Perez” breakout Karla Sofía Gascón, Mikey Madison of “Anora” and Pamela Anderson for “The Last Showgirl.”

That surprisingly left out some big names. Angelina Jolie (“Maria”) missed out, as did Nicole Kidman (“Babygirl”). A few of the most acclaimed actresses of the year, Marianne Jean-Baptiste (“Hard Truths”) and Globe-winner Fernanda Torres (“I’m Still Here”), also were overlooked.

“The Last Showgirl” had more to celebrate, too, with an unexpected nomination for Jamie Lee Curtis in supporting female actor. Her fellow nominees are: Barbaro, Grande, Danielle Deadwyler (“The Piano Lesson”) and Zoe Saldana (“Emilia Perez”).

Jeremy Strong was nominated for his supporting performance as Roy Cohn in the Donald Trump film “The Apprentice,” but his co-star, Sebastian Stan, went unnominated for both “The Apprentice” and “A Different Man.” The other nominees for best supporting male actor were: Bailey, Norton, Yura Borisov (“Anora”) and the category frontrunner, Kieran Culkin (“A Real Pain”).

A few widely forecast supporting performance were snubbed there, too, including Denzel Washington ("Gladiator II") and Guy Pearce ("The Brutalist").

The SAG Awards are among the most closely watched Oscar bellwethers. Their picks don’t always align exactly with those of the film academy, but they often do.

The last three best ensemble winners — “Oppenheimer,” “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “CODA” — all went on to win best picture at the Academy Awards. All but one of the SAG acting winners of the last three years has also won at the Oscars. The sole exception was Lily Gladstone, who won SAG’s award for female actor last year for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” but the Oscar trophy went to Emma Stone (“Poor Things”) at the Oscars.

While some overlooked performances might still land an Oscar nomination, any eventual Academy Award winner, including the best picture recipient, is almost surely coming from those nominated Wednesday. That's bad news for “The Brutalist,” which triumphed at the Globes but missed out on a SAG ensemble nomination.

The Screen Actors Guild Awards will be held Feb. 23 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. The ceremony, to be hosted by Kristen Bell. will be streamed live on Netflix. In addition to the competitive awards, Jane Fonda will be presented with the guild’s Life Achievement Award.

Jeff Goldblum, from left, Michelle Yeoh, Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Marc Platt, and Jon M. Chu pose with the award for cinematic and box office achievement for "Wicked" in the press room during the 82nd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

FILE - A general view of the carpet at the 30th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, Feb. 24, 2024, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)