Ayo Dosunmu scores 26 points as Timberwolves top Pelicans to stay unbeaten in NBA Cup play

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Ayo Dosunmu scored 26 points in the Timberwolves 115-109 victory over the Pelicans on Friday night in New Orleans.

With the victory, the Timberwolves (7-3) remained unbeaten in NBA Cup play, moving to 2-0. New Orleans (4-5), which had four-game winning streak snapped in the loss, dropped to 0-1 in Cup play.

Dejounte Murray’s 3-pointer gave New Orleans an 89-87 lead with 7:55 to go in the game, but LaMelo Ball responded with five consecutive points, igniting a 10-2 run by the Timberwolves to give them a 97-91 advantage. Minnesota would hold on to the lead for the remainder of the game.

Ball finished the game with 22 points and eight assists. Jaden McDaniels added 23 points in the win for the Timberwolves.

Jeremiah Fears led the way for the Pelicans with 24 points and Saddiq Bey had 17. Zion Williamson, who entered the night averaging 21.5 points per game, scored a season-low 13 points for New Orleans.

Minnesota hit five 3-pointers in the first quarter, including a pair by Dosunmu to jump out to an early 13-5 lead early in the first quarter. New Orleans responded with a trio of 3-pointers from Karlo Matkovic during a 17-4 run, taking a 24-22 lead on a bucket by Fears.

Timberwolves: Host Utah on Sunday night.

Pelicans: At Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night.

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (3) shoots against New Orleans Pelicans forward Trendon Watford (9) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)

Minnesota Timberwolves guard LaMelo Ball (1) reacts after a three point basket against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)

New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III (25) reacts with forward Zion Williamson (1) next to forward Trendon Watford against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)

Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) dunks against New Orleans Pelicans guard Jeremiah Fears (0) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ayo Dosunmu (13) shoots against New Orleans Pelicans guard Jeremiah Fears (0) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)

DALLAS (AP) — Cooper Flagg scored 21 points and Kyrie Irving added 14 after a sluggish first half for both stars as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Utah Jazz 112-100 in an NBA Cup game Friday night.

P.J. Washington scored 22 of his season-high 26 points in a first half that ended in a 57-all tie, setting the stage for Flagg and Irving to take over after the break.

Flagg scored 17 in the second half, while Irving had all but two of his points after halftime after starting 1 of 11 from the field. While Flagg's scoring lagged before the break, he had six rebounds and assists in the first half before finishing with 10 and seven, respectively.

Lauri Markkanen scored 24 points and rookie Darryn Peterson had 21 for the Jazz, who lost their seventh straight game to drop to 1-8.

Flagg and Irving scored 21 of the points on a 22-10 run that turned a one-point Dallas deficit into an 81-70 lead late in the third quarter. Flagg had 13 points and Irving eight.

The Mavericks kept the run going after Irving went to the bench.

Morez Johnson Jr. had a one-handed, alley-oop dunk to clinch the 20-year-old rookie's first double-double, and the Dallas lead reached 16 before Utah's Josh Okogie beat the third-quarter buzzer with a 3-pointer. Johnson tied his season best of 13 points and had 17 rebounds.

Washington was 5 of 6 from 3-point range and made all five of his free throws in the first half. His sixth and final 3 helped Dallas maintain a double-digit lead throughout the fourth quarter.

Dallas' Santi Aldama had eight points and nine rebounds in his first game since Feb. 4 last season with Memphis. The 7-footer was part of a six-team trade in the summer. Aldama had right knee surgery in March.

Jazz: At Minnesota on Sunday.

Mavericks: Host Brooklyn on Sunday.

See AP’s full NBA coverage here

Dallas Mavericks' Morez Johnson Jr. (14) and Santi Aldama (34) celebrate during the second half of an NBA Cup basketball game against the Utah Jazz in Dallas, Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) shoots as Dallas Mavericks' Morez Johnson Jr. (14) defends during the second half of an NBA Cup basketball game in Dallas, Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Utah Jazz center Jaxson Hayes (11) celebrates his dunk between Dallas Mavericks' Zaccharie Risacher (10) and Morez Johnson Jr., right, during the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game in Dallas, Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Dallas Mavericks' Kyrie Irving (11) shoots over Utah Jazz's Keyonte George (3) during the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game in Dallas, Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) drives to the basket as Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) defends during the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game in Dallas, Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Dallas Mavericks forward Daniel Gafford dunks over Utah Jazz's Lauri Markkanen during the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game in Dallas, Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Dallas Mavericks' Cooper Flagg (32) and Daniel Gafford (21) celebrate during the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game against the Utah Jazz in Dallas, Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)