Timberwolves-Thunder winners, losers embrace Anthony Edwards, SGA

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Returning residence and making photographs have been antidotes for the ills that had troubled the Minnesota Timberwolves towards the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder within the first two video games of the Western Convention finals.

The Timberwolves earned their first win of the sequence with a dominating 143-101 victory towards the Thunder in Sport 3 Saturday. They set a franchise file for many factors in a playoff recreation, shot 57.3% from the sector and battered the Thunder in rebounding with a 50-31 edge.

Hopefully for the Timberwolves, they saved some scoring for the remainder of the sequence. All-NBA guard Anthony Edwards scored a game-high 30 factors, and Julius Randle added 24 for the Timberwolves.

Sport 4 is Monday in Minneapolis (8:30 p.m., ESPN). It’s both a 2-2 sequence going again to Oklahoma Metropolis or a 3-1 Thunder sequence lead with an opportunity of closing of the sequence at residence and advancing to the NBA Finals.

Listed here are the winners and losers from Sport 3 of Thunder-Timberwolves:

Thunder-Timberwolves Sport 3 winners Anthony Edwards Edwards had a sub-standard Sport 1, performed slightly higher in Sport 2 and had his greatest recreation of the sequence in Sport 3 with 30 factors on 12-for-17 capturing, together with 5-for-8 on 3-pointers, 9 rebounds, six assists and two steals. Not solely is that the offensive manufacturing the Timberwolves want, Edwards’ effectivity was a bonus.

Timberwolves bench: Particular shoutout Terrence Shannon Jr. Within the closing tally, Minnesota’s bench outscored Oklahoma Metropolis’s 66-52. However within the first two quarters – when the sport was determined and the Timberwolves led 72-41 at halftime – the Timberwolves had a 29-8 edge in bench factors within the first half.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 12 factors and Naz Reid added 10 factors off the bench, however the largest contribution got here from rookie Terrence Shannon Jr., who hadn’t performed greater than seven minutes or scored greater than two factors in six playoff appearances earlier than Sport 3. He completed with 15 factors, together with 9 in 4 minutes within the second quarter.

Timberwolves coach Chris Finch knew he wanted a lift to the rotation and located it in Shannon.

Minnesota’s 3-point capturing Within the first two video games of the West finals, the Timberwolves shot 28.9% on 3-pointers. Reid was 0-for-12, Edwards 4-for-17, Donte DiVincenzo 5-for-18 and Mike Conley 2-for-9. Ouch.

In Sport 3, the Timberwolves have been 20-for-40 on 3s – one shy of matching a franchise file for many made 3s in a playoff recreation. Reid lastly made one and was 2-for-3; DiVincenzo 2-for-2; Edwards 5-for-8; Conley 2-for-6; Randle 2-for-4; Alexander-Walker 2-for-4; and Jaden McDaniels 2-for-4.

The Timberwolves don’t must shoot 50% to win however lower than 30% gained’t yield many victories at this stage of the playoffs.

Julius Randle Randle scored 24 factors after scoring simply six whereas sitting out the fourth quarter of Sport 2.

“Me and Finch, via all of the ups and downs this season, he is aware of who I'm, I do know who he's. Clearly as a competitor, I need to play and do something I can to assist our staff win. I do know he trusts me to try this. I additionally know I belief him to do what’s greatest for the staff always. I do know he doesn’t have any ill-intent. … For me, its about the way you come again the subsequent recreation. I simply needed to come back out aggressive.”

Randle has now scored not less than 24 factors in six of Minnesota’s previous seven video games.

Thunder-Timberwolves Sport 3 losers Thunder offense The Thunder have been 35-for-86 from the sector and 14-for-44 on 3-pointers. They scored a season-low 14 first-quarter factors, and no participant scored greater than 14 factors.

Thunder protection Oklahoma Metropolis allowed a season-high 143 factors. That they had given up 130 or extra simply 3 times season this season. The Thunder had the very best protection in the course of the common season so Sport 3 was probably an anomaly, and what issues most is how they reply in Sport 4.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s capturing Gilgeous-Alexander, who earned the 2024-25 MVP earlier within the week, scored simply 14 factors on 4-for-13 capturing. He had scored 30 or extra factors in 5 consecutive playoff video games, together with 38 in Sport 2 towards Minnesota.

He averaged a career-high 32.7 factors and shot 51.9% from the sector this season. Once more, Sport 3 was an anomaly. However the Thunder are at their greatest when Gilgeous-Alexander is nearer to 30 factors and going to the free throw line greater than 4 occasions in a recreation.