Minneapolis, MN — Anthony Edwards made it his mission to lift the Minnesota Timberwolves’ spirits after a discouraging pair of road losses to open the Western Conference finals. From the flight back from Oklahoma City to the opening tip of Game 3, his focus was clear: bring the energy.
And that’s exactly what he did.
Edwards poured in 30 points, pulled down nine rebounds, and dished out six assists — all in just three quarters — to fuel Minnesota’s emphatic 143-101 blowout win over the Thunder on Saturday night. The victory trimmed Oklahoma City’s series lead to 2-1.
“My mindset was simple: pressure the ball, take the shots when they’re there,” Edwards said.
Julius Randle bounced back with 24 points after a lackluster Game 2, and rookie Terrence Shannon Jr. added 15 points in just 13 minutes off the bench, giving Minnesota a much-needed lift. The Timberwolves finally cracked the code on the Thunder’s top-ranked defense after struggling mightily in the first two games.
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault credited Minnesota’s intensity. “They brought more force and physicality than we did — usually that’s our game,” he admitted.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, recently crowned the league’s MVP, was held to just 14 points on 4-of-13 shooting. He also turned the ball over four times and exited the game midway through the third quarter with Oklahoma City trailing by 38. The Thunder never got closer than 22 points after the early stages of the second quarter.
“We came out flat, and they jumped on us early,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “From there, it just got away.”
Game 4 is set for Monday night in Minneapolis.
The change in scenery clearly worked against the Thunder. After shooting 50% from the field across Games 1 and 2, they struggled mightily in the first half Saturday, connecting on just 12 of 40 attempts.
Target Center’s crowd added to the challenge, booing Gilgeous-Alexander with every touch and mocking his free throw attempts with chants of “Free throw merchant!” — a jab at his reputation for drawing frequent fouls.
Randle, who was benched in the fourth quarter of Game 2 after a shaky outing, returned to form with confident shot-making and his signature fadeaways. Edwards, meanwhile, rediscovered his shooting stroke, hitting 5 of 8 from beyond the arc after going just 1 for 9 in the previous game. He also showcased his hustle, converting several loose-ball chases into highlight-reel dunks.
The Timberwolves, previously outscored 69-37 in third quarters during Games 1 and 2, flipped the script. One standout moment: Edwards, locked in a tight one-on-one with Isaiah Joe in the corner, managed to slip baseline for a slick up-and-under reverse layup, putting the Wolves up 79-52 and sending the home crowd into a frenzy.
“When Ant’s playing like that — aggressive and fearless — we go to a different level,” said Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch.
