Edwards keys resounding Timberwolves’ response in Game 3 win
MINNEAPOLIS — Anthony Edwards had 30 points, nine rebounds and six assists in just three quarters to lead the re-energized Minnesota Timberwolves in a 143-101 victory over Oklahoma City on Saturday night in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals that cut the Thunder’s lead in the series to 2-1.
Julius Randle added 24 points and rookie Terrence Shannon Jr. had 15 points in 13 minutes to highlight a big boost from the bench for the Wolves, who caused all kinds of cracks in the Thunder’s NBA-best defense after struggling to solve it in the two lopsided losses on the road.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had just 14 points on 4-for-13 shooting with four turnovers and subbed out with a 38-point deficit and 4:25 to go in the third quarter as Thunder coach Mark Daigneault conceded on a night when his team was never closer than 22 points after early in the second quarter.
The eventual 42-point win by Minnesota is the largest by any team that had been trailing 2-0 in a series in NBA history.
Game 4 is in Minneapolis on Monday night.
The travel north and venue shift triggered a sharp drop in shooting for the Thunder, who made exactly half of their attempts from the floor over the first two games and went just 12 for 40 in the first half on Saturday.
Gilgeous-Alexander, the newly minted NBA MVP, went more than 13 minutes of game time between baskets while the Target Center crowd loudly booed him on every touch and taunted him at the line with the chant, “Free throw merchant!” in a nod to the popular notion he draws an inordinate amount of fouls.
The Thunder fully expected a strong response from the Wolves after opening the series with two lopsided wins. This was a bone-jarring counterpunch from the opening tip that kept the crowd roaring all the way through the finish, without any of the half-quarter meltdowns that doomed them in Oklahoma City.
Randle, who had his first off night of this postseason in a Game 2 performance so disjointed he was benched for the fourth quarter, had his fire back — and his signature fadeaway. He was also much steadier on defense; the Thunder shot 4-for-12 when Randle was the primary defender in Game 3 after going 12-for-18 vs. Randle in Games 1 and 2.
Edwards rediscovered his 3-point shot, going 5 for 8 after shooting just 1 of 9 in Game 2. He gave the quick-handed, ball-pressuring Thunder a taste of what it’s like to play against themselves with a couple of relentless of loose balls he turned into breakaway dunks.
Outscored 69-37 in the third quarter over the first two games, the Wolves didn’t even leave the door open a crack for the Thunder to start a second-half comeback. Edwards, tightly guarded by Isaiah Joe in the corner, found enough space to drive along the baseline and spin an up-and-under reverse layup off the glass for a 79-52 lead.
The Thunder will have to buck history to achieve their ultimate goal this season — no team in NBA history has suffered a 40-point loss in the playoffs and went on to win the championship.
The Associated Press and ESPN Research contributed to this story.