Returning home and making shots were antidotes for the ills that had troubled the Minnesota Timberwolves against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first two games of the Western Conference finals.
The Timberwolves earned their first win of the series with a dominating 143-101 victory against the Thunder in Game 3 Saturday. They set a franchise record for most points in a playoff game, shot 57.3% from the field and battered the Thunder in rebounding with a 50-31 edge.
Hopefully for the Timberwolves, they saved some scoring for the rest of the series. All-NBA guard Anthony Edwards scored a game-high 30 points, and Julius Randle added 24 for the Timberwolves.
Game 4 is Monday in Minneapolis (8:30 p.m., ESPN). It’s either a 2-2 series going back to Oklahoma City or a 3-1 Thunder series lead with a chance of closing of the series at home and advancing to the NBA Finals.
Here are the winners and losers from Game 3 of Thunder-Timberwolves:
Thunder-Timberwolves Game 3 winners
Anthony Edwards
Edwards had a sub-standard Game 1, played a little better in Game 2 and had his best game of the series in Game 3 with 30 points on 12-for-17 shooting, including 5-for-8 on 3-pointers, nine rebounds, six assists and two steals. Not only is that the offensive production the Timberwolves need, Edwards’ efficiency was a bonus.
Timberwolves bench: Special shoutout Terrence Shannon Jr.
In the final tally, Minnesota’s bench outscored Oklahoma City’s 66-52. But in the first two quarters – when the game was decided and the Timberwolves led 72-41 at halftime – the Timberwolves had a 29-8 edge in bench points in the first half.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 12 points and Naz Reid added 10 points off the bench, but the biggest contribution came from rookie Terrence Shannon Jr., who hadn’t played more than seven minutes or scored more than two points in six playoff appearances before Game 3. He finished with 15 points, including nine in four minutes in the second quarter.
Timberwolves coach Chris Finch knew he needed a boost to the rotation and found it in Shannon.
Minnesota’s 3-point shooting
In the first two 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 Game 3, the Timberwolves were 20-for-40 on 3s – one shy of matching a franchise record for most made 3s in a playoff game. Reid finally 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 need to shoot 50% to win but less than 30% won’t yield many victories at this stage of the playoffs.
Julius Randle
Randle scored 24 points after scoring just six while sitting out the fourth quarter of Game 2.
“Me and Finch, through all the ups and downs this season, he knows who I am, I know who he is. Obviously as a competitor, I want to play and do anything I can to help our team win. I know he trusts me to do that. I also know I trust him to do what’s best for the team at all times. I know he doesn’t have any ill-intent. … For me, its about how you come back the next game. I just wanted to come out aggressive.”
Randle has now scored at least 24 points in six of Minnesota’s past seven games.
Thunder-Timberwolves Game 3 losers
Thunder offense
The Thunder were 35-for-86 from the field and 14-for-44 on 3-pointers. They scored a season-low 14 first-quarter points, and no player scored more than 14 points.
Thunder defense
Oklahoma City allowed a season-high 143 points. They had given up 130 or more just three times season this season. The Thunder had the best defense during the regular season so Game 3 was likely an anomaly, and what matters most is how they respond in Game 4.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s shooting
Gilgeous-Alexander, who earned the 2024-25 MVP earlier in the week, scored just 14 points on 4-for-13 shooting. He had scored 30 or more points in five consecutive playoff games, including 38 in Game 2 against Minnesota.
He averaged a career-high 32.7 points and shot 51.9% from the field this season. Again, Game 3 was an anomaly. But the Thunder are at their best when Gilgeous-Alexander is closer to 30 points and going to the free throw line more than four times in a game.