Edwards Erupts, Wolves Annihilate Thunder in Game 3 Rout to Reignite West Finals
The Minnesota Timberwolves roared back to life in the Western Conference Finals, blowing out the Oklahoma City Thunder 143-101 in Game 3 to trim the series deficit to 2-1. Led by a locked-in Anthony Edwards, the Wolves delivered a statement performance in front of their home crowd at Target Center on Saturday night.
Edwards poured in 30 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and dished out six assists—all in just three quarters. His energetic presence and vocal leadership helped the Wolves shake off a tough two-game stretch in Oklahoma City. “Just ultimate pressure on the ball,” Edwards said, capturing the team’s defensive mindset that fueled their response.
Minnesota flipped the script from the previous two games, where they had been outscored 69-37 in the third quarter. This time, they came out of halftime with fire, stretching their lead to nearly 30 points midway through the third. One of the game’s highlights came when Edwards, tightly defended in the corner, blew past Isaiah Joe and finished an acrobatic reverse layup to give the Wolves a commanding 79-52 lead.
Meanwhile, newly crowned NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander struggled to find rhythm. He endured a 13-minute scoring drought as the raucous crowd booed every touch and chanted “Free throw merchant” during his trips to the line—mocking his tendency to draw fouls.
Minnesota’s defensive pressure and relentless energy led to a steep shooting drop for the Thunder, who managed just 12-of-40 from the field in the first half after hitting 50% over the first two games.
Game 4 tips off Monday night in Minneapolis, where the Wolves will look to even the series and maintain the momentum from their resounding Game 3 victory.
