They had to survive a night of LeBron James Classic, but the Minnesota Timberwolves have a 2-1 lead in their first-round NBA playoffs series against the Los Angeles Lakers.
After allowing the Lakers to tie the series in a Game 2 rock fight, Minnesota survived an up-and-down game for a 116-104 win in Game 3 behind 30 points from Jaden McDaniels and 29 points from Anthony Edwards. Game 4 is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday at the Target Center.
Advertisement
The Lakers were playing with Luka Dončić reportedly limited by a stomach bug. The Slovenian star finished with 17 points on 6-of-16 shooting with eight assists and five turnovers, but James nearly made up for it with one of the best games of the later act of his career. He posted 38 points, an NBA record for playoff scoring among players older than 40, plus 10 rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks.
That included a stretch of three 3-pointers in two minutes in the fourth quarter.
Fortunately, the Timberwolves had Edwards and a defense that stopped the Lakers from scoring a field goal in the final four minutes of the game. During that stretch, Edwards struck, then Naz Reid, then Edwards, then Edwards again.
The Timberwolves had a lot to work on after a frustrating Game 2 in which an aggressive Lakers defense threw them for a loop. They responded with a night of 48.4% shooting (13-of-36 from deep) and only eight turnovers, compared to 16 from the Lakers.
Advertisement
The Lakers were still aggressive, particularly with keeping the ball out of the paint. They were so committed there that Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert didn’t attempt a single field goal during the night, while their other center, Reid, attempted only two shots inside the paint.
Minnesota will now enter Game 4 with the momentum and a chance to take a firm 3-1 lead in the series before it heads back to L.A. The Lakers will likely be hoping for a more healthy Dončić that time around.
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Titans fire Brian Callahan: First NFL coach to be let go in 2025 season started Year 2 with abysmal 1-5 record
The Brian Callahan era in Nashville is over. The Tennessee Titans have fired their coach following a 1-5 start, the team announced on Monday. This decision comes following a 20-10 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. "These decisions are never easy, and they become more difficult when they involve people of great character," said Chad Brinker, the team's president of football operations, in a statement. "We are grateful for Brian's investment in the Titans and Tennessee community during his tenure as head coach. We thank him and his family for being exemplary ambassadors of the Tennessee Titans."While we are committed to a patient and strategic plan to build a sustainable, winning football program, we have not demonstrated sufficient growth. Our players, fans, and community deserve a football team that achieves a standard we are not currently meeting, and we […]
NFL DFS, Monday Night Football: Bills-Falcons, Bears-Commanders daily fantasy picks for DraftKings, FanDuel
The Week 6 NFL schedule concludes with a 'Monday Night Football' doubleheader. The Atlanta Falcons host the Buffalo Bills at 7:15 p.m. ET, and the Washington Commanders host the Chicago Bears at 8:15 p.m. ET. Both games have an over/under of 49.5 points, meaning fantasy points come in bunches on MNF. The Bills are 3.5-point favorites, while the Commanders are -5.5 in their respective matchups, so those potential game flows could play into NFL DFS strategy. The NFL DFS player pool is headlined by Josh Allen, James Cook, Bijan Robinson, Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams. All are expected to be popular NFL DFS picks and centerpieces of NFL DFS lineups. Who are the top NFL DFS picks for Bills vs. Falcons and Bears vs. Commanders, and which daily Fantasy sleepers should you target to differentiate your NFL DFS lineups and NFL […]
Dak Prescott pinpoints ‘frustrating’ late-game Cowboys struggles after loss to Panthers
There was no panic from Dak Prescott following Sunday's loss to the Panthers, but for the Dallas Cowboys to recover, they have to find an answer for how to close. With the game tied at 27, Dallas went three-and-out on a pivotal possession midway through the fourth quarter, giving the Carolina Panthers an opportunity for a walk-off victory.The Cowboys are 1-2-1 in games decided by a single possession, which includes the opening loss against the Philadelphia Eagles."I wouldn't say it's demoralizing, I'd definitely say it's frustrating," Prescott said. "Just even the last time we had the ball, that was not our best series of the game right there … at a crucial point like that, we just can't do that."Prescott threw three touchdown passes against Carolina, his last coming late in the third quarter on a 34-yarder to George Pickens that gave the […]
Titans fire head coach after dismal start to NFL season
The Tennessee Titans have sacked head coach Brian Callahan after a dismal start to the season which has left the franchise rock bottom of the AFC South.The Titans' 20-10 defeat at the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday took their record to 1-5, having also lost to the Denver Broncos, the Los Angeles Rams, the Indianapolis Colts and the Houston Texans. Tennessee snapped a four-game losing streak to start the campaign with a one-point victory over the Arizona Cardinals at the start of October but the most recent loss to the Raiders has proved to be Callahan's last in charge.A Titans statement read: "These decisions are never easy, and they become more difficult when they involve people of great character."We are grateful for Brian's investment in the Titans and Tennessee community during his tenure as head coach. "We thank him and […]
FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers: Tracking which teams have qualified as Cape Verde join the field from Africa
The 2026 FIFA men's World Cup is approaching next year, and qualifying is well underway. Most of the biggest national teams around the world have yet to book a spot in the first 48-team World Cup in the history of the competition, after FIFA decided to expand from the old 32-team format that had been in place since the 1998 World Cup. The 2026 edition will kick off on June 11, 2026, and will end on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New York City.The most anticipated soccer tournament in the world will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. The European confederation (UEFA) is guaranteed 16 slots of the 48 teams, while the African confederation (CAF) has nine, and the Asian (AFC) has eight. There will also be a minimum of six each from South America […]
Titans Fire HC Brian Callahan After Poor 1-5 Start
The Tennessee Titans have seen enough of the Brian Callahan era.Callahan has been fired as the head coach of the Titans, the team announced Monday. The move comes a day after the Titans' 20-10 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, dropping Tennessee to 1-5 on the season. "While we are committed to a patient and strategic plan to build a sustainable, winning football program, we have not demonstrated sufficient growth," Titans president of football operations Chad Brinker said. "Our players, fans, and community deserve a football team that achieves a standard we are not currently meeting, and we are committed to making the hard decisions necessary to reach and maintain that standard."Callahan was in his second season as the Titans' head coach, getting hired after a strong tenure as the Cincinnati Bengals' offensive coordinator. He went 3-14 in 2024, with the […]
Related
Titans fire Brian Callahan: First NFL coach to be let go in 2025 season started Year 2 with abysmal 1-5 record
The Brian Callahan era in Nashville is over. The Tennessee Titans have fired their coach following a 1-5 start, the team announced on Monday. This decision comes following a 20-10 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. "These decisions are never easy, and they become more difficult when they involve people of great character," said Chad Brinker, the team's president of football operations, in a statement. "We are grateful for Brian's investment in the Titans and Tennessee community during his tenure as head coach. We thank him and his family for being exemplary ambassadors of the Tennessee Titans."While we are committed to a patient and strategic plan to build a sustainable, winning football program, we have not demonstrated sufficient growth. Our players, fans, and community deserve a football team that achieves a standard we are not currently meeting, and we […]
NFL DFS, Monday Night Football: Bills-Falcons, Bears-Commanders daily fantasy picks for DraftKings, FanDuel
The Week 6 NFL schedule concludes with a 'Monday Night Football' doubleheader. The Atlanta Falcons host the Buffalo Bills at 7:15 p.m. ET, and the Washington Commanders host the Chicago Bears at 8:15 p.m. ET. Both games have an over/under of 49.5 points, meaning fantasy points come in bunches on MNF. The Bills are 3.5-point favorites, while the Commanders are -5.5 in their respective matchups, so those potential game flows could play into NFL DFS strategy. The NFL DFS player pool is headlined by Josh Allen, James Cook, Bijan Robinson, Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams. All are expected to be popular NFL DFS picks and centerpieces of NFL DFS lineups. Who are the top NFL DFS picks for Bills vs. Falcons and Bears vs. Commanders, and which daily Fantasy sleepers should you target to differentiate your NFL DFS lineups and NFL […]
Dak Prescott pinpoints ‘frustrating’ late-game Cowboys struggles after loss to Panthers
There was no panic from Dak Prescott following Sunday's loss to the Panthers, but for the Dallas Cowboys to recover, they have to find an answer for how to close. With the game tied at 27, Dallas went three-and-out on a pivotal possession midway through the fourth quarter, giving the Carolina Panthers an opportunity for a walk-off victory.The Cowboys are 1-2-1 in games decided by a single possession, which includes the opening loss against the Philadelphia Eagles."I wouldn't say it's demoralizing, I'd definitely say it's frustrating," Prescott said. "Just even the last time we had the ball, that was not our best series of the game right there … at a crucial point like that, we just can't do that."Prescott threw three touchdown passes against Carolina, his last coming late in the third quarter on a 34-yarder to George Pickens that gave the […]
Titans fire head coach after dismal start to NFL season
The Tennessee Titans have sacked head coach Brian Callahan after a dismal start to the season which has left the franchise rock bottom of the AFC South.The Titans' 20-10 defeat at the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday took their record to 1-5, having also lost to the Denver Broncos, the Los Angeles Rams, the Indianapolis Colts and the Houston Texans. Tennessee snapped a four-game losing streak to start the campaign with a one-point victory over the Arizona Cardinals at the start of October but the most recent loss to the Raiders has proved to be Callahan's last in charge.A Titans statement read: "These decisions are never easy, and they become more difficult when they involve people of great character."We are grateful for Brian's investment in the Titans and Tennessee community during his tenure as head coach. "We thank him and […]
FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers: Tracking which teams have qualified as Cape Verde join the field from Africa
The 2026 FIFA men's World Cup is approaching next year, and qualifying is well underway. Most of the biggest national teams around the world have yet to book a spot in the first 48-team World Cup in the history of the competition, after FIFA decided to expand from the old 32-team format that had been in place since the 1998 World Cup. The 2026 edition will kick off on June 11, 2026, and will end on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New York City.The most anticipated soccer tournament in the world will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. The European confederation (UEFA) is guaranteed 16 slots of the 48 teams, while the African confederation (CAF) has nine, and the Asian (AFC) has eight. There will also be a minimum of six each from South America […]
Titans Fire HC Brian Callahan After Poor 1-5 Start
The Tennessee Titans have seen enough of the Brian Callahan era.Callahan has been fired as the head coach of the Titans, the team announced Monday. The move comes a day after the Titans' 20-10 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, dropping Tennessee to 1-5 on the season. "While we are committed to a patient and strategic plan to build a sustainable, winning football program, we have not demonstrated sufficient growth," Titans president of football operations Chad Brinker said. "Our players, fans, and community deserve a football team that achieves a standard we are not currently meeting, and we are committed to making the hard decisions necessary to reach and maintain that standard."Callahan was in his second season as the Titans' head coach, getting hired after a strong tenure as the Cincinnati Bengals' offensive coordinator. He went 3-14 in 2024, with the […]
Be the first to leave a comment