NBA playoffs takeaways: Timberwolves trounce Thunder in Game 3

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After two double-digit losses to start the Western Conference finals, the Minnesota Timberwolves showed they have what it takes to not just challenge but completely shut down Oklahoma City, beating the Thunder 143-101 Saturday night and narrowing the series to 2-1.

The Timberwolves took a 34-14 lead in the first quarter and ran away with it from there; by the third quarter, Minnesota had secured a 42-point lead.

How did that happen? Minnesota shot 57.3 percent from the field to Oklahoma City’s 40.7 percent. The Timberwolves shot 50 percent from 3 to the Thunder’s 31.8 percent. And Anthony Edwards scored 30 points to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 14 points, until both teams benched their starters with an eye toward Game 4 on Monday.

Thunder must again crack a code

For as much poise and control as Oklahoma City have shown during this postseason — particularly in Games 1 and 2 against Minnesota — Game 3 was the complete opposite.

The Thunder sleepwalked into a fiery Target Center and aggressive Wolves defense, who used a similar approach to the Nuggets — keeping players at the boxes and elbows and rotating quickly to shore up any holes. Oklahoma City missed 11 of its first 15 shots of the game, turning the ball over five times in the first six minutes. They never recovered, trailing by as much as 45 points in the second half and finishing the evening shooting just 35 for 86 from the field and 14 for 44 from 3.

Daigneault, desperate to find any sort of rhythm, went deep into his bench, having already played 10 men by the start of the second quarter. But the Thunder were simply unable to create separation for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Jalen Williams, who went a combined 7 of 22 from the field. At the other end, a locked-in Anthony Edwards took control from the opening tip, leading the way with 30 points in 30 minutes.

Game 3 was always going to bring a level of desperation from a Wolves team looking to avoid a 3-0 deficit. The Thunder were unable to contain multiple waves of pressure from the game’s onset, and will now look to correct things in Game 4.

Oklahoma City needs to play at a faster pace in the halfcourt. Minnesota’s zone is working overtime to pressure ball handlers and passing lanes, but the Thunder are doing themselves no favors by moving at half speed. In Game 3, the Wolves seemed comfortable bringing Rudy Gobert higher up to meet Oklahoma City’s guards, which should traditionally be an advantageous opportunity. This team is no stranger to the Box-and-One zone, the Nuggets used it periodically during the last round and at some point, the Thunder cracked the code. They’ll need to do it again — and do a much better job containing Edwards — to avoid an even series.

— Kelly Iko, NBA staff writer

Minnesota throws multiple defenders at SGA

A change in venue made all the difference for the Minnesota Timberwolves, whose 143-101 Game 3 win against the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder gave the conference finals a makeover.

Minnesota’s win could be the difference between overcoming a 2-0 deficit or trying to pull off the postseason impossible: coming back from down 3-0.

The Timberwolves used a red-hot first quarter led by Anthony Edwards (16 points in opening frame) to hand the Thunder their worst loss of the season after Oklahoma City opened the series with a convincing 2-0 series lead.

Edwards’ 30 points led all scorers as Minnesota also relied on Julius Randle (24 points) and got 45 points from its reserve.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a team-high and season-low 14 points, snapping a streak of five consecutive 30-point playoff games (tied Gus Williams’ 1979 streak for the longest in franchise history). SGA’s nine missed shots (4-of-13 shooting) were more than double his free-throw attempts (four). He averaged 14.5 free throws in Games 1 and 2.

The Timberwolves relied on an array of defenders to give the newly-crowned MVP trouble, including Terrence Shannon Jr. The rookie wing contributed 15 points in 13:12 of playing time after totals six points in his first six playoff outings (20 points).

The Timberwolves’ 143 points set a team single-game playoff record and breathed new life into their hopes for making the first NBA Finals run in franchise history.

— James Jackson, NBA staff editor

Wolves make perfect subtle adjustments

We often think most playoff adjustments have to be big ones, like switching a defensive matchup, changing the lineup or deploying a new pick-and-roll scheme. But as Minnesota proved tonight, the best ones are often more subtle — and far more specific.

On offense, Anthony Edwards took slightly different angles coming off his pick-and-rolls. Rather than rush into them in a straight line to get downhill, as he did in Game 2, Edwards took a step sideways or even backward to ensure he ran his own man into the screen and gave himself an extra split second to read the rest of the Thunder defense. By starting wide and then shifting to go downhill, Edwards kept Oklahoma City off balanced, kept himself on balance and created more room for his now-elite pull-up 3.

“He elevates so much on his jump shot but it is pure.” https://t.co/IBJdgmuwRP pic.twitter.com/Rjzmvc3ry2

— NBA (@NBA) May 25, 2025

On defense, Minnesota went against what many pundits publicly suggestions and gave Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams more space on their drives. The Timberwolves had crept far too close to the Thunder’s stars in the first two games, allowing Oklahoma City to negate Minnesota’s length advantage and — as you may have heard — stack up bushels of free throws. In Game 3, Jaden McDaniels made it a point to hang a few feet back of Gilgeous-Alexander, all while remaining on the balls of his feet to absorb SGA’s strong attacks. The Wolves’ bigs — Rudy Gobert in particular — stayed back at first, but then shifted up on the floor once Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams accelerated. This change prevented Oklahoma City’s stars from initiating the body contact they thrived on in Games 1 and 2.

Now, the Thunder must figure out a way to creep more into Edwards’ space on defense — and more into the Wolves defenders’ spaces on offense.

— Mike Prada, NBA senior editor

(Photo: Brad Rempel / Imagn Images)

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