Minnesota Timberwolves Thrash Oklahoma City Thunder to Tighten NBA Playoff Series
The Minnesota Timberwolves produced a stunning performance to defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder 143-101 on Saturday, tightening their NBA playoff series to 2-1. Anthony Edwards led the charge with 30 points, nine rebounds, and six assists, as the host T-Wolves pulled a game back in the best-of-seven Western Conference finals.
According to Yahoo Sports, Edwards shot 12-of-17 from the floor and 5-of-8 from three-point range, showcasing his impressive form. "I was super happy about the physicality and energy we brought," Edwards said. "Being down 2-0, it’s all about bringing energy and we brought high energy."
Julius Randle added 24 points for Minnesota, which set a club record for points in a playoff game. The T-Wolves’ high-scoring performance was a significant improvement from their previous games, and they will look to carry this momentum into the next game. The Thunder, who won the first two games at home, face game four on Monday at Minneapolis and game five on Wednesday at Oklahoma City.
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the NBA regular-season win leaders and NBA Most Valuable Player, managed only 14 points against the T-Wolves. "We got punched in the mouth," said Gilgeous-Alexander. "You get punched, it’s about getting back up. It’s about responding. That’s what the next challenge is."
As Yahoo Sports reports, Minnesota’s victory was crucial because no team has ever recovered from a 3-0 deficit to win an NBA playoff series. The T-Wolves set a club record for points in a playoff game and led by as much as 129-84 late in the fourth quarter.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault acknowledged that his team was outplayed in several areas. "We do have to look at it and address the things that went awry for us," Daigneault said. "They really took it to us. They were just much more physical, much sharper, executed better, more forceful on offense. For the score to be what it was, they needed to outplay us in a lot of areas and that’s what they did."
Randle was benched late in game two and was unhappy about it, but he responded by taking out his frustrations on the Thunder. "He knows not to take nothing too personal," Edwards said of Randle. "I could see it in his eyes. He wanted his respect back and he got it."
The T-Wolves seized a 72-41 half-time lead, with Edwards shooting 8-of-11 from the floor and producing 20 points and eight rebounds in the first half. Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert praised his team’s intensity, saying: "Our intensity, from the first minute of the game, we set a tone. Everyone came out with the mindset to be physical. We did a good job staying with it consistently through the whole game."
As the series continues, the T-Wolves will look to build on their momentum and force a game six. With their impressive performance on Saturday, they have shown that they are a force to be reckoned with in the NBA playoffs. Yahoo Sports will continue to provide updates on the series as it unfolds.
