Amazing what a difference it makes when a team makes shots.
Struggling offensively through the first two games in road losses against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Minnesota Timberwolves returned home to find rediscover their offense in Game 3.
Minnesota crushed Oklahoma City 143-101 Saturday, making it a 2-1 series. Game 4 is Monday in Minneapolis (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).
The Timberwolves, who set a franchise record for most points in a playoff game, led early and kept piling up the points and piling on the Thunder. Minnesota led 34-14 after one quarter, 68-33 late in the second quarter, 105-63 late in the third quarter and 126-82 with 5:07 left in the fourth.
Anthony Edwards scored a game-high 30 points plus nine rebounds, six assists and two steals, and Julius Randle scored 24 points for the Timberwolves. In a surprising lift off the bench, Minnesota 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, scored 15 points.
Thunder star and 2024-25 NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 14 points.
Timberwolves vs. Thunder highlights
Final: Timberwolves 143, Thunder 101
It was the Timberwolves’ highest-scoring performance in a playoff game. It was also the largest playoff loss (42 points) for Oklahoma City.
Anthony Edwards finished with 30 points, nine rebounds and six assists for the Timberwolves. Julius Randle scored 24 points in the victory.
End of Q3: Timberwolves 107, Thunder 70
The Timberwolves have their foot on the gas and aren’t letting up. Minnesota has a 37-point lead over Oklahoma City heading into the fourth quarter. Anthony Edwards has a game-high 40 points and is one rebound shy of a double-double with nine rebounds and six assists. Julius Randle added 24 points and Jaden McDaniels has 10. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the Thunder with 14 points. The Timberwolves out-rebounded the Thunder 38-23.
Halftime: Timberwolves 72, Thunder 41
Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault was worried about the haymakers the Timberwolves would throw with their backs to the wall in Game 3. His concern was merited.
Trailing 2-0 in the series, the Timberwolves threw a flurry of punches in the first two quarters of Game 3, pummeling the Thunder in the first half for a 72-41 halftime lead, which marks a franchise playoff record for points in a half. Minnesota All-Star Anthony Edwards has a game-high 20 points, and 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, provided a huge lift off the bench with nine points in four minutes. Naz Reid added 10 points for the Timberwolves.
The Timberwolves are 27-for-48 shooting from the field and 9-for-19 on 3s, and the Thunder are 12-for-40 and 6-for-23. Minnesota led by as many as 35 (68-33) in the first. MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has a team-high nine points but also has four turnovers.
End Q1: Timberwolves 34, Thunder 14
The Timberwolves came out with a sense of urgency in Game 3 and jumped to a 20-point lead over the Thunder. The Timberwolves held the Thunder to 14 first-quarter points, which marks a season-low for Oklahoma City, who shot 6–of-21 from the field and 2-of-11 from three. Anthony Edwards singlehandedly outscored the Thunder with 16 points (6-of-8 FG, 3-of-5 3PT), five rebounds and two assists. Chet Holmgren has a team-high five points.
Thunder-Timberwolves Game 3 starting lineups
Timberwolves starters
Jaden McDaniels
Julius Randle
Rudy Gobert
Anthony Edwards
Mike Conley
Thunder starters
Jalen Williams
Chet Holmgren
Isaiah Hartenstein
Lu Dort
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Thunder prepping for Timberwolves’ best shot
Minnesota can’t afford to lose Game 3 and go in a 3-0 hole. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said his team needs to be ready for what the Timberwolves bring as the series shifts to Minneapolis for Games 3-4.
‘The guys understand that Minnesota’s coming home down 0-2 and that we’re going to get a haymaker from them, and we have to rise to that,’ Daigneault said.
Thunder-Timberwolves pregame coach’s chatter
Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said his team remains confident and just needs to start making shots.
“We have the utmost confidence,’ Finch said about two hours before Game 3. ‘We’ve got to figure out the adjustments that we need to make. Just try to stay on an even keel. Guys have been putting effort it. They just haven’t made shots. We were very, very happy with the shots that we have been able to generate.
‘Got to tighten some things up. We focused and highlighted on a lot of things that we’ve been doing well and got to bring the urgency to what tonight needs. That’s been our approach.”
Finch said it was important that the Timberwolves avoid the “five-minute meltdown” that hindered his team in the first two games.
What time is Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Oklahoma City Thunder?
Game 3 of the NBA’s Western Conference final series between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder tips off at 8:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.
How to watch Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Oklahoma City Thunder: TV, stream
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
Location: Target Center (Minneapolis, MN)
TV: ABC
Stream: ESPN+, Fubo
Timberwolves vs. Thunder Game 3 predictions
The Oklahoman: Minnesota 110, OKC 108
Justin Martinez writes: ‘It’s hard to win a game in Oklahoma City. Every mistake is magnified by an electric Paycom Center crowd, and that energy fuels some huge OKC runs. But Minnesota will have the home crowd on its side this time, and it’ll be desperate to avoid a 3-0 series hole. I think the Thunder will win this series in five games, and I’m picking the Timberwolves’ lone win to come in Game 3.’
ESPN: Thunder have a 67% chance to win
According to ESPN’s Matchup Predictor, the Oklahoma City Thunder have a 67.1% chance to win Game 3 against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Pickswise: Timberwolves
Staff writes: ‘What has really killed Minnesota is how badly the Wolves have gotten crushed from a turnover disparity perspective, particularly in those disastrous third quarters. Therefore, if Anthony Edwards and company are able to minimize those live-ball mistakes, that should take away a number of chances for Oklahoma City to get out on the break and generate easy points in transition. All things considered, I’ll take Minnesota to get in the win column at home.’
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Game 3 odds
The Oklahoma City Thunder are favored to win Game 3, according to BetMGM.
Odds as of Saturday, May 24.
Spread: Thunder (-4.5)
Moneyline: Thunder (-150), Timberwolves (+130)
Over/under: 218.5