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5 things that stood out from Timberwolves' Game 3 win over Warriors

Anthony Edwards' second-half brilliance and Julius Randle's triple-double were among Saturday's highlights.

Nolan O'Hara

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle dunks against the Golden State Warriors in the fourth quarter during Game 3 of a Western Conference semifinal at Chase Center in San Francisco on May 10, 2025.
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle dunks against the Golden State Warriors in the fourth quarter during Game 3 of a Western Conference semifinal at Chase Center in San Francisco on May 10, 2025. / David Gonzales / Imagn Images
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The Minnesota Timberwolves reclaimed home court and took a 2-1 lead in their Western Conference semifinal series after pulling away late to beat the Golden State Warriors 102-97 Saturday night at the Chase Center in San Francisco.

The Wolves are now just two wins away from a return trip to the Western Conference finals, and they'll have a chance to wrap the series up as soon as Wednesday's Game 5. The Warriors, meanwhile, will be clinging for dear life, hoping they can extend the series until Steph Curry can potentially return from a hamstring injury suffered in their Game 1 victory.

For now, Minnesota has the momentum and the series lead after stealing a win on the road. Once again, there was plenty that stood out from another playoff game, and here's a look five things that stood out from the Wolves' Game 3 victory:

Anthony Edwards' second-half takeover

Edwards struggled out of the gates and scored just eight points in the first half while his Wolves went into the break facing a 42-40 deficit. The 3-point shot wasn't falling, and one might've even wondered if his sprained ankle wasn't truly 100%.

Any questions about his health were quickly thrown to the side in the second half. Edwards exploded for 15 points in the third quarter, highlighted by his poster slam over the Warriors' Kevon Looney — another addition to his long highlight reel.

Edwards ultimately finished with a game-high 36 points, and he hit a 3 with 1:19 remaining that was essentially the dagger.

A slow start, but a torrid finish for the star guard.

Julius Randle's triple-double

Randle's flirted with triple-doubles plenty while in a Timberwolves uniform. He got one Saturday night, and even the box score might undersell his contributions in Game 3. He was a steady presence and provided needed buckets when shots weren't falling. Randle scored 13 of their 40 points in the first half when Minnesota shot just 15 for 44 from the field (34%).

Randle finished with 24 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds, the first playoff triple-double of his career. The 12 assists were a playoff career high, and his playmaking and bully ball were critical when the game wasn't always going smoothly.

Foul trouble

Draymond Green and Kevon Looney both fouled out. Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley each had five fouls. Donte DiVincenzo, Naz Reid and Jimmy Butler each had four. It was a whistle-fest that saw 47 fouls called between the teams.

Jonathan Kuminga steps up for Warriors

Kuminga only played in three games in the Warriors' seven-game first-round series victory over the Houston Rockets, and he played just 13 minutes in Game 1 against the Wolves. But with Curry out with the hamstring injury, Kuminga is getting more opportunity, and he's more than making the most of it. Kuminga poured in 30 points off the bench Saturday night.

Kuminga knocked down 3s, he made circus layups and provided the Warriors the scoring boost they needed with Curry sidelined. In addition to the 30 points, Kuminga also added six rebounds, three assists and a pair of blocks in a strong two-way effort. Only Edwards and Jimmy Butler, who scored a team-high 33 points, scored more than Kuminga in Game 3.

Mike Conley's minutes

Conley had only played more than 25 minutes in one playoff game this postseason — Game 5 against the Los Angeles Lakers — and only played 17 minutes in Minnesota's Game 2 win over the Warriors. He surpassed that total by halftime on Saturday and saw the floor for 28 minutes in all, his second most of the playoffs to his 31 minutes in Game 5 against L.A.

Conley had a plus-minus of plus-13 in those minutes, second best on the team to Randle's plus-14. And he was a plus-10 in the first half, despite the Wolves trailing by two at the break. Whether it was DiVincenzo's first-half foul trouble that led to the longer run or not, Conley was a driver for Minnesota in his extended minutes Saturday night, and key to the victory.

Conley finished with seven points, five assists and four rebounds and provided 28 minutes of top-tier defense.

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Nolan O'Hara
NOLAN O'HARA

Nolan O'Hara covers all things Minnesota sports, primarily the Timberwolves, for Bring Me The News and Sports Illustrated's On SI network. He previously worked as a copy editor at the St. Paul Pioneer Press and is a graduate of the University of Minnesota's Hubbard School of Journalism. His work has appeared in the Pioneer Press, Ratchet & Wrench magazine, the Minnesota Daily and a number of local newspapers in Minnesota, among other publications.

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