Timberwolves in midst of historically bad 3-point shooting stretch

Minnesota is just 12 for 76 from 3 over in its last two games, the worst two-game shooting stretch in playoff history.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo shoots a 3-pointer against the Utah Jazz in the first quarter at Target Center in Minneapolis on April 13, 2025. | Matt Blewett / Imagn Images

The Minnesota Timberwolves didn't hold the record for most missed 3-pointers in a playoff game long.

After the Wolves set a playoff record for most missed 3s after going 7 for 47 in their Game 5 and series-clinching win over the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round on April 30, the Boston Celtics one-upped them by missing 45 from deep in their Game 1 loss to the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Minnesota didn't quite reclaim that record in its Game 1 loss to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference semifinals, but the team did make new NBA history.

Over their last two games, the Wolves are just 12 for 76 from 3 (16%) over their last two games, the worst two-game shooting stretch in NBA playoff history. Minnesota shot just 5 for 29 from 3-point range in Tuesday night's loss.

"God damn," said a wide-eyed Anthony Edwards when a reporter revealed the numbers after Tuesday's loss. "You know, that's how it go. You have stretches where you shoot the ball really, really well, and you have stretches where you shoot the ball really, really bad. You just hope the good outweigh the bad. I'm not gonna say it's going bad for us right now, we just didn't shoot it well tonight. I'm not really worried about the last series or whatever that was, that was a month ago, if you ask me. Tonight we didn't shoot the ball well, but tonight is over, so next game we'll shoot the ball really well."

Edwards is the highest volume shooter on the team, and he's 1 for 16 over the two-game stretch. But he's hardly the only one struggling. Donte DiVincenzo is just 3 for 19 in the last two games; Nickeil Alexander-Walker just 2 for 11. All three players shot around 40% from 3 during the regular season. It's been uncharacteristic for a team that's featured a number of knock-down shooters, which it leaned on during its best stretches on play. All they can do now is look to the next shot.

"Just keep shooting," Edwards said. "That's the name of the game. You can't worry about the last shot. Shoot the next one, shoot it with confidence. I think we've been doing that. ... I think we just didn't play well today. And people try to blame whatever, blame whoever, you can blame me. Just didn't play good enough."