Timberwolves absorb Suns' best shot, complete series sweep with Game 4 win

Anthony Edwards delivered another masterful performance.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) shoots over Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) and Phoenix Suns forward Royce O'Neale (00) during the first half of Game 4 of the first round of the NBA playoffs at Footprint Center in Phoenix on April 28, 2024. / Joe Camporeale / USA TODAY Sports

The Phoenix Suns gave the Timberwolves their best shot. 

Kevin Durant and Devin Booker came to play, turning in a pair of truly dominant performances. The Timberwolves shot just 5 for 21 in the first quarter, with Rudy Gobert sitting for much of it after picking up two early fouls. The game itself was a fast-paced, high-scoring affair — the type of game that typically plays right into the Suns' hands.

In the end, none of that mattered. 

The Timberwolves beat the Suns 122-116 Sunday night in Phoenix in Game 4 of their Western Conference first-round series, securing the first sweep in a playoff series in franchise history and winning their first playoff series in 20 years.

It was no easy task.

It felt like the Suns did everything they possibly could to steal a win in Game 4. Durant and Booker combined for 82 points, each pouring in bucket after bucket no matter how difficult the Wolves' top-ranked defense made things on them. Booker had 49 points while Durant had 33.

And they each had over 30 points before the fourth quarter even started. But every blow they delivered the Timberwolves were able to absorb. 

Related: Timberwolves' Chris Finch helped to locker room during Game 4

And Anthony Edwards again played the part of a closer. Whether it was the 3 he hit that put the Wolves up 105-101 with just over five and a half minutes remaining, or the mid-range jumper he hit a few possessions later to answer Josh Okogie's dunk. Or immediately hitting a 3-pointer after Royce O'Neale hit a game-tying 3 of his own. He made every play when the Wolves needed it.

One in particular felt like the final nail in the coffin. Jaden McDaniels, who had 18 points, hit a big-time 3 that put the Wolves up 113-109. Booker made a pair of free throws on the other end to cut it to two, but that set the stage for Edwards to throw down a monster dunk to make it 115-11 with 2 mintues, 12 seconds remaining. The game wasn't over there, but it sure felt like that was the end for the Suns.

Edwards battled throughout the night. He got poked in the eye, he rolled an ankle and changed shoes during the game, but he stayed in all night to finish with 40 points, nine boards and six assists.

But he didn't do it alone. Karl-Anthony Towns delivered his best performance since returning from a meniscus injury. Towns was seemingly the only Wolves player who could make a shot early on, and he didn't cool off when the rest of the team heated up, finishing with 28 points on 11-for-17 shooting and 10 rebounds. He delivered when Minnesota needed him to most.

The Timberwolves had an answer whenever the Suns attempted to make a run. It felt like momentum had shifted to Phoenix on a couple occassions. Booker hit a jumper at the buzzer to put the Suns up five at halftime. The Suns took a six-point lead in the third quarter, but just as it felt like the tide was turning towards the Suns, Edwards hit back-to-back 3s to tie the game.

Then McDaniels threw down a dunk to make it an 8-0 Timberwolves run.

The only thing that soured the night was when Timberwolves coach Chris Finch got his legs swiped out from under him when Mike Conley and Booker were running along the sideline during the fourth quarter, with Conley falling into Finch. He was slow to get up before being helped off the court.

Hope Chris Finch is OK. 🙏🙏

pic.twitter.com/Ey1c7fuw6N

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 29, 2024

Assistant coach Micah Nori handled head coaching duties for the remainder of the game. The Athletic's Shams Charania reported that "it's feared" that Finch tore a patellar tendon in the knee during the incident. Nori said postgame there wasn't yet an update on Finch's status, but that "he's obviously in good spirits and so are the guys."

The Timberwolves will hope for a speedy recovery for Finch. They'll have some time off before they continue on to the second round of the playoffs for a likely matchup against the defending champion Denver Nuggets, who currently have a 3-1 lead over the Los Angeles Lakers in their first-round playoff series.