Timberwolves bury Suns in Game 3, take 3-0 series lead for first time
Minnesota has a chance to complete the sweep Sunday night.
The Timberwolves have a 3-0 lead in a playoff series for the first time.
The Timberwolves gave a resounding answer to whether the matchup with the Phoenix Suns in their Western Conference first-round matchup would look any different when the series shifted to Phoenix for Game 3, and it was a firm no. The Wolves dispatched the Suns 126-109 Friday night.
The Suns have a Big 3 of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, but the Timberwolves have a team far deeper. Whether it was All-Stars Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns pouring in 22 points combined in the first quarter or Nickeil Alexander-Walker coming off the bench to drain four 3-pointers in the third quarter, Minnesota had the edge for all of Game 3, and frankly, has for the series.
Towns and Edwards were just two of six Timberwolves players to finish in double figures Friday night. Towns battled through foul trouble all night — he had three with just over 6 minutes, 30 seconds remaining in the second quarter — to finish with 18 points and 13 rebounds.
The Suns were never going to throw in the towel. They came out and scored 32 points on the Timberwolves’ top-ranked defense in the first quarter. They were down just six points at the half. Despite getting blown out in the third quarter, they made a strong fourth-quarter push.
The Suns cut their deficit to as few as 12 points in the fourth quarter after entering the frame down 22. But Edwards played the part of a closer, driving to the hoop and drawing foul after foul, making his shots from the free-throw line to ensure Phoenix would never get within single digits.
Edwards did a bit of everything with 36 points, nine boards, five assists and a pair of steals.
It was Edwards' seventh 30-point playoff game, matching Kevin Garnett's franchise record.
"I just want to kill everything in front of me," Edwards told ESPN's Scott Van Pelt postgame.
Durant, Booker and Beal combined for 76 points, but the rest of the Suns mustered just 33. That star-studded trio — as talented as they may be — just haven’t been able to contend with the all-around team effort put forth by the Timberwolves.
Defensive Player of the Year frontrunner Rudy Gobert did what he always does — makes life difficult on opponents defensively while keeping plays alive on the offensive glass and finding a slew of ways to contribute offensively, including a euro step breakaway layup in the first quarter.
Gobert, who finished with 19 points and 14 boards, was in foul trouble early, picking up two in the first quarter, but by the end of the night, he was one of the only Timberwolves players not in foul trouble. But there was no amount of foul trouble that could slow the Wolves Friday night in Phoenix.
The Timberwolves led 59-53 at halftime, and just like in Game 1, they completely flipped the script and turned the game around in the third quarter, outscoring the Suns 36-20 in the frame. Alexander-Walker was a key part of that with his four 3-pointers in the quarter. He had 16 points.
But the game itself belong to everyone. Towns opened the third quarter with back-to-back buckets. Mike Conley, who recorded 15 points and seven assists, knocked down timely shots throughout.
Naz Reid, who also dealt with foul trouble Friday night, came off the bench to score 13.
The Timberwolves made history Friday night, taking a 3-0 series lead for the first time in franchise history. They'll have a chance to make more on Sunday night, with a prime opportunity to secure the first sweep in franchise history. If this team effort continues, it'll soon be a reality.
