Timberwolves-Spurs Game 3: Referees, Announcers, Keys to a Wolves Win

After splitting a pair of games in San Antonio in very different fashions, the Timberwolves and Spurs are in Minneapolis for the next two games in their second-round postseason series, beginning with Game 3 on Friday night. One of these teams is going to take a 2-1 lead and give itself a chance to create some separation in the series on Sunday.

The Wolves won Game 1 by two points. The Spurs bounced back and dominated Game 2, winning by a whopping 38. Here's everything you need to know ahead of Game 3.

Start time, TV channel, and announcers

For the third consecutive game, Wolves-Spurs will follow a 6 p.m. central time Knicks-76ers game and is listed as starting at 8:30 p.m. central. The true tip-off time is either 8:42 p.m. or, if a five-minute slide is needed, 8:47 p.m. Both games Friday night will be televised on Amazon Prime Video.

The broadcast team for Wolves-Spurs is a good one. Kevin Harlan, Dwyane Wade, Candace Parker, and sideline reporter Allie Clifton have the call tonight. Harlan and his crew called Games 1 and 3 of the Timberwolves' first-round series against the Nuggets.

Referees

The crew chief for Game 3 is longtime NBA official Tony Brothers. He'll be joined by Tyler Ford and Jacyn Goble. Brothers was the lead referee in Minnesota's Game 2 win over the Nuggets, which included one bizarre replay ruling but nothing too controversial otherwise.

Injuries

Both Anthony Edwards (knee) and Ayo Dosunmu (heel) are listed as questionable for Minnesota. Given that Edwards has played in each of the last two games, it would be stunning if he isn't active for this one. Dosunmu appears to be more of a legitimate questionable designation, so it'll be worth checking back on his status as game time approaches. Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles) is out for the season.

The Spurs have a clean injury report.

Betting odds

The Spurs are favored by 4.5 points, which is up from the 3.5 the line opened at. The Wolves are around +170 or +175 on the money line at most sportsbooks, though lines and odds are always subject to change.

Keys to a Wolves win

Minnesota is obviously going to have to play a heck of a lot better on Friday night after getting "punked" by the Spurs on Wednesday, to use Chris Finch's wording. The Wolves shot just 30 percent from the floor in the first half of that game and committed 22 turnovers on the night. On a very basic level, they need to make more shots and take care of the basketball, especially because missed shots and turnovers can lead to buckets in transition the other way.

When the Wolves have the ball, they need to do a better job moving it quickly when Edwards or anyone else gets trapped. The Spurs sent two defenders at Ant numerous times in Game 2. When that happens, he has to get off of it, and the player he passes to needs to be ready to make a quick second pass to find a numbers advantage.

The Wolves also desperately need Jaden McDaniels to stay out of foul trouble. In Game 1, he committed his third foul a few minutes into the second quarter, causing him to sit for the rest of the half. In Game 2, the exact same thing happened, though it was even a minute or so earlier in the second quarter. He's played a combined 5:33 in the two second quarters so far.

McDaniels was called for five fouls in both games. Of the nine defensive fouls he's been called for, seven have been drawn by Spurs guard Stephon Castle. Finch and the Wolves may need to consider altering that defensive assignment so Castle can't continue to draw fouls on McDaniels.

"You need Jaden on the floor at all times, whenever he's available," Edwards said after Game 2. "Him being off the court is gonna hurt us every time. He knows it, we know it, the whole gym knows it, their team knows it. When he get in foul trouble, they get happy. They know we need him on the floor to affect the game. He gon' be better next game. He knows he can't really foul because we're not gonna win if he's not on the floor."

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