The Minnesota Timberwolves turned the tables on the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder with a thumping 42-point win in recreation three of the Western Convention Finals.
Minnesota put up a franchise playoff report 143 factors in an unbelievable show, that inflicted the Thunder’s greatest ever playoff loss and flipped the script on the sequence up to now.
The primary seed Thunder simply accounted for the Timberwolves on their house court docket with 26 and 15 level wins to begin the sequence, and the pattern of house crew domination continued in Minnesota because the sixth seed bought their first win of the sequence on the board.
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The Timberwolves blew away OKC within the opening half with Anthony Edwards getting into beast mode because the hosts led by a whopping 31 factors when each groups hit the locker room.
The 71 factors Minnesota put up within the first half is a franchise report for a playoff recreation, they led by as a lot as 35 at one level and it was all impressed by their three-time All-Star.
Edwards had 20 first half factors, to go together with eight rebounds and three assists in a wide ranging show that included single-handedly outscoring the Thunder within the opening time period with 16 factors because the Timberwolves led by 20 on the first break.
The distinction in taking pictures at both finish of the ground was stark with the Timberwolves taking pictures 27-for-48 from the sector and 9-for-19 on 3s throughout their first half rampage, whereas the Thunder have been 12-for-40 and 6-for-23 in the identical stretch.
“I used to be tremendous pleased concerning the physicality that we introduced and the vitality that we introduced,” Edwards stated post-match.
The Timberwolves didn’t let up within the second half regardless of taking the possibility to get minutes into their bench gamers, whereas the starters rested.
Edwards completed with a game-high 30 factors, 9 rebounds and 6 assists as he and Julius Randle (24 factors), who responded from being bench in recreation two, performed half-hour, the equal most of anybody on the court docket.
Terrence Shannon Jr. (15 factors), Nickeil Alexander-Walker (12), Leonard Miller (11) and Naz Reid (10) all hit double digits for factors off the bench for the Timberwolves.
However the house crowd have been left disillusioned within the last minutes as they chanted for coach Chris Finch to inject beloved Australian veteran Joe Ingles into the sport, however he remained seated.
League MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had an equal team-high 14 factors on an evening to overlook for the Thunder.
The sequence will proceed in Minnesota when recreation 4 ideas off at 10:30am AEST on Tuesday.