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[Saba Sports News] The Minnesota Timberwolves flipped the script on Saturday night, delivering a dominant 143-101 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals to claw their way back into the series.
After Oklahoma City cruised through the first two games — blowing the game open with big third quarters — it was Minnesota’s turn to take control. With the series shifting to the Twin Cities, the Wolves seized the moment and will have a chance to even things up at home in Game 4 on Monday.
A key difference in Game 3? According to Anthony Edwards, it was rookie Terrence Shannon Jr., who made a major impact despite seeing limited action in the first two games.
“TJ (Shannon) came in and brought ultimate energy,” Edwards told ESPN’s Lisa Salters postgame. “We can’t ask for anything more. He came in, made all the right plays, and attacked the basket with aggression. He came up big for us tonight.”
Shannon played just 13 minutes but made them count — dropping 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including a three-pointer and a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line. His burst off the bench helped fuel Minnesota’s relentless energy throughout the blowout.
Edwards did plenty of damage himself, scoring 30 points on an ultra-efficient 12-of-17 from the field and 5-of-8 from deep in just 30 minutes of action. After a slow start in Game 1, he’s now strung together two big performances in a row and appears to be hitting his stride.
For Minnesota to complete the comeback against one of the league’s top teams, they’ll need more of the same — from both Edwards and unexpected contributors like Shannon. The Thunder reminded everyone why they’re the No. 1 seed in the first two games, but Game 3 showed the Wolves are more than capable of punching back.
Now comes the hard part: maintaining that level of play with little room for error the rest of the way.