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Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves dunks the ball during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game Three of the Western Conference Finals on May 24, 2025 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.(Photo by David Sherman/NB
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Timberwolves took a wide lead at the beginning of the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, which carried them all the way to victory in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals.
Timberwolves take early lead
Big picture view:
The Wolves, cheered on by an energized home crowd, won Game 3 against the Thunder with a final score of 143-101.
At the center of the action was Anthony Edwards, who scored 30 points, nine rebounds and six assists in just the first three quarters.
Julius Randle put up 24 points for the Wolves, and rookie Terrence Shannon Jr. added 15 points in just 13 minutes.
The Wolves left no opportunity for the Thunder to start a second-half comeback, with Edwards finding enough space to drive along the baseline and spin an up-and-under reverse layup off the glass for a 79-52 lead.
Thunder defense falters
The other side:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had only 14 points on 4-for-13 shooting with four turnovers, snubbed out with a 38-point deficit and 4:25 to go in the third quarter.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault conceded on a night when his team was never closer than 22 points after the early second quarter.
The Associated Press reports that the newly-minted NBA MVP Gilgeous-Alexander went more than 13 minutes of game time between baskets while the Target Center crowd loudly booed him on every touch and taunted him at the line with the chant, "Free throw merchant!" to acknowledge the popular notion that he draws an inordinate amount of fouls.
The strong response from the wolves comes after the Thunder opened the series with two lopsided wins.
What's next:
Game 4 is set to take place Monday night in Minneapolis.
The Source: The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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