**The Wolves Ace the Test**
After the first two games of the Western Conference Finals, the [Minnesota Timberwolves](https://www.canishoopus.com) were getting flunking grades and heading towards summer school in Cancun. At times, it seemed like only a miracle could raise their collective GPA enough to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Well, guess what? Sometimes you make your own miracles.
The Timberwolves walked into Target Center, sharpened their pencils, flipped the scantron over, and gave us a Game 3 performance that would’ve made Dean Wormer raise an eyebrow and whisper, “Summa. Cum. Laude.”
After eight quarters of hair-pulling frustration—blown leads, phantom fouls, threes clanging off rims like church bells—the Wolves finally showed up. And I don’t mean “Hey, we hung around for a while” showed up. I mean full-blown demolition, wire-to-wire, never-in-doubt, “OKC might be Googling ‘how to recover from a public basketball shaming’” kind of performance.
It was 143-101. It felt like 243-101.
So... was this just a feel-good one-night stand before OKC walks back in and reclaims control? Or was this the moment the Wolves found themselves again—the snarling, switch-flipping, soul-snatching version that dismantled the [Lakers](https://www.silverscreenandroll.com) and locked up Jimmy Butler like a high-end storage facility?
That answer’s coming. But in the meantime, let’s hand out grades for this Game 3 masterclass.
### **Anthony Edwards: A+ (Valedictorian, Homecoming King, Class President)**
This wasn’t just Ant being great. This was Ant saying, _“Get on my back. I’ve got this.”_
30 points in 30 minutes. Twelve-for-seventeen shooting. Five-of-eight from deep. Nine boards. Six assists. Two steals.
More importantly—**he set the tone**. Those first-quarter steals? They were momentum grenades. Ant came out like he was hunting ghosts. Every transition dunk had “This is MY building” written all over it. If this was a Marvel movie, this was Ant’s third-act fight scene where he finally taps into his powers and starts leveling cities.
Put it simply: **this was the best version of Anthony Edwards we’ve seen. Ever.** Not just the stats—the control, the poise, the swagger, the leadership. SGA is incredible. But in Game 3, **Ant was the baddest man in the arena.**
### **Terrence Shannon Jr.: A+**
I’d be lying if I said I expected to write about TSJ in the first half of Game 3. But then? Boom. Finch calls his number, and the rookie torches OKC like he’s trying to rewrite the scouting report in real time.
13 minutes. 15 points. 5-for-8 from the field. Relentless drives. Aggressive defense. And the kind of impact you _feel_ even when he’s off the ball. He attacked the rim like someone who didn’t care about nerves, playoff pressure, or the fact that he was going toe-to-toe with the No. 1 seed.
If TSJ can keep this up? The Wolves suddenly have another slasher who can punish OKC’s perimeter. And let’s just say: it’s going to be _really_ hard to keep him out of the Game 4 rotation now.
### **Julius Randle: A**
Game 2 Randle was basically that guy in the group project who disappears for three weeks and shows up the night before the presentation with “vibes.” Game 3 Randle? He brought the PowerPoint, the talking points, and closed with a dunk on your self-esteem.
24 points. 9-of-15 shooting. **No turnovers.** Physicality. Effort. Presence. He looked _engaged_. He wasn’t floating on the perimeter chucking fadeaways—he was hunting mismatches, bullying smaller defenders, and doing the thing we were promised when the Wolves made that blockbuster deal.
If this is the version of Randle that sticks around? Suddenly, the Wolves don’t just have hope—they have balance.
### **Jaden McDaniels: A**
10 points. Two made threes. Six rebounds. Cool. Whatever.
But did you watch the _defense_?
Jaden McDaniels played SGA like he had the cheat codes. After being the victim of foul trouble and SGA trickery in the first two games, he came out with a new game plan—and executed it like a surgeon with a grudge. He cut off angles. Forced early passes. Took away the hesitation pull-up.
Jaden didn’t just defend—**he suffocated**. And he did it without picking up cheap fouls.
That’s growth. That’s championship DNA.
### **Nickeil Alexander-Walker: A**
Let’s be real. If you told me NAW would only score two less points than his cousin in a playoff game, I’d assume something weird happened—like a lightning strike or a malfunctioning scoreboard.
But here we are. NAW drops 12 on 5-of-9 shooting, plays his usual dog-on-a-bone defense, and looks _completely at home_ in this series.
Family reunions this summer are gonna be awkward. “Hey Shai, remember that Game 3 when—”
### **Mike Conley: B+**
5 points. 4 assists. One steal. No, it’s not the most impressive stat line, but here’s the thing: Mike keeps the Wolves’ _soul_ together. He’s a playoff thermostat. When he’s out there, the Wolves play smarter. More connected. Finch could start a Conley appreciation podcast and I’d subscribe instantly.
### **Nas Reid: B+**
Finally. **Finally.**
After two games of “Who stole Naz’s shooting touch and replaced it with ice water and bad decisions,” he finds rhythm: 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting, including 2-for-3 from three. He also pulled down 8 rebounds and looked like he remembered how to play within the offense.
This wasn’t full-on “Gamebreaker Naz,” but it was the first sign that he’s waking up. And if this version continues? Game-changer.
### **Rudy Gobert: B**
7 points. 7 rebounds. Like Mike, the box score doesn’t tell the full story for Gobert. Rudy finally felt _connected_ in Game 3. He boxed out. He sealed the paint. He didn’t fumble away passes. He altered shots even if they didn’t show up in the block column.
It wasn’t dominant, but it was _solid_. And given what happened in Games 1 and 2? That’s a big deal.
### **Donte DiVincenzo: B**
Two threes. Zero misses. Smart defense. Low mistakes.
He only played 16 minutes, but he looked like he’d finally reset his internal compass after two rough games. This is the Donte they traded for—a glue guy with a sniper’s touch. If he’s trending upward, that’s a scary new wrinkle for OKC to deal with.
### **The End of the Bench (Garza, Miller, Clark, Dillingham, Minott): A**
You want to know how bad this blowout got? Luka Garza hit a three and smiled before it went in. Leonard Miller dropped 11 in 8 minutes and made OKC’s scrubs look like they were trying to guard a microwave. Jaylen Clark played grown-man defense on a few possessions. Dillingham dished out 4 assists in the blink of an eye.
If Game 3 was a celebration, the rookies got to cut the cake and do karaoke. And they crushed it.
### **Final Word: The Wolves Might Have Just Flipped the Series**
Here’s the million-dollar question: _Was this just one epic Target Center outburst before OKC regroups and slams the door shut in Game 4?_
Or...
Did the Wolves just remember who the hell they are?
This felt different. This wasn’t a fluky shooting night. This wasn’t a close game that got away. This was an _intentional_ beatdown. This was a game where Minnesota played harder, smarter, faster, meaner, and more connected.
They’ve made it a series now.
Game 4 looms large. If they tie it 2–2, all the pressure shifts. Suddenly, OKC doesn’t look like a team with the answers. Suddenly, the Wolves are back in control. Suddenly, we’re talking about Anthony Edwards making his Finals debut.
Keep the pencils sharp.
Keep the grades high.
**Class is still in session.**