The Minnesota Timberwolves heavily bounced back in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder by 42. From the opening jump, Minnesota was the better team and got itself right back into the playoff series.
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The Timberwolves now trail 2-1 in the best-of-seven series, with Game 4 scheduled to again be played on their home floor. But the Thunder were the best team in the NBA all season, and they will likely move on from this poor performance.
After the game was over, Thunder star Jalen Williams spoke on the outcome, completely brushing off the beatdown that his team had just taken.
"In college I've lost by 60... it could always be worse," he said.
Williams attended Santa Clara for college, and his team did lose by 60 at one point. But his response did put things into perspective for Oklahoma City, especially with them still leading the series.
The Timberwolves simply came out more aggressive and desperate to get the win. With their backs against the wall, Minnesota outworked the Thunder and came away with the massive win.
"Just fighting the human nature effect," guard Alex Caruso said. "We were up 2-0. They lose, they're down 3-0. History says — the numbers say it's pretty much a wrap. This was their Game 7. We didn't do a good job of answering that early."
This was the first time in the playoffs that the Thunder lost the turnover battle, leading to a lot of easy baskets from Minnesota. Additionally, the two stars of the Thunder, Williams and MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, both had awful shooting nights.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished the game with just 14 points on 4-of-13 shooting from the field. This was the lowest total from him during the entire season, adding insult to injury for Oklahoma City
Williams finished the contest with just 13 points on 3-of-9 shooting. But the two stars combined for eight turnovers throughout the game.
"We don't try to go out like that, I promise," Gilgeous-Alexander chuckled.
Oklahoma City will now need to rebound quickly for Game 4, otherwise, they run the risk of allowing the Timberwolves to gain control of the series. Momentum is a real thing within the postseason, and if the Thunder aren't careful, Minnesota could sneak back into this matchup.
Game 4 is scheduled for Monday, May 26, at 8:30 p.m. ET.
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This story was originally published May 25, 2025 at 11:51 AM.