The Wolves Strayed Too Far From Their Game 3 Blueprint

Jaden McDaniels wanted to leave the podium with a souvenir after scoring 22 points on a slow night for Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle. He asked the Minnesota Timberwolves officials if he could have the Gatorade in front of him.

Unfortunately, they told him he had to grab one from the fridge.

Jaden McDaniels wanted the gatorade on the table but they wouldn't let him take it 😂 pic.twitter.com/SC6TmpHMd6

— CJ Fogler 🫡 (@cjzero) May 27, 2025

McDaniels could probably use some electrolytes after shooting 9 of 15 from the field and 3 of 6 from three. He provided scoring on a night when Edwards had 16 points and Randle had 6.

“He’s one of our top players,” McDaniels said, referring to Randle. “If he’s not doing well, other guys…gotta come in and contribute and fill the absence.”

Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Donte DiVincenzo also could have used some hydration after scoring 23 and 21 points, respectively. Alexander-Walker and DiVincenzo lamented Minnesota’s 21 turnovers and 19 offensive rebounds, but Alexander-Walker touched on a crucial missing element from Game 4.

“You’ve gotta play desperate,” he said. “You got to play like there’s no tomorrow, because there isn’t.”

The Wolves played with desperation in Game 3 and won 148-101. In doing so, they created a blueprint to win at home. Edwards had 30 points, and Randle had 24. They got bench scoring from Terrence Shannon Jr., Alexander-Walker, and Naz Reid. They pressured the ball, moved it, and got quality shots while turning it over only 10 times and giving up 11 offensive rebounds.

However, Minnesota had missing components in Game 4. Edwards and Randle had quiet nights, and the Wolves played undisciplined basketball and had lousy late-game management.

“It’s not about how much we can score,” said Alexander-Walker. “It’s about, can we get the stops? Can we find a way to make winning plays relentlessly and consistently?”

“They had 19 offensive rebounds, and we had [21] turnovers,” added DiVincenzo. “It doesn’t matter who’s going to score. You can’t win a game with those numbers right there.”

McDaniels hit a three with 23 seconds left to cut Oklahoma City’s lead to 123-121. However, Alexander-Walker didn’t foul Shai Gilgeous-Alexander until there were 14.1 seconds left in the game, allowing seven seconds bleed off the clock. Gilgeous-Alexander hit both free throws, and DiVincenzo passed on an open three two seconds later.

The finer details matter, especially late in a Western Conference Finals game against a 68-win team. However, the Wolves could have created some margin for error if their stars had scored more. The turnovers and offensive rebounds didn’t help, either.

“This isn’t the formula to get it done,” said Finch, “and that’s the most important thing to take away from tonight.”

The Wolves must match their Game 3 desperation as the series moves to Oklahoma City. The bench must be productive in OKC, and they’ll have to battle a road whistle. More importantly, Edwards and Randle must exert their star power, and the team must play with more discipline.

Randle said he was “spectating” too often and must get more involved in actions. Meanwhile, Edwards said he “didn’t get enough shots to say I struggled.”

The Thunder pressured Edwards defensively all night, and he didn’t want to put up poor shots and take the Wolves out of rhythm. After averaging 22.4 shots in the first round and 19.8 in the second, Edwards only mustered 17.3 against the Thunder. He was 5 for 13 from the field in Game 4.

“It’s an urge that I want to get the ball in the rim, put it up there,” Edwards said. “But you don’t want to take bad shots and get your team out of rhythm. So I was just playing the game the right way, man.”

Edwards is still finding the balance between asserting himself offensively and making the right play. He’s learning to read the floor in real time and understanding how to create offense for himself while using his gravity to help his teammates.

Here is an example of a spot where Ant could have got to his pull-up three.

Although the possession ends in a wide-open corner 3PA for Jaden. Something just as valuable, could argue its even more with how Jaden started off this game. pic.twitter.com/O8EdtLRTD8

— Jonah (@Huncho_Jman) May 27, 2025

“I thought [in the] second half he was more aggressive,” Finch said. “He got downhill. We got him off the ball a little bit more. When he got to the paint, I thought he found some people, made the right plays. First half, he lagged behind a little bit too much. He needed to get out in front so we could stretch the floor and screen for him a bit. But second half was much better.”

Edwards and Randle will have off nights. The Wolves probably wouldn’t turn it over only 10 times and give up 11 offensive rebounds, like they did in Game 3. Their late-game execution doesn’t need to be perfect, but it must be better.

Ultimately, they need more components to beat the Thunder. Starpower and discipline win playoff series. Unfortunately, they lost a game where they got strong bench play and could have gone to Oklahoma City tied 2-2.

Now, they must play desperately, because if they lose, there is no tomorrow.

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