timberwolves strike back: game 3 turnaround signals new hope
a statement win in minneapolis
the minnesota timberwolves delivered a resounding message in game 3 against the oklahoma city thunder, securing a dominant 143-101 victory. this win wasn’t just a notch in the series; it was a statement, a tidal wave of performance that shifted the momentum and injected hope into the timberwolves’ campaign. after two disheartening losses in oklahoma city, where they were defeated by an average of 20.5 points, the timberwolves needed to prove they belonged in this western conference finals series.
did you know?
the oklahoma city thunder had the best point differential in league history during the regular season, making their game 3 loss even more surprising.
guard mike conley emphasized the significance of this performance: honestly, it just shows us, more than anything, of what we’re capable of doing. now we’ve set a standard for ourselves, like, why aren’t we playing with this type of effort every night? so, if we don’t do it the next game, that’s on us. it has nothing to do with them.
key performances ignite the wolves
anthony edwards set the tone early, scoring 16 of his 30 points in a ferocious first quarter. julius randle bounced back with 24 points in 30 minutes, while jaden mcdaniels stifled shai gilgeous-alexander, holding him to 4-for-13 shooting.naz reid and donte divincenzo, who struggled in the first two games, found their rhythm, hitting crucial open jumpers.
- anthony edwards: 30 points, leading the charge.
- julius randle: 24 points, a much-needed resurgence.
- jaden mcdaniels: defensive lockdown on gilgeous-alexander.
- naz reid & donte divincenzo: crucial 3-point contributions.
the timberwolves’ efficiency was remarkable, shooting 57.3% from the field and a scorching 50% from 3-point range (20-for-40). they also limited turnovers to just eight in the three quarters that mattered, while forcing the thunder into 13 turnovers, leading to 16 points.
strategic adjustments pay off
coach chris finch implemented key adjustments that contributed to the turnaround. after struggling with zone defenses in the first two games,the timberwolves simplified their approach,focusing on physical,man-to-man defense. i think sometimes, you’ve just got to throw your fastball,
finch said, admitting they had been trying to do too much other junk out there at times.
rudy gobert played more aggressively, blitzing gilgeous-alexander and playing to the level of the screen, a departure from his usual drop coverage. this aggressive posture paid dividends, as evidenced by gobert’s steal on gilgeous-alexander.
rudy gobert pnr blitz + steal + draws the foul in transition pic.twitter.com/avw162oSyg
– timberwolves clips (@wolvesclips) may 25, 2025
conley noted the shift in defensive strategy: we were trying to find ways to guard them like denver (guarded) them, and we’re not the same team denver is, so sometimes it’s not just apples to apples in a sense. what works for us is us playing hard man-to-man defense, playing in gaps, being in passing lanes and being physical.
terrence shannon jr.’s unexpected impact
a surprising but impactful addition to the rotation was rookie terrence shannon jr. after being out of the rotation as early march, shannon provided a much-needed spark off the bench. in his first four-minute shift, he scored nine points, going 3-for-5 from the floor and drawing three free throws.
pro tip
introducing a new player like shannon can disrupt the opponent’s scouting report and force them to adjust on the fly.
conley highlighted shannon’s physicality: i just know that’s one weapon we have that can come in and spark us. his physicality, he’s not afraid of anything.
shannon finished the game with 15 points, outscoring gilgeous-alexander.
tj shannon physical driving finish through contact pic.twitter.com/qwn00mwgly
– timberwolves clips (@wolvesclips) may 25, 2025
shannon described his approach: i feel like the way i play, the defense has got to adjust to me, because i’m going so fast and fearless downhill that they got to adjust.
offensive flow and 3-point resurgence
after struggling from 3-point range in the first two games, the timberwolves found their rhythm in game 3. better ball movement and drive-and-kick action created open looks for shooters. edwards and randle consistently penetrated the paint, drawing defenders and kicking the ball out to open teammates.
naz reid pull-up 3, created by anthony edwards + jaden mcdaniels pic.twitter.com/izz3eg81qi
– timberwolves clips (@wolvesclips) may 25, 2025
the result was a dramatic improvement in 3-point shooting, with the team hitting 50% of their attempts. this offensive flow, combined with the defensive adjustments and shannon’s energy, proved to be a winning formula.
the road ahead
while the timberwolves cannot expect to replicate their 3-point shooting performance in game 4, they can build on the strategic adjustments and improved offensive flow. randle emphasized the need for continued effort: we haven’t done anything. (the thunder) are a great team, so we’ve got to go and do it again and play even better, play harder, because we know they’re going to bring it next game.
game 3 was a crucial step forward,demonstrating the timberwolves’ potential and providing a blueprint for future success. it was a start, a necessary shift in the series narrative.
