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5 Takeaways as Minnesota wins game 3

5 Takeaways as Minnesota wins game 3

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Anthony Edwards scored 28 of his 36 points in the 2nd half, and Minnesota undertakes Golden State in the 4th quarter to win the 3 -year game.

It is difficult enough to win an NBA playoff game with your best player, the center of her offensive for about a decade sitting on the bench in street clothing.

It is even more difficult if you lose your best defender to disqualify through fouls on the track and miss your most effective evaluation for 24 of the 48 minutes of the game.

The Golden State Warriors played again without Steph Curry (left tendon), Lost Center Draymond Green and could not hit a single 3-point shot in the first half. Nevertheless, with the Minnesota Timberwolves, they held a certain river with Jimmy Butler and Reserve Jonathan Kuminga and even led 82-77 with less than eight minutes.

However, the wolves roared execution with late game, a late Anthony Edwards, a solid defense and a back rush. You have exceeded the home team 25-15 the rest of the path to the last edge 102-87. Here are five snack bars that Minnesota are up to date on Monday with 2-1 in game 4.10 et, ESPN) In the best-of-Seven Western Conference semi-final series:

1. Randle was Wolves' key guy

If you do something-a triple double that nobody in the history of the franchise playoffs since Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett 21 years ago, they are excellent. Julius Randle, the experienced striker, who came on the edge of the training camp in a surprising trade with Karl-Anthony Towns on the edge of the training camp, ended with 24 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists. It was his second game in a row with 20 and 10, first a wolve.

It is not necessary to assess the trade here. Cities and Randle both had their moments this season and both of them helped their teams to reach the conference. However, Randle was never more valuable than he was now. His skills to initiate crimes, find teammates, to defend the edge in the second half in the second half.

“It is really what our season was about to form his game formation,” said coach Chris Finch. “He gives us almost another point Guard. It is all for us, it was everything for our turn and it's all for our team.”

The 30 -year -old Randle missed the whole February with a groin load. Since his return, he and the wolves have gone 24: 5 so far, including eight playoff games. He was her consistent player with an average of 22.4 points, 5.8 boards and 6.4 assists and shot 47.7% the best off -season in his three career.

2. An ant of half of half

The game took long enough for Edwards from the cocoon to avenge Butterfly. He scored 28 of his 36 points in the second half, 13 in the last quarter, and produced the most explosive highlight of the night, leaving a Warriors defender on the left wing and over a second for a seismic throwdown end of the third quarter.

That and the fourth overshadowed his spotters in the first half (3-against-12, 1 from-6 to three, eight points). In the series, Edwards in first halves showed 16 points on the overall point in 5-to-27 shooting. In the second half there are 69 points, 23-for-36.

3. Only “Playoff Jim” in this case

“Playoff Jim” and not “Playoff Jimmy”? Yes, because Butler didn't quite finish what he started. Almost everyone inside or outside the arena expected the veteran of the Golden State forward in game 3 to impose his will to play at home, the circumstances seriously, if not bad.

And sure, he made so many shots (13) and scored more points (18) until half -time than in all games.

In particular, one game demonstrated his focus: at the beginning of the third, isolated with the ball against the cat quicks of Edwards, forgotten Butler, turned and left the Wolves Defender with a flat foot for a bucket.

The problem was that butler seemed to go out. On the way to 43 minutes, he missed several shots late, shot in the fourth 1: 7 and did not score in the last 8:16.

4. Warrior rarity: zero 3s in one half

Imagine how Keith and Ronnie the Unplugged, all acoustically. The Warriors, the franchise, which explained the 3-point shot so completely that the rest of the league returned, only took five in the first half. And didn't hit anyone.

That was the fewest 3-point attempts from a team this season and the first time that Golden State had zero since January 6, 2020. It was the result of several factors: no curry, a loop pace and its dependence on Butler closer.

The Warriors came closer in the second half and met 10-to-18, but their total number of 23 was in 92 games from 2024-25 (28 vs. Houston on December 5).

5. Circle does the square get?

This is a basketball series that is spreading in 10 to 14 days, but in a funny way it feels a bit like a TIC TAC TEE game. Played more on a clock than on a calendar.

The reason? Curry's heading heals at its own pace regardless of the NBA time plan. It is a small race with a timeline that has gone: Curry is injured in the second quarter of the opening. The Warriors still manage to win an X. Then Minnesota takes the 2 games in Target Center in the Target Center on Thursday to an O.

In game 3 on Saturday evening in San Francisco, the Timberwolves will again win and fill another box with the hope of O. Golden State to fill another X, ideally the next two, to extend the series, in the chance of the renewed assessment on Tuesday after game 4-heals enough to play again.

First to fill four victories.

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Steve Aschburner has written about the NBA since 1980. You can send it by email Herefind His archive here And Follow him on X.

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