It was the first trip to the Chase Center in this round of the NBA playoffs this year, and the Golden State Warriors had big expectations for a critical, high-stakes showdown in Game 3 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. As expected, the teams battled with nothing held back, and it was anyone’s to win until the final minutes.
Unlike in the first two games, which had very lopsided scores, Game 3 was very competitive, and they fought to a stalemate until the fourth quarter, when the Timberwolves finally pulled away. They scored 33 points in that final frame to expand the lead by nine and gain the separation needed to close out the game (102-97).
Anthony Edwards was the game’s leading scorer with 36 points, four rebounds, and four assists on 46.4% shooting. Julius Randle dropped a triple-double with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists on 43.5% shooting. Young swingman Jaden McDaniels finished with 15 points, six rebounds, and two blocks on 57.1% shooting.
For the Steph Curry-less Warriors, Jimmy Butler III was the top scorer, posting 33 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists on 46.2% shooting. Draymond Green dropped two points, two rebounds, and four assists while Jonathon Kuminga dropped 30 points, six rebounds, and three assists on 61.1% shooting.
The Warriors and Wolves had nearly identical records in the regular season, so it makes sense that they are nearly perfectly matched in the playoffs. With star power, depth, and playoff experience, both teams believe they can win the series, but the Timberwolves got one step closer tonight thanks to several key factors that led them to victory.
Star Duo Went Off
In the wake of the Karl-Anthony Towns trade, some fans worried that the Wolves wouldn’t have enough star power to compete with the NBA elites. The truth is, Minnesota has arguably one of the most stacked rosters in the league with multiple stars and a cast of capable role-players.
Starting with Anthony Edwards, his leadership and consistent scoring in the backcourt provided a steady flow on offense that ensured they never lost ground. With 36 points, four rebounds, four assists, and one block on 46.4% shooting, Edwards’ lethal scoring efforts overwhelmed the Warriors, and their defense had no chance to keep up.
As Edwards was going off, Julius Randle was making an impact as well. He finished with a 24-point triple-double in 40 minutes of play on 43.5% shooting. He was doing a little bit of everything for the Timberwolves, and his combined impact with Anthony Edwards helped Minnesota take control of the game in hostile territory.
Elite Defense On Display
All in all, it was a pretty ugly game for both teams tonight that involved heavy fouls, turnovers, and a lot of missed shots. Standout performances kept the Warriors in the game until the last minute, but the Timberwolves’ stifling defense ensured that they never took control of the game.
The size and length of Minnesota’s frontcourt completely disrupted the Warriors’ interior presence, leading to just nine points combined between the starting center and power forward. Golden State also lost the rebounding battle, finishing with 36 against the Wolves’ 44.
As a team, the Warriors shot 43.2% from the field, and they were held to under 100 points for the third straight game. Until Stephen Curry returns, the Warriors will have to find a new source of scoring in the backcourt, but whatever they do may still not be enough to overcome the stifling Timberwolves defense.
Clutch Play Down The Stretch
The Timberwolves are still young, but they’ve already learned a lot from their previous experiences. Arguably, their biggest area of growth is their play in the clutch, which has improved tremendously over the years. Tonight, late-game execution made the difference once again and may be the reason why they won at all.
With the game up for grabs down the stretch, the Timberwolves tightened up on defense and held the Warriors to just 24 points in the final 24 minutes. Meanwhile, Anthony Edwards took over on the other end with 13 fourth-quarter points on 4-6 shooting.
The Timberwolves seemingly always save their best for last. That’s true during the 2024-25 season, and that was true for Game 3 tonight with 33 points in the final quarter of play. In the clutch, Minnesota has the more reliable closers, and that might not change even when/if Curry returns.
With a 2-1 lead, Minnesota has taken full control of the series, and the odds are in their favor of advancing to the Western Conference Finals. Even as the sixth seed, Minnesota has proven to be a formidable opponent, and the combined strength of Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, and Rudy Gobert is clearly not easy to beat, as the Wolves are currently just one of eight teams remaining in the NBA playoffs.
