The Minnesota Timberwolves desperately needed a response after getting embarrassed in Game 3, and they got one from the only player on the floor capable of completely hijacking a playoff game. Anthony Edwards delivered a superstar performance, overpowering the San Antonio Spurs in a tense 114-109 victory.
Minnesota didn’t play clean basketball by any means. The Timberwolves turned the ball over 17 times and shot just 45% from the field, but they found answers whenever San Antonio threatened to run away with the game, even with Victor Wembanyama ejected.
Edwards’ brilliance carried the offense, while key contributions from Naz Reid, Rudy Gobert, and Mike Conley helped steady the chaos. For San Antonio, De’Aaron Fox and rookie Dylan Harper fought hard offensively, but Minnesota’s physicality eventually wore the Spurs down late.
Now the series heads into Game 5 with momentum completely flipped. Let’s dive into the Timberwolves player ratings.
Anthony Edwards: A+
Stats: 36 PTS, 6 REB, 2 AST, STL, 4 TOV, 13-22 FG, 3-5 3PT, 7-8 FT, 40 MIN
Edwards came out hunting from the opening tip and never let the Spurs breathe comfortably. Every big possession seemed to end with him attacking downhill, bullying smaller defenders, or drilling a momentum-killing jumper.
San Antonio threw multiple looks at him and none of it mattered. When Minnesota’s offense stalled, Edwards simply decided the game wasn’t slipping away.
Beyond the scoring, his confidence completely lifted the Timberwolves emotionally. You could feel the energy shift every time he got downhill. Minnesota needed a franchise-player performance, and Edwards delivered exactly that.
Rudy Gobert: B+
Stats: 11 PTS, 13 REB, 4 AST, BLK, 4-7 FG, 3-4 FT, 30 MIN
Gobert had another strong playoff performance. He dominated the glass, protected the rim effectively, and punished San Antonio on second-chance opportunities with six offensive rebounds.
What stood out most was his composure. The four assists were a pleasant surprise too. He wasn’t flashy, but he gave the Timberwolves exactly the type of stabilizing interior presence they needed.
Naz Reid: B+
Stats: 15 PTS, 9 REB, 4 AST, STL, TOV, 6-12 FG, 0-4 3PT, 3-3 FT, 31 MIN
Naz Reid’s three-point shot disappeared, but he still found ways to impact the game positively. His rebounding was massive off the bench, and his activity around the basket helped Minnesota survive some ugly offensive stretches.
What makes Reid valuable is that he never stops attacking the game. Even when the jumper isn’t falling, he crashes the glass, pushes the pace, and creates energy plays. The four assists were another nice wrinkle. He gave the Timberwolves a spark whenever the offense started looking stagnant.
Jaden McDaniels: B-
Stats: 14 PTS, 6 REB, 1 TOV, 6-15 FG, 0-2 3PT, 2-2 FT, 41 MIN
McDaniels had opportunities all night to make this game easier for Minnesota and just couldn’t consistently capitalize. His defense remained solid as usual, but offensively he floated through long stretches without aggression. Several clean looks around the rim rolled off, and his perimeter shot never became a factor.
The Timberwolves continue to need more offensive punch from him in these playoff moments. Forty-one minutes for just 14 points on 15 shots isn’t nearly efficient enough. He wasn’t disastrous, but this felt like a missed opportunity to impose himself against a vulnerable Spurs defense.
Julius Randle: C+
Stats: 12 PTS, 8 REB, 3 AST, 6 TOV, 5-12 FG, 2-4 3PT, 38 MIN
This was one of those classic Julius Randle playoff experiences where every good play came packaged with two stressful ones. He battled hard on the glass and knocked down a couple of timely threes, but the six turnovers were brutal and nearly swung the game toward San Antonio. Every time Minnesota looked ready to settle down offensively, Randle would force a pass into traffic or drive into a crowd with absolutely no plan.
Still, he deserves credit for competing physically. He attacked the boards, absorbed contact, and gave the Timberwolves a toughness edge that mattered in a close game. Still, Edwards bailed Minnesota out of a potentially ugly night from Randle offensively.
Ayo Dosunmu: C+
Stats: 10 PTS, 5 REB, 3 AST, 2 STL, 2 TOV, 3-12 FG, 1-4 3PT, 3-3 FT, 30 MIN
Ayo Dosunmu defended hard and competed on every possession, but offensively this was rough. He simply couldn’t buy a bucket for most of the night, and several rushed jumpers killed momentum during important stretches. Minnesota survived it because Edwards turned into a flamethrower.
To his credit, Dosunmu impacted the game defensively with his energy and ball pressure. He also contributed on the glass and made a few hustle plays that won’t show up fully in the box score. Still, the Timberwolves need much better efficiency from their starting backcourt partner next game.
Mike Conley: C+
Stats: 8 PTS, 2 AST, TOV, 2-2 FG, 2-2 3PT, 2-2 FT, 11 MIN
Conley only played 11 minutes, but his impact felt bigger than the stat sheet suggests. The veteran steadied the offense immediately when he checked in, knocked down both of his threes, and played mistake-free basketball outside of one turnover.
There’s just a calmness to Minnesota when Conley is on the floor. He doesn’t over-dribble, he organizes possessions, and he understands playoff pacing better than almost everyone else on the roster. Efficient, composed, and quietly important.
Terrence Shannon Jr.: C+
Stats: 8 PTS, 2 REB, 2 AST, STL, 2 TOV, 3-12 FG, 2-5 3PT, 20 MIN
Shannon brought energy, but the efficiency was ugly. He forced several difficult shots in transition and had trouble finishing around contact. Still, you can see why Minnesota trusts him in meaningful playoff minutes because the aggression never disappears.
Even when the jumper wasn’t falling consistently, Shannon attacked defensively and stayed active cutting off-ball. He plays with real confidence, sometimes bordering on chaos, but the Timberwolves seem to feed off that edge.
