Last night, the Target Center in Minneapolis was electric, and Anthony Edwards was the spark. The 23-year-old Timberwolves star poured in 30 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and dished out six assists in just three quarters, leading Minnesota to a jaw-dropping 143-101 rout of the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals. It was the kind of performance that had fans chanting “Wolves in six!” and gave the team new life after falling into an 0-2 hole. The win, Minnesota’s highest-scoring playoff game ever, cut the Thunder’s series lead to 2-1, proving the Wolves are far from done.
From the opening tip, Edwards came out swinging, dropping 16 points in the first quarter alone. He was everywhere—slashing to the rim, hitting pull-up jumpers, and finding teammates with pinpoint passes. “Ant was locked in,” said teammate Julius Randle, who added 24 points. “You could see it in his eyes—he wasn’t letting us lose.” The Wolves jumped to a 34-14 lead after one, and by halftime, they were up 72-41, a franchise playoff record for points in a half. Even when the Thunder tried to claw back with an 11-2 run to open the third, Minnesota answered with a 12-0 surge, stretching the lead to 37 by the end of the quarter. Oklahoma City waved the white flag, resting their starters for the fourth.
Edwards wasn’t alone. Rookie Terrence Shannon Jr., who’d barely played in the postseason, came off the bench like a lightning bolt, scoring 15 points in 13 minutes. Jaden McDaniels chipped in 10 points and six rebounds, while Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley locked down the paint and kept the offense humming. “We played our game,” coach Chris Finch said after the win. “We moved the ball, played tough defense, and Ant set the tone.” Minnesota’s 143 points shattered their playoff record, and the 42-point margin handed the Thunder their worst postseason loss ever.
For Oklahoma City, it was a rare off night. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, fresh off his NBA MVP award, was held to 14 points on 4-of-13 shooting, a far cry from his 38-point masterpiece in Game 2. Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren added 13 and 10 points, but the Thunder couldn’t match Minnesota’s intensity. “They came out hungry, and we didn’t have an answer,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault admitted. Posts online echoed the shock, with one fan writing, “The Wolves just ran OKC off the floor. Ant’s a problem.”
This wasn’t just a win—it was a statement. After dropping the first two games in Oklahoma City, where Edwards still shone with 32 points in Game 2, the Timberwolves needed a spark at home. Edwards, who just passed Kevin Garnett as Minnesota’s all-time playoff scoring leader, delivered in a way that reminded everyone why he’s a rising superstar. “We’re still down 2-1,” Edwards said in his walk-off interview, keeping it real. “All this ‘Wolves in six’ talk is cool, but we’ve got work to do.”
The series now shifts to Game 4 on Monday in Minneapolis, with tip-off at 8:30 p.m. ET. The Wolves, 4-1 at home this postseason, know they can’t let up against a Thunder team that went 68-14 in the regular season. But last night, Edwards and company showed they’re ready to fight. For fans in Minnesota, it was a night to believe again—a night when their young star reminded the NBA that the Timberwolves are still in the hunt.
