Timberwolves-Suns: 5 takeaways as Anthony Edwards stars in Sport 3 – NBA.com

Anthony Edwards continues to be a handful for the Suns, who now sit on the sting of a devastating playoff exit.
Shaun Powell
Wolves star Anthony Edwards completed with 36 factors to guide Minnesota to a 3-0 lead over Phoenix.
PHOENIX — This basketball city was anticipating popping bottles this season. As a substitute, there’s the unmistakable and merciless sound of a large bubble bursting.
The Suns, constructed with a championship in thoughts, are down 3-0 in the first round. The Suns, who assembled a Huge Three, a mix essential to journey deep within the postseason, are shaping up as a Huge Tease.
Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal are one other dangerous night time of basketball away from being swept away. It’s a disbelief that wasn’t misplaced on the house crowd in Sport 3, which booed continuously within the third quarter Friday, then chanted for coach Frank Vogel’s job within the fourth.
In the meantime, the Timberwolves — sure, we must always point out them — are practically out of breath, not simply from their effort and power spent on this collection, but in addition from saying told-you-so’s to all of the skeptics.
Listed below are 5 takeaways from Minnesota’s sturdy 126-109 victory in Sport 3:
1. This was certainly a foul matchup … for Phoenix
The Suns beat the Wolves in all three meetings this season, received all of them by double digits, confused and bewildered the Wolves’ top-ranked protection and claimed an emphatic win on the ultimate day of the season.
A nasty matchup for the Wolves, went the idea. And many fell for it, understandably so.
However as soon as once more the common season tends to idiot people. On this collection, the Suns are deprived by way of dimension in opposition to Gobert, Karl-Anthony Cities and a rim-crashing Anthony Edwards. The Wolves outrebounded them an astonishing 50-28.
“They’re an even bigger, stronger group than us,” stated Suns coach Frank Vogel. “They killed us on the boards.”
Additionally: Their lack of a real level guard is obtrusive, they will’t roll up large factors on this protection or cease Edwards when it issues.
Aside from that, every little thing’s going swell for Phoenix.
The most important subject in Sport 3 was permitting the Wolves to attain 126 factors, 36 in a lopsided and decisive third quarter and 67 for the second half, which the Suns spent operating uphill. With Minnesota’s protection, permitting that many factors is lethal.
“They’re inflicting matchup issues for us,” Vogel admitted.
Which implies the Suns should flip that drawback in time to rally from 0-3 to avoid wasting face and a collection.
“They are saying it’s by no means been achieved earlier than,” Booker stated. “That’s thrilling.”
2. Wolves appear to be true title contenders
After main the West for a lot of the season, they stumbled late and didn’t safe the highest seed. Oklahoma Metropolis took these honors. The Nuggets are defending champs, and the Celtics claimed one of the best file.
However after three video games within the first spherical — the final two captured emphatically, and all three by double digits — perhaps it’s time to raise the Wolves in that firm.
You can begin with protection, clearly. The Wolves’ rotations and switches are superior, Gobert is proudly owning the paint they usually’re silencing the Suns’ shot creativity.
“We knew offensively it will be one thing of a problem for us getting into the season,” stated Wolves coach Chris Finch, “however we had been extra superior on the defensive facet. That’s how we’d win video games.”
Plus, there’s Edwards, who served as a more in-depth Friday, placing the Wolves on his shoulders as soon as the Suns confirmed the slightest signal of a comeback run, with 18 factors within the fourth.
3. Alexander-Walker goes on well timed flurry
Nickeil Alexander-Walker has had an uneven younger profession, discovering himself on his third group since being drafted in 2019. Till the third quarter Friday, he was higher often called the cousin of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
After which for a number of minutes, one of the best of his profession, Alexander-Walker stepped out — haunting the Suns with killer 3-pointers from the nook that fully modified the sport.
He was 0-for-4 from deep within the first half, which is why the Suns left him open within the third … when he then went 4-for-5. A six-point halftime lead swelled to 22.
Bear in mind, the Wolves obtained Alexander-Walker and Mike Conley for D’Angelo Russell. Who’s having fun with their first-round playoff collection extra?
4. Edwards owns the collection
Anthony Edwards scores 36 factors as Minnesota maintains its iron grip in its 1st-round collection over Phoenix.
He shares the court docket with Durant and Booker and Beal, however not the designation as this collection’ most impactful participant. That’s Edwards’ and his alone.
The Suns haven’t any reply for him, no resistance. Once they double, he makes them pay by searching for teammates together with his underrated passing — he had 5 assists. Once they play him straight up, he punishes whoever’s in entrance of him — he completed with 36 factors.
And he brings dimension to contribute to the Wolves’ general top benefit; Edwards was lively on the boards with nine rebounds.
Clearly, Edwards is having fun with the chance to show himself, not solely on the playoff stage however in opposition to one of many all-time greats in Durant. That’s what budding superstars do — they anxiously assault extra achieved gamers to reinforce their very own rising fame.
There was no scrumptious trash-talking from Edwards to Durant in Sport 3, not like in Sport 2, when Edwards let free after dropping a giant shot. Getting the win was sufficient. And apart from, the Footprint Heart crowd let Durant and his teammates hear it as an alternative.
Edwards isn’t accepting the torch from Durant — he’s snatching it.
5. Are groups passing Durant by?
It’s the identical query being requested of LeBron James, who additionally finds himself down 3-0 in the first round.
These two legends, with a mixed six championships, are being confronted with a depraved actuality right here on the again finish of their careers. Each are nonetheless sharp — LeBron and Durant are more likely to be named All-NBA — but they’re not bringing one of the best group to the postseason.
In Durant’s case, he’s about to go six years with out successful a title (he missed one 12 months with an damage) after going back-to-back with the Warriors.
It’s a humbling first season for him with each Beal and Booker. And the Suns are just about locked into this trio for the close to future. All three are max contract gamers who’ll make a mixed $150 million over every of the following two seasons. Beal is signed by means of 2026-27, Booker by means of 2027-28.
And there aren’t any first-round picks between 2025-2030, limiting their belongings.
However, Durant, who shot 1-for-6 Friday within the third quarter, is the oldest of the three and subsequently extra on the clock.
As he surveys the West, he sees Minnesota, Denver and Oklahoma Metropolis as critical threats, and all three groups are both of their prime or nonetheless pushing towards it.
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Shaun Powell has lined the NBA for greater than 25 years. You’ll be able to e-mail him right here, discover his archive here and follow him on X.
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