Analysis: 3 reasons why the Timberwolves beat the Thunder with 42 points in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals

The Minnesota Timberwolves fought back in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals. There is no team in history that has been able to reverse the victory and advance to the next round when they fell 0-3 in the NBA playoffs. It's time for the Timberwolves to look at their strengths, and they need their superstar Anthony Edwards to show unprecedented form in the playoffs. It’s time for the budding young superstar to fly high and lead the team back to the playoffs if necessary.

How did the Minnesota Timberwolves turn the situation around in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder?

The Timberwolves, who challenged the Oklahoma City Thunder away in Games 1 and 2, were abandoned in the wilderness of Oklahoma and left to fend for themselves. And the team that debuted at the Twins on Saturday night…well, this team is very different from any team we’ve seen in the playoffs so far.

And, after the first two games of the series, they looked much stronger than the Oklahoma City Thunder, who most people at the time thought the Thunder had reached the NBA Finals. So…how did the Timberwolves turn the situation around the series? Well, let's dive into how the Timberwolves turned the situation around, tied the series to 2-1, and finally made it to Game 4.

1.) The Minnesota Timberwolves were ready to go at the beginning... and never relaxed

After the Thunder took a 4-0 lead early, the Timberwolves' fighting spirit began to show. In the blink of an eye, the Timberwolves led 16-9, then 21-9, and then 25-12... Until the end of the first quarter, the Timberwolves led 34-14.

Since then, the Timberwolves have never relaxed. After they knocked the Thunder to the ground with a heavy punch in the first quarter, they never relaxed. In fact, the first half of the game was awful, with the Timberwolves leading 72-41 in the first half.

Of course, after the Thunder came out of the locker room, they opened their firepower and quickly launched an 11-2 fast attack. All fans watching the game know that they won't be able to fight back all night. But the Minnesota Timberwolves responded later.

Chris Finch called a timeout to stop the Thunder's offense, and the Timberwolves then launched a 10-0 offensive and widened the gap to more than 30 points. At this point, it is obvious that in Game 3, the Minnesota Timberwolves will not accept defeat.

started hot, but as the Thunder tried to fight back, Anthony Edwards and his teammates threw down Shea and his teammates, completely suppressing them for most of the next three quarters and constantly hitting them hard on the forehead until the ring at the center of the target was dyed red and Thunder coach Mark Dagnott was forced to raise the white flag in advance.

Minnesota always suppressed the Thunder in Game 3, giving the Thunder no chance to fight back on the road. After the initial effort in the second half, the Thunder did not narrow the gap to within 30 points. In the fourth quarter, the Thunder B finally took the initiative on the field.

At the end of the third quarter, the Thunder quickly surrendered. When the dust finally settled in the target center, the game became one of the biggest crushing defeats in both sides' playoff history, Minneapolis defeated his opponent 143-101 with a net victory of 42 points.

2.) Anthony Edwards responded to the opponent's call

Tonight, Anthony Edwards contributed everything they needed to the Minnesota Timberwolves, who locked in the victory as soon as he got on the field. Ante scored 12 points in the Timberwolves' first 18 points and 15 points in the first 25 points, and a total of 20 points in the first half.

Ant's teammates also responded, and they shot well in the field for the first time since the last two series. The Minnesota Timberwolves, except Anthony Edwards, made 6 of 14 three-pointers in the first half, shooting as high as 51%. The team's three-point shooting percentage was as high as 57.3%, of which 20 of them were made in 40 shots.

Edwards scored 20 points in the first half from 11 shots and 3 of 5 shots. He made 12 of 17 shots in the game, made 5 of 8 three-pointers, scoring 30 points, plus or negative value +36.

However, his shooting percentage is more than just his shooting percentage. Anthony Edwards was everywhere in the third game tonight and made frequent moves at the beginning. In addition to his 30-point full-game score, he also contributed 9 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals. I have no doubt that if the Timberwolves need Ante to score 50 points tonight, he will definitely do it.

3.) Target Center fans played a significant role in Game 3

Another striking factor when watching Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals tonight was Target Center fans. Even the most optimistic Minnesota fans have struggled to see hope in this unlikely reversal after the Timberwolves trailed 0-2.

But before Saturday night the atmosphere at the target center quickly dispelled this despair. Even the Thunder, one of the NBA's raucous audiences, was shocked by the Thunder in the first quarter when the finale (also deafening) game.

To be honest, I didn't expect the audience at the target center to make such a big difference in the third game. Admittedly, the scene was indeed very lively, but the Thunder's performance was obviously sloppy and out of line with their style.

Of course, the Thunder may be too confident in this game, and given their hot start in the series, no one would deny that the Minnesota Timberwolves home fans were an important factor in their failure to recover from their first-quarter thief. Now, let's wait and see if they can make another good mark in their fourth game on Monday.