Game ID: 42300163
Minnesota Timberwolves @ Phoenix Suns
Friday, April 26, 2024 at 10:30 PM ET
Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
PHX 32 21 20 36 109MIN 34 25 36 31 126
MIN @ PHX ScoutingMIN @ PHX Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
PHX availability going into 4/12 · 1 day's restBACK Okogie back 4/05 after 2, 2 min since (14% of 16)
PHX availability going into 4/14 · 1 day's restBACK Okogie back 4/05 after 2, 2 min since (14% of 16)
PHX availability going into 4/20 · 5 days' rest
full strength
PHX availability going into 4/23 · 2 days' rest
full strength
PHX availability going into 4/26 · 2 days' rest
full strength
PHX availability going into 4/28 · 1 day's restNEW Beal 34 to 39 min over the last 5
MIN availability going into 4/12 · 1 day's restOUT Towns missed 18 since 3/07, returns tonight: 28 min (84% of 33)
NEW McLaughlin 11 to 16 min over the last 5
MIN availability going into 4/14 · 1 day's restBACK Towns back 4/12 after 18, 28 min since (84% of 33)
MIN availability going into 4/20 · 5 days' restBACK Towns back 4/12 after 18, 28 min since (87% of 33)
MIN availability going into 4/23 · 2 days' restBACK Towns back 4/12 after 18, 28 min since (85% of 33)
MIN availability going into 4/26 · 2 days' restBACK Towns back 4/12 after 18, 27 min since (82% of 33)
MIN availability going into 4/28 · 1 day's restBACK Towns back 4/12 after 18, 26 min since (80% of 33)
MIN availability going into 5/04 · 5 days' restOUT McLaughlin missed 2 since 4/26, out tonight
MIN availability going into 5/06 · 1 day's restOUT McLaughlin missed 3 since 4/26, returns tonight: 3 min (30% of 11)
NEW McDaniels 30 to 36 min over the last 5
NEW Alexander-Walker 24 to 29 min over the last 5
MIN availability going into 5/10 · 3 days' restBACK McLaughlin back 5/06 after 3, 3 min since (30% of 11)
NEW Alexander-Walker 24 to 30 min over the last 5
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Phoenix comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 109 a night and allowing 109, shooting 49 percent and 39 from three, 19 free throws a game; Booker at 24 and Durant at 23 a game. 2 days' rest. Minnesota comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 109 a night and allowing 107, shooting 49 percent and 34 from three, 27 free throws a game; Edwards at 20 and Gobert at 18 a game. It has won the glass by 4 a night. 2 days' rest.
So: Phoenix wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Minnesota has been plus-4 a night and Phoenix minus-3 and the line, where Minnesota takes 27 free throws a game to Phoenix's 19. Call it Phoenix 111, Minnesota 110, Minnesota keeping it close.
4/12 @ SAC 108-107 — PHX notes
PHX won 108-107. PHX shot 53% (40 of 76) to SAC's 44%, 12 of 32 from three. PHX turned it over 18 times to SAC's 7, and SAC turned those into 12 steals. Durant led with 28 (11 of 20, 3 of 7 from three); Booker added 21, Beal 20. The hinge was Q4, 30-22: PHX came in trailing by 7 and left it ahead by 1. PHX trailed 45-54 at the half and won the second half 63-53. Beal was the night's best plus/minus at +8.
4/14 @ MIN 125-106 — PHX notes
PHX won 125-106. PHX shot 55% (47 of 86) to MIN's 51%, 16 of 29 from three, and got to the line 18 times to MIN's 31. PHX turned it over 12 times to MIN's 24. Beal led with 36 (14 of 21, 6 of 6 from three); Booker added 23, Allen 20. The hinge was Q1, 44-22: from level to 22 ahead. Durant was the night's best plus/minus at +30.
4/20 @ MIN 95-120 — PHX notes
PHX lost 95-120. PHX shot 44% (33 of 75) to MIN's 50%, 9 of 28 from three. The glass went 28-52 against them. Durant led with 31 (11 of 17, 7 of 9 at the line); Booker added 18, Beal 15. Q1 was theirs, 28-27, but the other 3 periods went 93-67 against them. Durant's -20 in 39 minutes was the worst on the floor.
4/23 @ MIN 93-105 — PHX notes
PHX lost 93-105. PHX shot 45% (35 of 78) to MIN's 45%, 8 of 22 from three, and got to the line 19 times to MIN's 30. PHX turned it over 19 times to MIN's 13, and MIN turned those into 11 steals. Booker led with 20 (6 of 13, 1 of 6 from three, 7 of 8 at the line); Durant added 18, Gordon 15. Q2 was theirs, 30-26, turning a 3-point deficit into a 1-point lead, but the other 3 periods went 79-63 against them. Booker's -24 in 42 minutes was the worst on the floor.
4/26 vs MIN 109-126 — PHX notes
PHX lost 109-126. PHX shot 46% (35 of 76) to MIN's 49%, 11 of 28 from three. The glass went 28-50 against them. Beal led with 28 (10 of 19, 6 of 11 from three); Durant added 25, Booker 23. Q4 was theirs, 36-31, the deficit cut from 22 to 17, but the other 3 periods went 95-73 against them. O'Neale's -23 in 24 minutes was the worst on the floor.
4/28 vs MIN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Phoenix comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 106 a night and allowing 113, shooting 49 percent and 40 from three, 22 free throws a game; Durant at 23 and Beal at 23 a game. That is 3 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 8 a night. One day's rest. Minnesota comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 106, shooting 49 percent and 33 from three, 29 free throws a game; Edwards at 22 and Gobert at 19 a game. That is 3 straight wins. It has won the glass by 10 a night. One day's rest.
So: Minnesota wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where Minnesota has been plus-10 a night and Phoenix minus-8 and the arc, Phoenix at 40 percent from three to Minnesota's 33. Call it Minnesota 111, Phoenix 110, Phoenix keeping it close.
4/12 vs ATL 109-106 — MIN notes
MIN won 109-106. MIN shot 48% (38 of 79) to ATL's 44%, 10 of 37 from three. Gobert led with 25 (10 of 10, 5 of 8 at the line); Reid added 19, Edwards 14. The hinge was Q2, 31-20: MIN came in trailing by 2 and left it ahead by 9, and the lead reached 17.
4/14 vs PHX 106-125 — MIN notes
MIN lost 106-125. MIN shot 51% (36 of 70) to PHX's 55%, 9 of 26 from three, and went to the line 31 times to PHX's 18 — 25 points from the stripe to their 15. MIN turned it over 24 times to PHX's 12, and PHX turned those into 13 steals. Gobert led with 21 (7 of 9, 7 of 9 at the line); Conley added 17, Edwards 13. Q2 was theirs, 31-22, the deficit cut from 22 to 13, but the other 3 periods went 103-75 against them. Edwards's -21 in 35 minutes was the worst on the floor.
4/20 vs PHX 120-95 — MIN notes
MIN won 120-95. MIN shot 50% (44 of 88) to PHX's 44%, 12 of 32 from three. The glass went 52-28 for them. Edwards led with 33 (14 of 24, 4 of 8 from three); Towns added 19, Alexander-Walker 18. The hinge was Q2, 34-23: MIN came in trailing by 1 and left it ahead by 10, and the lead reached 27. Alexander-Walker was the night's best plus/minus at +28.
4/23 vs PHX 105-93 — MIN notes
MIN won 105-93. MIN shot 45% (35 of 78) to PHX's 45%, 9 of 32 from three, and went to the line 30 times to PHX's 19 — 26 points from the stripe to their 15. MIN turned it over 13 times to PHX's 19. McDaniels led with 25 (10 of 17, 2 of 4 from three); Gobert added 18, Conley 18. The hinge was Q3, 28-20: MIN came in trailing by 1 and left it ahead by 7, and the lead reached 19. MIN trailed 50-51 at the half and won the second half 55-42. McDaniels was the night's best plus/minus at +24.
4/26 @ PHX 126-109 — MIN notes
MIN won 126-109. MIN shot 49% (43 of 87) to PHX's 46%, 13 of 34 from three. The glass went 50-28 for them. Edwards led with 36 (12 of 23, 1 of 5 from three, 11 of 11 at the line); Gobert added 19, Towns 18. The hinge was Q3, 36-20: a lead of 6 became 22. Alexander-Walker was the night's best plus/minus at +23.
4/28 @ PHX — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Phoenix comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 106 a night and allowing 113, shooting 49 percent and 40 from three, 22 free throws a game; Durant at 23 and Beal at 23 a game. That is 3 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 8 a night. One day's rest. Minnesota comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 106, shooting 49 percent and 33 from three, 29 free throws a game; Edwards at 22 and Gobert at 19 a game. That is 3 straight wins. It has won the glass by 10 a night. One day's rest.
So: Minnesota wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where Minnesota has been plus-10 a night and Phoenix minus-8 and the arc, Phoenix at 40 percent from three to Minnesota's 33. Call it Minnesota 111, Phoenix 110, Phoenix keeping it close.
5/04 @ DEN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Denver comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 109 a night and allowing 106, shooting 46 percent and 31 from three, 16 free throws a game; Jokić at 28 and Murray at 24 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. 4 days' rest. Minnesota comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 108, shooting 48 percent and 36 from three, 29 free throws a game; Edwards at 27 and Towns at 17 a game. That is 4 straight wins. It has won the glass by 12 a night. 5 days' rest.
So: Denver wins, and the game turns on the line, where Minnesota takes 29 free throws a game to Denver's 16 and the glass, where Minnesota has been plus-12 a night and Denver plus-5. Call it Denver 111, Minnesota 109, Minnesota keeping it close.
5/06 @ DEN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Denver comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 106 a night and allowing 107, shooting 46 percent and 32 from three, 19 free throws a game; Jokić at 28 and Porter Jr. at 23 a game. One day's rest. Minnesota comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 102, shooting 49 percent and 37 from three, 25 free throws a game; Edwards at 33 and Towns at 19 a game. That is 5 straight wins. It has won the glass by 13 a night. One day's rest.
So: Minnesota wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where Minnesota has been plus-13 a night and Denver plus-2 and the arc, Minnesota at 37 percent from three to Denver's 32. Call it Minnesota 110, Denver 108, Denver keeping it close.
5/10 vs DEN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Minnesota comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 99, shooting 49 percent and 38 from three, 24 free throws a game; Edwards at 32 and Towns at 21 a game. That is 5 straight wins. It has won the glass by 6 a night. 3 days' rest. Denver comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 101 a night and allowing 108, shooting 45 percent and 33 from three, 19 free throws a game; Jokić at 26 and Porter Jr. at 20 a game. 3 days' rest.
So: Minnesota wins, and the game turns on the defense, Minnesota allowing 99 a night to Denver's 108 and the arc, Minnesota at 38 percent from three to Denver's 33. Call it Minnesota 112, Denver 104.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
MINAE A. Edwards
JM J. McDaniels
KA K. Anderson
KT K. Towns
MC M. Conley
MM M. Morris
NA N. Alexander-Walker
NR N. Reid
RG R. Gobert
PHXBB B. Beal
BB B. Bol
DB D. Booker
DE D. Eubanks
EG E. Gordon
JN J. Nurkić
JO J. Okogie
KD K. Durant
NU Nurkic
RO R. O'Neale
MIN/PHX the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Anthony Edwards scores 36 points, Timberwolves beat Suns 126-109 for 3-0 series lead
PHOENIX -- — Anthony Edwards hit a jumper late in the fourth quarter and snarled as he ran down the court, pounding his chest with his fist for emphasis as Minnesota pulled away for another dominant playoff win.
The Timberwolves are the undeniable alpha dogs through three games of this increasingly lopsided series.
Edwards scored 36 points, Rudy Gobert added 19 points and 14 rebounds and the Timberwolves used a hot-shooting third quarter to beat the Phoenix Suns 126-109 on Friday night and take a 3-0 lead in the first-round matchup.
“We're just embracing the moment,” Gobert said. “We have only one goal in mind and we're trying to make sure we don't get distracted by the success or the ups and downs. We're just locked in.”
Minnesota goes for the sweep in Game 4 on Sunday in Phoenix.
The Wolves never trailed on Friday.
“This is a team you need to dictate terms with,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch said. “You don't want to get behind big on them because of the way they can shoot the ball. That's been part of our messaging, part of our emphasis, we have to get off to good starts.”
It was the third straight game the Wolves used a big third to turn a tight game into a comfortable victory. Minnesota hit 7 of 11 3-pointers during the surge, including four from Nickeil Alexander-Walker , to take a 22-point lead into the fourth.
Bradley Beal led the Suns with 28 points while Kevin Durant had 25 and Devin Booker 23. The rest of the team scored just 33 points.
The 7-foot-1 Gobert said he's noticed the Suns being hesitant to drive in the lane when he's there.
“That's what I do best,” Gobert said. “I try to be a presence, give confidence to my teammates, making sure I'm there for them. I'm trying to get some blocks, but they don't really try me. So at the end of the day, that's better than any block.”
Minnesota had a six-point halftime lead and stretched its advantage to 69-58 early in the third after back-to-back 3-pointers from Mike Conley and Karl-Anthony Towns . Late in the third, Alexander-Walker hit his fourth 3-pointer of the quarter for a 95-73 lead.
The Wolves were also dominant on the glass, finishing with a 50-28 rebounding advantage. Edwards shot 12 of 23 from the field and hit all 11 of his free throws while adding nine rebounds and five assists.
“We got killed on the boards. This is a bigger, stronger team,” Suns coach Frank Vogel said. “We've got to compete and win the 50-50 balls. I thought our guys gave the effort, but it wasn't enough.”
Six Minnesota players scored in double figures. Towns finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds while Alexander-Walker scored 16.
The listless Suns could never cut the deficit to single digits in the fourth. Now they're one loss away from what would be a bitterly disappointing season after entering the year with championship aspirations. By the end of the third quarter, there were scattered boos coming from the home crowd.
Booker said he couldn't blame them.
“We put ourselves in a hole and we’ve got to dig ourselves out of it,” Booker said. “So that’s that.”
Phoenix's Josh Okogie , who had eight points, was ejected late in the fourth after a hard foul on Gobert.
The Timberwolves led 59-53 at the halftime break following a competitive first half. Edwards led the Wolves with 16 points while Durant had 14 for the Suns. Eric Gordon gave Phoenix a spark with 10 points in the first quarter, but it was short lived.
The Suns played without starting guard Grayson Allen , who led the NBA in 3-point shooting percentage this season. Allen's dealing with a sprained ankle from Game 1 that he aggravated in Game 2.