Jaden McDaniels delivered a career-high 30 points and hounded Luka Doncic defensively to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves past the Los Angeles Lakers 116-104 in Game 3 on Friday night.
With the first-round series shifting to Target Center, the Timberwolves surged ahead 2-1 after finishing strong and outscoring the visitors 13-1 in the final 4:37.
Anthony Edwards added 29 points, including a dagger long two-pointer in the closing minutes, while Julius Randle chipped in 22 points and anchored Minnesota’s 56-26 advantage in points in the paint.
LeBron James tried to keep the Lakers competitive with 38 points and a late flurry of three-pointers, but his offense dried up in the closing stretch as Minnesota’s defense clamped down.
Doncic, battling a stomach illness, struggled against McDaniels’ persistent pressure and ended with just 17 points on 6-of-16 shooting along with five turnovers.
McDaniels shot 13-for-22 from the field, consistently exploiting mismatches while also grabbing five rebounds and notching two steals on the other end.
The Timberwolves led by six after the first quarter and used a 30-point fourth period to close out the contest, with Edwards and Randle combining for several key plays on both ends.
Austin Reaves finished with 20 points and hit five threes to help the Lakers stay close despite committing 19 turnovers, which Minnesota converted into 28 points.
The Lakers hit 17 of their 40 attempts from long distance but shot just 65 percent from the free throw line and were overwhelmed in the paint.
Naz Reid gave the Wolves a lift off the bench with 11 points, while Mike Conley added nine points and four assists in limited minutes.
Minnesota’s defense locked in late, holding Los Angeles to just one point over the final 4:37 after Doncic tied the game at 103 with a corner jumper.
James missed multiple attempts in the final minutes, including a corner three that hit the side of the backboard with 1:26 left.
On the following possession, Edwards drilled a contested jumper and pumped up the home crowd, sealing Minnesota’s first home playoff win of the series.
Game 4 is scheduled for Sunday in Minneapolis, where the Timberwolves will look to extend their series advantage.
