The Minnesota Timberwolves held off the Los Angeles Lakers 116-104 in Game 3 on Friday, moving ahead 2-1 in their first-round playoff series. Anthony Edwards played a pivotal role, contributing 29 points and delivering crucial plays down the stretch to seal the victory.
Edwards praised Jaden McDaniels for his relentless defense on Luka Doncic, who was dealing with a stomach illness. “I got two words for you: Jaden McDaniels. It’s just that simple,” Edwards said post-game, acknowledging McDaniels’ ability to make life difficult for Doncic throughout the night. McDaniels finished with a career-high 30 points and was a standout defensively, holding Dončić to just 17 points on 6-of-16 shooting.
The Timberwolves surged in the final minutes, outscoring the Lakers 13-1 in the last 4:37. Edwards was key in the run, hitting a clutch long two-pointer and finding the open man for a critical assist to Naz Reid. “I just tried to play a little faster,” Edwards explained, referring to his mindset in the fourth quarter when he exploited mismatches and created scoring opportunities.
LeBron James, who scored 38 points, kept the Lakers competitive but couldn’t carry the team in the final moments. Despite his scoring outburst, the Lakers struggled to close out the game and were undone by 19 turnovers that led to 28 points for Minnesota. “LeBron was incredible,” Edwards said of his opponent. “He did everything he could to try to will them to a win.”
Julius Randle also had a strong showing for the Timberwolves, adding 22 points and helping Minnesota dominate in the paint with a 56-26 scoring advantage. McDaniels’ defense on Doncic was complemented by the Timberwolves’ late-game lockdown, as the Lakers could only manage one point in the final 4:37.
Naz Reid provided a spark off the bench with 11 points, while Mike Conley contributed nine points and four assists. Minnesota’s defense took over in the closing stretch, as they shut down the Lakers’ offense and never let them regain the lead after Edwards’ key shot.
The Timberwolves will look to extend their series lead in Game 4 on Sunday in Minneapolis, as they hope to capitalize on their home-court advantage.
