The Minnesota Timberwolves responded to back-to-back defeats with a 143-101 rout of the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 on Saturday, cutting the Western Conference Finals deficit to 2-1.
Head coach Chris Finch pointed to defensive aggression and early momentum plays as the catalyst behind the lopsided victory.
“Our defense was on point,” Finch told reporters postgame. “We were able to kind of get out and play faster than we have been.”
The Timberwolves opened the night with a 34-14 first-quarter lead and never looked back, holding the Thunder to 30 percent shooting in the first half.
Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 30 points, while Julius Randle added 24 in a strong bounce-back effort after a quiet Game 2.
Finch also credited rookie Terrence Shannon Jr., who scored 15 off the bench and brought intensity that changed the tone early.
“I’ve been wrestling with getting another guy in the rotation,” Finch said. “He brought energy, physicality, and made big plays—especially defensively.”
Shannon finished with three steals and helped key a defensive surge that held Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to 14 points on 4-for-13 shooting.
Finch acknowledged Gilgeous-Alexander’s poor outing but emphasized that Minnesota’s competitiveness set the tone.
“We were a little cleaner around him,” Finch said. “Didn’t foul. Our competitiveness was at an all-time high.”
Naz Reid added floor spacing with three triples and a confident offensive outing despite early foul trouble.
Finch praised the team’s response to an 11-2 Thunder run after halftime, crediting a timeout for recalibrating focus.
“We’ve had second-half starts like that before,” Finch said. “But the guys really refocused and came out and grew the lead.”
Minnesota’s reserves scored 76 points, including a combined 39 rebounds, providing the depth that had been lacking in the first two games.
Finch emphasized that even with the dominant win, the series remains in Oklahoma City’s favor.
“It’s just one game,” Finch said. “They still have a 2-1 series lead. We got to come out and do it all over again on Monday.”
The Timberwolves will host Game 4 at Target Center with a chance to tie the series before it shifts back to Oklahoma City.
