The Minnesota Timberwolves seized control of their first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers with a 116-104 victory in Game 3 on Friday night, leaving Los Angeles trailing 2-1, with Game 4 set for Sunday. Despite a herculean effort from LeBron James—who poured in 38 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished four assists—the Lakers were unable to contain Minnesota’s balanced attack and suffered their first home loss of the series.
Minnesota’s supporting cast set the tone early, with Jaden McDaniels exploding for 30 points and five rebounds, and Julius Randle adding 22 points, five rebounds and four assists. Yet it was Anthony Edwards’ performance that defined the night.
Edwards finished with 29 points, eight rebounds and eight assists—remarkably without attempting a single free throw—marking the highest-scoring playoff game in franchise history with zero FTA (via StatMamba).
At the close of the third quarter, with the Wolves clinging to an 86-84 lead, Minnesota dropped a historic announcement: Edwards had now produced seven consecutive playoff games of at least 20 points, tying franchise legend Kevin Garnett for the longest such streak in Timberwolves history dating back to the 2024 postseason.
Edwards lifted his game further in the fourth quarter, hitting timely jumpers and orchestrating key possessions that stymied every Lakers comeback attempt. The Lakers were hampered by inconsistent secondary scoring from its other starters, as Luka Doncic finished with 17 points while Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes combined for 10 points.
The Timberwolves will aim to capitalize on their newfound momentum and home-court support in Game 4, while the Lakers must regroup quickly to avoid falling into a 3-1 deficit.
