Anthony Edwards scored 36 factors and rallied the Minnesota Timberwolves for a 102-97 victory over Golden State on Saturday to grab the lead in its NBA playoff sequence.
The Warriors, lacking star guard Stephen Curry with a left hamstring pressure, dominated defensively earlier than the Timberwolves battled again within the fourth quarter behind Edwards and Julius Randle, who had a triple-double with 24 factors, 12 assists and 10 rebounds.
Requested in regards to the keys to a fightback triumph, Edwards mentioned, “Enjoying as a crew, getting stops on the defensive finish and limiting these guys to at least one shot.”
The Timberwolves took a 2-1 lead within the best-of-seven Western Convention second-round playoff sequence with sport 4 on Monday at San Francisco.
“You possibly can’t ever get too comfy,” Edwards mentioned. “It is a championship DNA crew. That is what they achieve this we’ve bought to be prepared always.”
Edwards had eight factors within the first half however scored 28 factors within the second half, 13 within the fourth quarter, and made 10 of his final 16 pictures.
“I stunk within the first half,” Edwards mentioned. “However , that occurs. Photographs are going to fall. Photographs should not going to fall typically. However so long as you belief the work, preserve capturing it and shoot with confidence, you’ll be all proper.”
He praised Randle’s first playoff triple double.
“He’s massive time. He has come by way of in each sport for us within the playoffs,” Edwards mentioned. “The way in which he’s discovering individuals (with passes) and getting us open seems, I can’t ask for nothing higher.”
In Saturday’s solely different NBA sport, defending champion Boston routed New York 115-93 at Madison Sq. Backyard to tug inside 2-1 of their Jap Convention second-round sequence with sport 5 Monday in New York.
The Celtics had squandered 20-point leads in two residence playoff losses to the Knicks with woeful three-point capturing however Boston hit 20-of-40 from past the arc and held agency to the end to blow out New York, figuring out no NBA crew down 0-3 had rallied to win a sequence.
Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics in motion towards the New York Knicks throughout sport three of the Jap Convention Second Spherical NBA Playoffs.
| Photograph Credit score:
Getty Photos
Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics in motion towards the New York Knicks throughout sport three of the Jap Convention Second Spherical NBA Playoffs.
| Photograph Credit score:
Getty Photos
“We understood the magnitude of this sport,” Boston’s Jayson Tatum mentioned. “We wanted this one. Didn’t like the best way we felt after final sport so simply popping out right here with the proper mindset, simply attempting to place all of it collectively.”
In San Francisco, the Warriors led 42-40 at halftime with out making a three-pointer — their first playoff first half since 2007 with no hoop from past the arc.
Butler, who had 18 first-half factors, scored six, and Kuminga added 5 in an 11-0 run, which gave the Warriors their first lead at 23-21 early within the second quarter.
Golden State saved the Timberwolves with no basket for the final 6:29 of the second quarter and closed the half on a 13-1 run, however Edwards lifted the Timberwolves onto his shoulders and carried them to the end with a blinding second-half surge.
Faucet into your darkness
Reserve Payton Pritchard, the 2025 NBA Sixth Man of the 12 months, led Boston’s blowout win with 23 factors whereas Jayson Tatum added 22 factors, 9 rebounds and 7 assists. Jaylen Brown had 19 factors and Derrick White scored 17.
“We perceive Monday goes to be an awesome environment, an enormous sport. It’s going to be enjoyable,” Tatum mentioned.
“Simply popping out with the proper mindset, understanding we performed higher however we are able to play quite a bit higher primarily based on a variety of issues we did we actually didn’t like tonight. So simply constructing off that.”
The Celtics overcame two humbling defeats to spice up their possibilities at Boston’s first back-to-back NBA titles since 1968-69.
“You don’t get into the journey for it to be straightforward,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla mentioned. “It has been darkish, however in a great way. You’ve simply bought to faucet into your darkness and that’s it. That’s what we’ve bought to do.”
Jalen Brunson led New York with 27 factors whereas Karl-Anthony Cities had 21 factors and 15 rebounds for the Knicks, who haven’t reached the convention finals since 2000.
“We have to play with extra of a way of urgency,” Brunson mentioned. “I don’t assume we got here with the mindset we would have liked. Quite a bit we have to focus on and work out.”