MINNEAPOLIS — Anthony Edwards scored 18 of his 33 points in the third quarter and pulled down nine rebounds to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves in a tone-setting 120-95 victory over the Phoenix Suns to begin the first round of the playoffs on Saturday.
Karl-Anthony Towns added 19 points, Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting and Rudy Gobert led the way with 14 points, 16 rebounds and consistent shot-altering defense to lead the Wolves to their first game 1. home playoff victory in 20 years.
Kevin Durant scored 31 points on 11-of-17 shooting to lead the Suns, whose depth and size disadvantages were exploited.
Devin Booker scored 18 points on 5-of-16 shooting and Bradley Beal added 15 points, but the Suns were outshot 52-28 and outscored 52-34 in the paint by the Wolves.
Game 2 will take place in Minneapolis on Tuesday before the best-of-seven series moves to Phoenix for Game 3.
Edwards led a 19-4 run to close the third quarter, stretching his arms wide to connect with the crowd after some of his biggest shots during that stretch. He looked and barked at Durant, who could only smile at the 22-year-old’s bravado.
With 3:37 left, Edwards ignited this performance by stealing the ball from Durant — after Gobert broke him loose — and finishing with a slam at the other end.
His enthusiasm was contagious throughout the afternoon.
After picking up his third foul late in the second quarter, Edwards twirled a towel on the bench in tribute to his effort to take a double-digit lead for the first time in the game.
Durant, a 14-time All-Star with two championship rings who arrived in the desert a little more than a year ago in the first move of the major roster overhaul, was in fine form in the postseason.
Whether it was a fade, a turnover or a layup, the Wolves and their NBA-best defense had no answer when the 6-foot-10 Durant soared into the air with his smooth jump shot.
But Booker, the anchor of the Big Three along with Durant and Beal who is the only remaining player from the 2021 team to reach the NBA Finals, had nothing to match.
He couldn’t knock down layups, much less jumpers. Grayson Allen, the league’s best 3-point shooter, missed all three of his shots and had only four points.
The Wolves recorded sellouts for every home game this season for the first time since they moved into Target Center 34 years ago.
Their fans – as eager for the playoffs as any other American professional sport – brought a Finals-level energy to the first round that the Wolves have not escaped since their only advance 20 years ago, a crowd which included the former (Adrian Peterson) and the current. (Justin Jefferson) Vikings stars.
The bigs gave the Wolves what they needed, but one of their advantages in this series should be a bench that backed them up with a 41-18 advantage over the Suns reserves.
Alexander-Walker was at the heart of the second quarter’s surge, highlighted by his interception of a loose pass from Allen in the lane to make a fast break layup near the final minute of the half .
Alexander-Walker hit a corner 3-pointer just before the third-quarter buzzer for a 20-point lead.
Wolves backup Kyle Anderson suffered a hip injury in the second quarter and did not return.
Minnesota went 20 for 22 from the free throw line. Towns was 8 of 8 and Gobert was 6 of 7.
New York Post
