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Nickeil Alexander-Walker Nickeil Alexander-Walker has 20 points in Game 2
Thu, May 8, 2025, 5:27 PM
Nickeil Alexander-Walker had 20 points (7-of-13 FGs), two rebounds, three assists, one block and four three-pointers in Game 2 against the Warriors on Thursday.
Analysis: Alexander-Walker was a key scorer off the bench in Game 2. He combined with Naz Reid and Donte DiVencenzo for 10 made three-pointers off the bench. In a game where the Warriors were desperate for scoring without Stephen Curry (hamstring), those bench points were too much to overcome as the Timberwolves won by 24 points. |
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Julius Randle Julius Randle has 24/7/11 line in Game 2 vs. GSW
Thu, May 8, 2025, 5:25 PM
Julius Randle had 24 points (10-of-17 FGs), seven rebounds, 11 assists and one three-pointer in Game 2 against the Warriors on Thursday.
Analysis: Randle led the Timberwolves in scoring in the Game 2 victory. The 30-year-old power forward had just one 10-assist game in the regular season. He was a steadying presence in his 33 minutes as Anthony Edwards dealt with an ankle injury towards the end of the first half. Edwards recovered from his injury to play 34 minutes, but the Timberwolves were able to rely on Randle to weather the storm and he delivered a big game as the fulcrum of the offense. |
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Anthony Edwards Anthony Edwards has 20/9/5/3/1 line in Game 2 win
Thu, May 8, 2025, 5:23 PM
Anthony Edwards had 20 points (6-of-13 FGs), nine rebounds, five assists, three steals, one block and two three-pointers in the Timberwolves' 117-93 victory over the Warriors in Game 2 on Thursday.
Analysis: Edwards appeared to suffer a sprained left ankle towards the end of the second quarter as the Warriors' Trayce Jackson-Davis landed on his foot. Edwards turned the same ankle in the first round against the Lakers and appeared to re-aggravate the injury. The 23-year-old shooting guard would go on to start the second half and play a team-high 34 minutes in the Game 2 victory. Edwards will only have one full day off before the series resumes in Golden State for Game 3 on Saturday. |
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Naz Reid Naz Reid has 19 points, three threes in Game 1
Tue, May 6, 2025, 6:21 PM
Naz Reid had 19 points (8-of-14 FGs), five rebounds, one assist, one steal, one block and three three-pointers in Game 1 against the Warriors on Tuesday.
Analysis: Reid briefly left the floor with an apparent leg injury towards the end of the second quarter before returning in the second half. The 25-year-old center played 34 minutes and was the second leading scorer for the Timberwolves in what turned out to be a lackluster game for Minnesota. Reid appeared healthy in the second half and should continue to be counted on for starter-level minutes despite coming off the bench. |
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Anthony Edwards Anthony Edwards has 23 points in Game 1 loss
Tue, May 6, 2025, 6:20 PM
Anthony Edwards had 23 points (9-of-22 FGs), 14 rebounds, two assists, three steals, one block and one three-pointer in Game 1 against the Warriors on Tuesday.
Analysis: The Timberwolves managed just 33 points in the first half. Despite the Warriors playing the entire second half without superstar Stephen Curry (hamstring), it was simply too much for Minnesota to overcome. Edwards eventually got the offense going in the second half, leading the team with 23 points. He'll need to do more on the offensive end whether Curry is available or not if the Timberwolves are going to even up the series in Game 2. |
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Rudy Gobert Gobert dominates LAL with 27 points, 24 rebounds
Wed, Apr 30, 2025, 7:24 PM
Rudy Gobert dominated the Lakers and finished with 27 points (12-of-15 FGs, 3-of-6 FTs), 24 rebounds and two blocks in a 103-96 win in Game 5 on Wednesday.
Analysis: Lakers head coach JJ Redick bumped Jaxson Hayes from the starting unit and out of the rotation, which allowed Gobert to control the paint in this game from start to finish. He set new playoff career-highs for both points and rebounds to help Minnesota advance to the next round. Entering this game, Gobert had a total of 14 points and 25 rebounds during this series. Clearly, Game 5 was a huge step in the right direction for him, and he will look to carry this into the conference semifinals, where they will await the winner of the Rockets-Warriors series. |
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Anthony Edwards Anthony Edwards posts 15/11/8/3 line vs. Lakers
Wed, Apr 30, 2025, 7:21 PM
Anthony Edwards recorded a double-double on Wednesday with 15 points (5-of-19 FGs, 5-of-8 FTs), 11 rebounds, eight assists and three steals in Game 5 against the Lakers.
Analysis: It was a rough shooting performance for Edwards, but he found other ways to impact this game. After scoring 43 points during Sunday's win, Edwards nearly recorded a triple-double and added some steals to help Minnesota advance to the next round. He missed all 11 of his attempts from beyond the arc, and the team shot just 7-of-47 on three-pointers. Still, it was enough to end this series in just five games. They'll play either the Rockets or Warriors in the second round. |
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Julius Randle Julius Randle contributes 23/5/4 line in Game 5
Wed, Apr 30, 2025, 7:18 PM
Julius Randle lit up the Lakers with 23 points (8-of-16 FGs), five rebounds, four assists, one steal and one three-pointer in Game 5 on Wednesday.
Analysis: After dealing with foul trouble in the first half, Randle came up big after the break to send the Timberwolves to the second round of the playoffs. He had an excellent series, averaging 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.2 triples to help guide Minnesota to a gentlemen's sweep. If Randle continues to produce at this level, the Timberwolves will be difficult to beat. They'll await the winner of the Rockets-Warriors series in round two. |
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Jaden McDaniels Jaden McDaniels records 16/11/3/1 line in Game 4
Sun, Apr 27, 2025, 12:46 PM
Jaden McDaniels accumulated 16 points (6-of-11 FGs, 2-of-3 FTs), 11 rebounds, three assists, one steal and two three-pointers in 38 minutes in Sunday's Game 4 win over the Lakers.
Analysis: With Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle handling most of the scoring, McDaniels was valuable on both ends of the floor in Game 4. In addition to the double-double, he took on the challenge of defending Luka Doncic for most of Sunday's victory. While Doncic got his numbers, he was made to work for them, which is all you can ask when defending a player of his caliber. McDaniels and the Timberwolves now lead three games to one, with Game 5 scheduled for Wednesday in Los Angeles. |
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Julius Randle Julius Randle tallies 25 points, seven rebounds
Sun, Apr 27, 2025, 12:42 PM
Julius Randle amassed 25 points (9-of-22 FGs, 4-of-4 FTs), seven rebounds, three assists, one steal and three three-pointers in 43 minutes in Sunday's Game 4 win over the Lakers.
Analysis: While his overall field goal percentage in Game 4 was subpar, Randle's fast start helped the Timberwolves stay within striking distance early on. He shot 4-of-6 from the field in the first quarter, with Minnesota heading into the second trailing by four. Randle has scored 22 points or more in each of his last three games, shooting 24-of-52 from the field. He and the Timberwolves will look to close out the series on Wednesday in Los Angeles. |
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Anthony Edwards Anthony Edwards drops 43 points in Game 4 win
Sun, Apr 27, 2025, 12:38 PM
Land of Basketball
Anthony Edwards shot 12-of-23 from the field and 14-of-17 from the foul line in Sunday's Game 4 victory over the Lakers, scoring 43 points with nine rebounds, six assists, one block and five three-pointers in 44 minutes.
Analysis: What an afternoon for Edwards, whose two free throws with 10.7 seconds remaining gave the Timberwolves a three-point lead. Ant-Man was outstanding in Game 4, with the win giving the Timberwolves a 3-1 series lead. He played the entire second half, and the gamble paid off for Minnesota. Game 5 is on Wednesday in Los Angeles, and teams that hold a 3-1 lead have won over 95 percent of the series in NBA playoff history. |
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Julius Randle Julius Randle has 22/5/4 line in win over Lakers
Fri, Apr 25, 2025, 6:33 PM
Julius Randle had 22 points (6-of-13 FGs), five rebounds, four assists, one steal and one three-pointer against the Lakers in Game 3 on Friday.
Analysis: Randle has now put up back-to-back games with at least 22 points after scoring just 16 points in Game 1. After turning the ball over seven times in Game 1, he's solved that issue as well with just three turnovers in the last two games combined. Given the Timberwolves' tight eight-player rotation, Minnesota will continue to rely on Randle for scoring throughout the playoffs. The Timberwolves will look to take a commanding 3-1 series lead with a win in Game 4 Sunday. |
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Jaden McDaniels Jaden McDaniels has 30 points in Game 3 victory
Fri, Apr 25, 2025, 6:32 PM
Jaden McDaniels had 30 points (13-of-22 FGs), five rebounds, one assist, two steals and one three-pointer against the Lakers in Game 3 on Friday.
Analysis: McDaniels led the Timberwolves in scoring for the second time in the series. Perhaps it's just a coincidence, but each time he's led the team in scoring, they've won the game. McDaniels made just one three-pointer, but was 12-of-17 on two-point attempts and 3-of-4 from the free throw line. While McDaniels scored at least 20 points just 12 times in the regular season, he's thrived so far in the highly competitive playoff environment. We'll see if the Lakers defense adjusts or McDaniels turns back to his regular season form in Game 4 Sunday. |
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Anthony Edwards Anthony Edwards has 29/8/8 line in Game 3 victory
Fri, Apr 25, 2025, 6:30 PM
Anthony Edwards had 29 points (12-of-26 FGs), eight rebounds, eight assists, two steals, one block and five three-pointers in the Timberwolves' 116-104 victory over the Lakers in Game 3 of the Western Conference playoffs on Friday.
Analysis: While Edwards wasn't very efficient overall with 29 points on 26 shots in Game 3 Friday, he closed the game with multiple clutch plays. With the score tied at 103 and four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, he hit a setback three-pointer to give the Timberwolves a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Edwards drove for a layup with two minutes left to extend the lead to seven points and then put the dagger in with a setback jumper to make it 113-104 with a minute left. The 23-year-old shooting guard who grew up idolizing LeBron James will have a chance to put his team up 3-1 in the series against LeBron in Game 4 Sunday. |
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Anthony Edwards Anthony Edwards scores 25 points in Game 2 loss
Tue, Apr 22, 2025, 6:44 PM
Anthony Edwards lit up the Lakers in Game 2 on Wednesday with 25 points (10-of-22 FGs), six rebounds and two three-pointers.
Analysis: After scoring 22 points in Minnesota's Game 1 win on Saturday, Edwards had another strong scoring performance in Game 2. However, that didn't result in another road win for the Timberwolves. Edwards was one of the team's only sources of offense, along with Julius Randle. The pair combined to score 52 of their 85 points, with the other starters contributing 14 points and the bench supplying 19 points. Still, Minnesota did what they set out to do. They now have homecourt advantage in this series and will look to defend it in Game 3 on Friday. |
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Julius Randle Julius Randle turns in 27/4/6/1/1 line in Game 2
Tue, Apr 22, 2025, 6:42 PM
Julius Randle led the Timberwolves with 27 points (9-of-17 FGs), four rebounds, six assists, one steal, one block and two three-pointers in a 94-85 loss to the Lakers in Game 2 on Tuesday.
Analysis: Randle didn't start the series off well on Saturday, and he ended up turning the ball over seven times in that game. He only scored 16 points in Game 1, but he nearly matched that mark in the first half of Game 2. He also solved his turnover problem and only coughed the ball up once. However, that wasn't enough for Minnesota to get another win. Randle and Anthony Edwards combined to score 52 of the team's 85 points, which won't get the job done in the playoffs. Game 3 will be in Minnesota on Friday. |
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Julius Randle Julius Randle tallies 16 points, five assists
Sat, Apr 19, 2025, 5:11 PM
Julius Randle logged 35 minutes in Saturday's Game 1 win over the Lakers, recording 16 points (6-of-11 FGs), five rebounds, five assists and four three-pointers.
Analysis: While Randle shot the ball well and recorded a decent stat line, he was also responsible for seven of the Timberwolves' 10 turnovers in Game 1. That's an area he'll need to clean up moving forward, and he's certainly capable of doing that. Randle's high during the regular season was eight, which he recorded in a December 23 loss to the Hawks. The Timberwolves' forward only had eight games with at least five turnovers, so Saturday's performance can be considered an outlier. Minnesota will look to extend its series lead in Game 2 on Tuesday. |
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Naz Reid Naz Reid hits six three-pointers, scores 23 points
Sat, Apr 19, 2025, 5:11 PM
Naz Reid amassed 23 points (8-of-12 FGs, 1-of-2 FTs), five rebounds, two assists, two blocks and six three-pointers in 31 minutes in Saturday's Game 1 win over the Lakers.
Analysis: Reid took a Jarred Vanderbilt elbow to the mouth during the second half of Saturday's series opener, and that was all that slowed him down. The Timberwolves' backup big scored 17 in the first half and finished the game one steal shy of a complete stat line. Since scoring 20 points in a March 24 loss to the Pacers, Reid surpassed 15 points once in his final eight appearances of the regular season. The Lakers employed a âboxes and elbowsâ defensive strategy to prevent Anthony Edwards from entering the lane, which allowed players like Reid to receive cleaner looks. His play (and that of Jaden McDaniels) could force the Lakers to alter their approach for Tuesday's Game 2. |
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Anthony Edwards Ant-Man scores 22, Wolves rout Lakers in Game 1
Sat, Apr 19, 2025, 5:10 PM
Anthony Edwards (calf) shot 8-of-22 from the field and 2-of-2 from the foul line in Saturday's Game 1 win over the Lakers, scoring 22 points with eight rebounds, nine assists, one steal and four three-pointers in 35 minutes.
Analysis: Edwards didn't have his best night shooting the basketball, but he recorded solid numbers in the rebound and assist categories. The lone concern was his exit from Game 1 during the third quarter with an apparent calf injury. Edwards did return early in the fourth with a sleeve on his right leg, and he said during the postgame interview that the calf is getting better âday-by-day.â The good news for him and the Timberwolves is that Game 2 isn't until Tuesday, so he'll have a few days to rest up. |
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Jaden McDaniels Jaden McDaniels drops team-high 25 points vs. LAL
Sat, Apr 19, 2025, 5:09 PM
Jaden McDaniels finished Saturday's Game 1 win over the Lakers with 25 points (11-of-13 FGs), nine rebounds, two assists, one steal and three three-pointers in 33 minutes.
Analysis: McDaniels' aggressiveness on the offensive end was one of the key factors in Minnesota's Game 1 victory. He didn't hesitate to make plays on that end of the floor, and the result was a highly efficient outing in Los Angeles. McDaniels scored 20 points or more 12 times during the regular season, most recently doing so in a March 16 win over the Jazz. Nights like Saturday have not been the norm for Jaden, so it would be unsurprising if his production took a hit in Game 2 on Tuesday. However, his performance in Game 1 has given the Lakers something to think about when they draw up their defensive game plan for Tuesday. |
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