Anthony Edwards, who is still recovering from a left knee injury and scored only 30 points combined in Games 1 and 2.
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Thirty-eight points are usually enough to win an entire playoff series and are clearly too many for any one game. Consider, a year ago, the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated Golden State in the Western Conference Semifinals by a total of 36 points in five games.
Returning to the NBA’s second round again this spring, the Wolves lost to Court 38, 133-95, in Game 2 on Wednesday at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio.
This sets up the teams’ respective goals in Game 3 on Friday. (9:30 ET, Prime Video)Apparently simple. When a dynamic series has both participants doing their best to be dynamic goalscorers, the Spurs want to replicate their performance as much as possible. Conversely, Minnesota wants its guests at the Target Center to reserve some of that increased margin as emergency points they will need moving forward.
Here are three things to watch for in the 1-1, with Spurs keen to claw back home-court advantage while Wolves look to assert something:
1. Edwards will show off his All-Star form
Ask any Wolves fan what their team needs to find that extra gear in Game 3 and they’ll say “more ants” — and they won’t be talking about Memphis’ point guard. Anthony Edwards has understandably had a mild impact so far, as he suffered a left knee injury and returned prematurely due to a knee strain (while never fully recovering from a right knee injury).
That reality doesn’t diminish him in any way with the Spurs, who limited Edwards to a combined 30 points while on the court in Games 1 and 2. Coming off the bench both nights, Edwards punished himself after giving up some key rebounds late in the opener, then committed turnovers while posting a playoff-worst minus-23 in his 24 minutes on Wednesday.
Edwards still received the defensive honor of being double-teamed by San Antonio, but he dealt with the net less effectively than usual. His 13 shot attempts per game are tied for third-fewest in his 48 playoff appearances, and he has scored 30 points or more in a single game, not two – 16 times.
Through its runs to the conference finals in 2024 and ’25, Edwards’ talent and the pressure he puts on opponents have been Minnesota’s superpower. Its record when he has scored 20+ in a playoff game is: 19-14. And when he didn’t: 6-9.
He probably needs to step back into the starting lineup, get his minutes up and forget about letting the game “come to him,” as some coaches would advise. For Wolves’ well-being, Edwards needs to grab this one by the scruff of the neck.
2. Less tipoffs, more starting blocks
Expect both teams to aim for quick, explosive starts. San Antonio did so in Game 2, blowing away the Wolves in the first quarter with an offensive burst from point guards De’Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama. Minnesota knows an early toss is the safest way to maximize the series’ shift to Minneapolis and, frankly, the extended happy hour of an 8:30 local time tipoff.
“Whenever we’re able to start the game well, we’re usually on the front foot,” Fox said, as he and Wembanyama repeatedly flexed pick-and-rolls that both spurred the Spurs forward. “When we’re aggressive, we’re able to win most of those games.”
Wolves forward Julius Randle saw the flip side of Spurs’ hot start. “They outplayed us, outplayed us, outplayed us, played better defense, played with more energy.”
Bringing immediate intensity is no guarantee of more than 48 minutes, but No Bringing it on almost reassures a less frantic team on a tough night.
3. A little bit of Denver dislike from McDaniels
Jaden McDaniels is Minnesota’s best and most versatile perimeter defender, and San Antonio is going to need to have plenty of weapons if their team hopes to win. The lanky, typically laconic wing made his impact in the first round by teasing Denver with some “bad defender” taunts after Game 2 and making a late layup at the end of Game 4.
If McDaniels isn’t going to upset or upset the Spurs in the same manner, he needs to at least take down one or more of San Antonio’s scoring threats. Biggest obstacle so far? bad trouble He was whistled for five runs in the opening match and immediately conceded three runs in the second game, which saw him sent to the bench. In his absence, the Spurs’ lead increased from eight points to 24.
“Jaden was a bright spot for us,” Wolves coach Chris Finch said. “(The fouls) definitely derailed his night, and we never really took advantage of a very good Jaden, which is important for us.”
This shows how McDaniels emerged from a 38-point loss with just minus 6 in his 19:35 minutes. But he has been, and should be, double the average, a disruptor who is picking up in the backcourt and certainly before colliding with San Antonio’s Rudy Gobert.
However, against this foe, McDaniels will want to let his game speak for itself. Vembanyama was asked about that type of extracurricular program before Game 1, and it seemed as if he almost welcomed it.
“Conversation is not something that bothers me,” said the tall man. “Yeah, it’s exciting. It makes the game even better. I always appreciate people who help me push my limits.”
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Steve Ashburner has written about the NBA since the 1980s. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on x.
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