One of the key narratives heading into this playoff matchup between the Timberwolves and the Lakers was how Minnesota would perform in a close contest against two elite clutch performers—LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
On Friday night, they answered that question convincingly. Behind a late-game surge led by Anthony Edwards, the Timberwolves secured a 116-104 victory and grabbed a 2-1 lead in the series. Edwards was outstanding down the stretch, outperforming both James and Doncic as Minnesota closed the game strong. James tallied 38 points for L.A., while Doncic, hampered by a stomach illness according to ESPN, struggled with efficiency, scoring 17 on 6-of-16 shooting.
Edwards combined sharp scoring with smart playmaking, finishing with 29 points and eight assists. Jaden McDaniels was a standout once again, reminiscent of his Game 1 form, pouring in 30 points. His clutch three-pointer from the right corner with 38.9 seconds left ignited early celebrations.
Despite holding a slight advantage in the fourth, the Timberwolves found themselves under pressure when James drained three straight triples to bring the Lakers within one at 100-99 with just under six minutes remaining. Shortly after, Doncic isolated Rudy Gobert and tied the game at 103 with a bucket at the 4:37 mark.
Following a timeout, Wolves coach Chris Finch made a tactical shift, reintroducing the Julius Randle–Naz Reid frontcourt. Edwards responded with a three-pointer but a shot-clock violation followed. He then found Reid for an open jumper, pushing the lead to 109-103 with just over three minutes to play. Moments later, Edwards beat James off the dribble for a layup to make it 111-104.
A foul call on Edwards against Rui Hachimura with 2:05 to go was overturned upon review, returning possession to Minnesota. On the next Lakers trip down the floor, James hit the side of the backboard on a three-point attempt, and their shooting went ice cold at a crucial moment despite solid accuracy earlier in the game.
The Wolves opened with much better offensive execution than in the first two games. They scored on each of their first seven possessions and led 32-26 after one quarter. McDaniels looked sharp early, going 4-for-5 for eight points, and the team as a whole shared the scoring load effectively. Edwards chipped in five points and three assists in the early going as Minnesota jumped ahead 27-19.
The Lakers shot well in the opening frame (52%) but were undone by six turnovers. Doncic, dominant as a scorer in the first two games, took on more of a facilitating role early, logging five assists in the first quarter. Meanwhile, James started hot, making his first three shots. Minnesota was active on the glass, notching seven second-chance points compared to just two for L.A.
Minnesota’s biggest lead came early in the second quarter at 35-26, following a three-point play from Reid. However, the Lakers responded with a 9-0 run that forced Finch to bring Edwards back in sooner than planned after only a brief rest. The Lakers grabbed their first lead since 3-2 when James hit a triple to make it 39-37.
The Wolves’ second unit, typically a source of ball movement and rhythm, faltered in the second quarter. The team struggled to capitalize on open looks, especially from beyond the arc, shooting just 1-of-9 from deep and 8-of-25 overall in the quarter. At halftime, James led all scorers with 22, while Reaves added 14. For Minnesota, McDaniels and Randle had 14 apiece, while Edwards had 12 points on 5-of-14 shooting, missing a few attempts close to the basket.