MN Timberwolves Stun NBA: Inside the Franchise-Record Playoff Run and Anthony Edwards’ Breakout

Minnesota Timberwolves fans witnessed a heart-pounding thriller at Target Center Monday night, but the hometown crowd left stunned as the Wolves fell 128-126 to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, putting Minnesota in a 3-1 series hole. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander bounced back from a sub-par Game 3 with an MVP-worthy 39-point, 10-assist, nine-rebound masterpiece, repeatedly silencing “M-V-P” chants meant for Anthony Edwards and draining 12-of-14 free throws in crunch time. Running mate Jalen Williams matched the moment, pouring in 34 points on 14-for-24 shooting to keep the Wolves’ defense in scramble mode all night. For Minnesota, the game unraveled on two fronts: turnovers and rebounding. Chris Finch’s squad coughed up 22 giveaways that led to 29 Thunder points, while allowing 19 offensive boards that turned into repeated second-chance daggers. Edwards finished with 16 points on just 13 shots, bottled up by a rotating cast of Lu Dort and Alex Caruso that denied him touches for long stretches. Julius Randle endured his roughest outing of the postseason—five points, four turnovers—and was benched for much of the second half as Finch rode a bench unit that actually outscored the starters 64-62. Yet even with their stars contained, the Wolves nearly stole it behind clutch shot-making from Karl-Anthony Towns (27 points), Nickeil Alexander-Walker (18) and veteran sharpshooter Mike Conley (13). Towns buried a top-of-the-arc triple with 48 seconds left to cut the deficit to three, but rookie center Chet Holmgren snuffed out the rally by swatting Jaden McDaniels at the rim and hauling in a pivotal rebound on the ensuing possession. Holmgren’s 21 points, seven boards and three blocks underscored the two-way edge Oklahoma City has enjoyed for most of the series. Key stats that tell the story • Thunder paint + second-chance points: 62 • Timberwolves turnovers: 22 (most of the playoffs) • OKC fast-break points: 23 • Combined bench scoring: Wolves 64, Thunder 28 What’s next for Minnesota Timberwolves Game 5 shifts to Paycom Center on Wednesday (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) with the Wolves facing elimination. No team has rallied from 3-1 down in the Conference Finals since Golden State in 2016; Minnesota must now replicate that feat against a club that hasn’t lost three straight all season. Expect Finch to revisit his point-guard rotation and potentially start Alexander-Walker to jump-start early offense and reduce Randle’s playmaking burden. Three adjustments the Wolves need to force a Game 6 1. Get Edwards downhill early: Minnesota generated only two first-quarter field-goal attempts for its All-Star, negating his rim-pressure and allowing OKC’s defenders to stay home on shooters. Early high pick-and-rolls and stagger screens can free Edwards before the Thunder load up. 2. Control the glass: Rudy Gobert and Towns must seal Holmgren and Jaylin Williams; limiting OKC to one shot is non-negotiable. 3. Value every possession: The Wolves average 15 turnovers per game this postseason but can’t afford more than 10 if they hope to outscore a Thunder offense humming at 122 points per 100 possessions over the last two contests. The bottom line The Minnesota Timberwolves’ dream run to their first NBA Finals appearance now hangs by a thread. To keep championship hopes alive, Edwards needs his signature explosion, Randle must rediscover his bully-ball identity, and the Wolves collectively have to out-tough a Thunder squad that has answered every punch. Anything less, and the most magical season in franchise history could end on the road in Game 5.