Thunder Falter in Game 3 as Timberwolves Respond

The Oklahoma City Thunder walked into Target Center with confidence after taking a 2-0 series lead, but it didn’t take long for the tone to shift. From the opening tip, the Minnesota Timberwolves brought overwhelming energy and physicality, handing the Thunder their worst loss of the season in a 143-101 blowout in Game 3. Timberwolves shot 57 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range while OKC was 41 percent from the field and just 32 percent from three.

Head coach Mark Daigneault didn’t sugarcoat it. “They were ready to play and did everything better than us from the jump tonight,” he said postgame. “We dug ourselves a hole, tried to drum up some energy a couple different times, but they held us off. Credit to them.”

Oklahoma City, which had previously dominated the paint and controlled tempo in Games 1 and 2, suddenly found itself outmatched physically and outworked on both ends. Minnesota won the rebounding battle tonight 50-31. Daigneault pointed to Minnesota’s increased defensive pressure and a noticeable drop in rhythm from his squad. “Their force on both ends of the floor really stood out,” he said. “They threw the first punch and kept their foot on the gas.”

Despite trying different rotations and adjusting away from the double-big lineup in the second half, OKC never found traction. “I just believe in giving different guys a shot when the game is going like that,” Daigneault said. “We made a bit of a push, cut it to 22, but that was as close as we got.”

Anthony Edwards set the tone for Minnesota early, attacking aggressively and exploiting the Thunder’s defensive lapses. “We weren’t able to bottle him up like we did in the first two games,” Daigneault admitted. “They freed him up well, and he played with tremendous force.”

The loss marked a rare flat showing for a team that’s prided itself on resilience all season. Still, Daigneault struck a steady tone about his team’s mindset heading into Game 4. “We’ve been on the other end of games like this and bounced back,” he said. “It’s a new game next time 0-0. We’ve got to address what went wrong and be ready.”

With the series now 2-1 in favor of the Thunder, they’ll need to match Minnesota’s intensity when the two teams clash again Sunday. As Daigneault put it, “It’s a series. You grow through the successes and the adversities. We’ve got to apply that experience now.”