Timberwolves outlast Suns to finish sweep. Minnesota coach Chris Finch leaves with knee injury

PHOENIX (AP) — Minnesota star Anthony Edwards observed early within the third quarter that the Phoenix Suns switched up their protection, enjoying him one-on-one more often than not as an alternative of utilizing the double groups from the primary half.

The budding celebrity took that as a problem.

“It was like — you’ve acquired to beat us,” Edwards mentioned. “And I confirmed them.”

Edwards scored 31 of his 40 factors within the second half, Karl-Anthony Cities added 28 and the Timberwolves pulled away late to beat the Suns 122-116 on Sunday evening and sweep the first-round playoff collection.

The franchise’s first playoff collection win in 20 years got here after coach Chris Finch left the sport late within the fourth after an inadvertent collision with Wolves guard Mike Conley. The workforce mentioned he had a ruptured patellar tendon in his proper knee.

Edwards completed 13 of 23 from the sector, together with 7 of 13 from 3-point vary. The 22-year-old threw down a powerful, one-handed jam to provide Minnesota a 115-111 lead with 2:14 left.

“We’ve watched him develop, evolve as a frontrunner, as a participant, as a person,” Wolves heart Rudy Gobert mentioned. “It’s been enjoyable.”

Phoenix would by no means recuperate.

The Wolves completed off the Suns regardless of Devin Booker’s 49 factors on 13 of 21 capturing. He additionally made 20 of 21 free throws. Kevin Durant added 33, however the remainder of the workforce struggled.

Assistant coach Micah Nori took over for Finch for the ultimate 1:41 and the Wolves closed with relative ease.

“Everyone has their function, everyone has one another’s again,” Nori mentioned. “I do know it sounds corny, however it’s simply subsequent man up, even with the teaching workers.”

Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels scored 18 factors on 6-of-12 capturing and the Wolves had a 44-33 rebounding benefit.

It was a decent fourth quarter and the Suns tied it at 107 on Royce O’Neale’s 3-pointer with 4:30 remaining. Edwards and Jaden McDaniels hit back-to-back nook 3s to place the Wolves up 113-109 with 3:20 left.

The Wolves now wait to see if they are going to face the Denver Nuggets or Los Angeles Lakers within the second spherical.

“Their complete workforce created plenty of issues for us,” Suns coach Frank Vogel mentioned. “The function gamers, the celebrities. Anthony Edwards is a particular, particular expertise. And their bigs performed rather well.”

Edwards hit back-to-back 3-pointers early within the third and McDaniels adopted with a robust dunk, serving to Minnesota flip a six-point deficit right into a 68-66 lead. It was a part of a giant third for Edwards, who hit 4 3-pointers and had 15 factors.

Booker responded, scoring 18 factors through the quarter and the Suns took a 92-90 lead into the fourth. It was a tricky recreation for three-time All-Star Bradley Beal, who scored simply 9 factors on 4-of-13 capturing earlier than fouling out.

“They had been executing late and we didn’t,” Booker mentioned.

The Suns threw varied appears to be like on the Wolves within the first half, utilizing 5 perimeter gamers at varied occasions to attempt to pull massive males Gobert and Cities away from the basket.

Booker hit a fallaway jumper on the buzzer to provide the Suns a 61-56 halftime lead. Durant led Phoenix with 20 factors earlier than the break, whereas Booker had 17. Cities had 15 for the Wolves.

Suns guard Grayson Allen missed his second straight recreation due to a sprained ankle suffered in Sport 1 that he aggravated in Sport 2. He averaged 13.5 factors per recreation and led the NBA in 3-point share through the common season.

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