Comply with tonight’s Wolves-Suns play-by-play right here.
Star Tribune workers author Chris Hine is in Phoenix submitting dwell stories earlier than, throughout and after Recreation 4 of the NBA Western Convention quarterfinal collection between the Timberwolves and Suns at Footprint Middle. The Wolves had a 3-0 collection lead coming into tonight’s sport.
11:27 p.m.: It is a 122-116 last as Ant scores 40
The Timberwolves weren’t going to win their first playoff collection since 2004 the simple approach, however after sweeping Phoenix with a 122-116 victory in Recreation 4, the Wolves are advancing to the second spherical of the playoffs for simply the second time in franchise historical past.
The sport featured one other mythmaking efficiency from Anthony Edwards, who scored 40 factors, top-of-the-line postseason performances of Karl-Anthony Cities’ profession (28 factors) – and it even had an additional dose of drama with a late-game harm to Wolves coach Chris Finch, who wanted assist off the sideline earlier than the sport was over after a late collision with Mike Conley.
The Wolves now look forward to the winner of the Lakers-Nuggets collection. The defending NBA champion Nuggets lead 3-1 with Recreation 5 on Monday night time in Denver. If the Nuggets win Monday, the Wolves-Nuggets collection would begin on Saturday; if the Lakers win Monday, the Wolves’ subsequent collection would begin subsequent Monday.
Edwards started to ship the gang dwelling early with a breakaway dunk with 19.5 seconds remaining, capping a masterful second half after he struggled to get going within the first. Edwards his seven threes on the night time, six of these coming within the second half. He wanted some assist alongside the best way, and Cities supplied a gradual stream of offense all through the night time, even because the Wolves could not hit early.
That helped the Wolves overcome 49 factors from Devin Booker and 33 from Kevin Durant. It helped that Bradley Beal fouled out for the Suns after simply 9 factors.
The Wolves threw haymakers at Phoenix within the type of threes by Edwards and Jaden McDaniels that had the Wolves a 113-109 lead with simply over three minutes to play. After two Booker free throws, Conley missed a 3 earlier than Nickeil Alexander-Walker received a steal on the opposite finish, then Edwards took to the air for an authoritative slam to place the Wolves up 115-11 with 2:12 to go.
Alexander-Walker made one other key defensive play, forcing a Beal turnover after which Beal fouled out on the Wolves subsequent journey down the ground.
There was a scary second after that when Finch wanted assist up after a collision with Conley as a foul pressured Conley out of bounds. The sport stopped momentarily because the Wolves athletic coaching workers attended to Finch, who had an obvious proper knee harm as he was helped from the ground. It appeared Finch remained within the area initially behind the Wolves bench as assistant Micah Nori took over on the sideline.
The Wolves used a 7-0 run after falling behind 99-95 to take a 102-99 lead on a Cities bucket with 7:01 left earlier than Beal picked up his fifth foul on the subsequent possession.
McDaniels added 18 for the Wolves.
10:37 p.m.: Devin Booker places Suns on his again as they lead by two after three
The Wolves have had good third quarters all collection towards the Suns, however whereas they minimize into Phoenix’s lead after halftime, they nonetheless path 92-90 coming into the fourth as the sport opened up for each groups offensively.
The Wolves gave the impression to be in bother 55 seconds into the third when Rudy Gobert picked up his fourth foul defending Jusuf Nurkic. However with Gobert out, the Wolves lastly their first burst of excellent offense on the night time, as Anthony Edwards led a fast 8-0 run with a pair of threes and an help to Jaden McDaniels.
With Gobert out, Phoenix was capable of take benefit on the offensive finish of the ground, whilst Bradley Beal sat on the bench with 4 fouls.
However the Wolves had no reply for Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, who had been as much as 37 and 31 factors, respectively, after three quarters. Booker is 15-for-16 on the free-throw line.
Edwards received on monitor offensively for the Wolves with 15 within the quarter, which included 4 threes.
Karl-Anthony Cities has 26 and Edwards 24 for the Wolves.
9:50 p.m.: Wolves’ first half taking pictures is tepid, and Suns seize the lead
The Wolves’ taking pictures woes continued within the second quarter they usually path the Suns 61-56 on the half.
They completed simply 17-for-45 from the ground and 4-for-18 from three-point vary resulting in their deficit.
Karl-Anthony Cities was 3-for-3 from three-point vary, the remainder of the staff was 1-for-17.
Anthony Edwards was 2-for-8 on the half as neither staff took a big lead on the opposite all through a back-and-forth half. Phoenix’s five-point lead represented its largest lead of the half.
Kevin Durant had 20 factors in 23 first-half minutes whereas Devin Booker had 19, which included a buzzer beater as time expired.
Cities led the Wolves with 15 whereas McDaniels had 11. The Wolves dedicated simply 5 first-half turnovers however the Suns turned these into 12 factors.
9:10 p.m.: Suns come to play, lead after one
The Timberwolves received off to a chilly taking pictures begin within the first quarter however path simply 26-25 heading into the second quarter.
The Wolves shot 5-for-22 within the first quarter however benefited from going 14-for-15 from the free-throw line.
Rudy Gobert received in early foul bother as he picked up two early fouls, each on the identical possession, however the Wolves protection held its personal with out him on the ground.
Anthony Edwards started the night time 0-for-5.
Jaden McDaniels led the Wolves with eight factors whereas Devin Booker had 9 for Phoenix, with six of these coming on the foul line.
The Wolves shot simply 1-for-9 from three-point vary.
7:14 p.m.: The ready is the toughest half
For Timberwolves coach Chris Finch, the ready in a playoff collection is certainly the toughest half.
Finch was requested earlier than tonight’s sport how his staff has dealt with its enterprise in practices and conferences in between video games, and he stated it has been arduous to not be troubled in a collection that has been so spaced out.
There have been two days off between Video games 1, 2 and three with solely in the future off between Video games 3 and 4 for the primary time within the collection.
“This has been a sluggish collection, we have had two days between each single sport,” he stated. “Whenever you’re in these items, regardless of whether or not you are up or down, the toughest factor I believe is simply the ready. Whenever you play a sport and then you definately break it down and sort of know what you wanna do and what you want to do, what you suppose they are going to do and the way you want to counter it, you wish to go put it in motion. The ready for me might be the hardest.”
The Wolves didn’t maintain a proper follow Saturday or a shootaround Sunday as they opted extra for relaxation previous to Recreation 4. With a detailed out sport on faucet, Finch desires his staff to not react too strongly to the feelings of the sport.
“It is the identical as we have been speaking about since Recreation 1,” Finch stated. “You bought to remain on an excellent keel. What is going on to occur, the emotion within the constructing will likely be excessive. Emotion from the opponent will likely be excessive. Emotion from all people will likely be excessive. You bought to remain throughout the sport, the sport plan, climate the storm and check out to not beat your self with foolish play.”
6:37 p.m.: Grayson Allen will not play for Phoenix
Suns guard Grayson Allen was the NBA’s finest three-point shooter by proportion this season, however an ankle harm suffered in Recreation 1 was aggravated in Recreation 2 and sidelined him for Recreation 3.
Phoenix coach Frank Vogel stated pregame that Allen will not play tonight, leaving a gap within the Suns lineup as a result of their three-point taking pictures has been subpar.
Royce O’Neale is predicted to start out in Allen’s spot alongside Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, Devin Booker and Jusuf Nurkic.
The Wolves starters are Rudy Gobert, Mike Conley, Jaden McDaniels, Karl-Anthony Cities and Anthony Edwards.
5 p.m.: Finch third in NBA Coach of the 12 months voting
Finch was a finalist for the NBA Coach of the 12 months award, however in the long run, he had no probability.
Mark Daigneault of the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder was the winner in a runaway, getting 89 of 99 first place votes. The Thunder claimed the highest seed within the West within the 39-year-old Daigneault’s fourth season; OKC went from a 40-42 document to 57-25.
The Wolves improved from 42-40 to 56-26 within the 54-year-old Finch’s fourth season. It was the second finest common season document for the franchise, which was 58-24 in 2003-24. The Timberwolves, after 35 seasons, nonetheless have the worst successful proportion (.411) in NBA historical past.
Finch was third in Coach of the 12 months voting. Daigneault had 89 first place votes, 9 second place votes and one third for 473 factors. Jamahl Mosley (4-36-30-158) was second, adopted by Finch (1-23-31-105).
The opposite first-place votes went to Joe Mazzulla of Boston (2), Tom Thibodeau of New York (2) and Erik Spoelstra of Miami (1).