Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said pregame his team was expecting a "haymaker" from the Minnesota Timberwolves, who were facing a 2-0 series deficit heading into Game 3 of the Western Conference finals Saturday night.

Anthony Edwards had 30 points, nine rebounds and six assists in just three quarters to lead the re-energized Minnesota Timberwolves in a 143-101 victory over Oklahoma City in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals.

The Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 143-101 to claim their first win of the NBA Western Conference play-off finals.

The Thunder’s stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (14 points and 6 assists), Jalen Williams (13 points and 4 rebounds), and Chet Holmgren (10 points and 5 rebounds) were thoroughly outplayed for the first time in the Conference Finals.

There was an Aaron Gordon game winner in Game 1. There was a bad fourth-quarter stretch in Game 3. There was an improbable run of shots from Denver guard Julian Strawther in Game 6 that clinched a Game 7.

The fifth of those players did so in the Seattle SuperSonics era, guard alum Charles Bradley. After ending his college career at Wyoming, Bradley was picked up with the 23rd overall selection of the 1981 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics.

Down 0–2 in the best-of-seven series, the 23-year-old put his team on his back to start Saturday night's game three, scoring 20 points on 8 for 11 shooting in the first half while also hauling in eight rebounds and—most importantly—building a 31-point, 72–41 lead over the Thunder.

After silencing critics with a gritty Game 7 win over Denver, the Thunder look poised, confident, and unstoppable—led by SGA, Jalen Williams, and a suffocating defense.