Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards celebrates after a dunk through the second half of Sport 1 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff collection towards the Phoenix Suns, Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Picture/Abbie Parr)
MINNEAPOLIS — Anthony Edwards scored 18 of his 33 factors within the third quarter and had 9 rebounds to hold the Minnesota Timberwolves in a tone-setting 120-95 victory over the Phoenix Suns to start out the primary spherical of the NBA playoffs on Saturday.
Karl-Anthony Cities added 19 factors, Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 18 factors on 7-for-12 taking pictures and Rudy Gobert locked down the lane with 14 factors, 16 rebounds and fixed shot-altering protection to guide the Wolves to their first Sport 1 house win within the playoffs in 20 years.
The sixth-seeded Suns gained all three regular-season matchups during which the third-seeded Wolves trailed by double digits for the whole lot of the second halves.
Ant and KD went to BATTLE with the Timberwolves pulling out the Sport 1 win.
Ant: 33 PTS, 4 3PM, 9 REB, 6 AST
KD: 31 PTS, 7 REB pic.twitter.com/GHVnRUMsy5— NBA (@NBA) April 20, 2024
“We simply wished to point out we have been the determined crew,” Edwards stated.
Kevin Durant scored 31 factors on 11-for-17 taking pictures to guide the Suns, whose disadvantages in depth and dimension have been exploited. Devin Booker had 18 factors on 5-for-16 taking pictures and Bradley Beal added 15 factors, however the Suns have been outrebounded 52-28 and outscored 52-34 within the paint by the Wolves.
Sport 2 is in Minneapolis on Tuesday earlier than the best-of-seven collection shifts to Phoenix for Sport 3.
READ: NBA: Timberwolves teaching workers is true asset this playoffs
“It’s going to be arduous to beat these guys,” stated Edwards, who shot 14 for twenty-four. “It’s only one sport. They’re going to be able to go the following time we play them.”
Edwards led a 19-4 run to shut the third quarter, stretching his arms broad to attach with the group after a few his largest pictures down that stretch. He stared and barked at Durant, who may solely grin on the 22-year-old’s bravado.
With 3:37 left, Edwards put the bow on this efficiency by stealing the ball from Durant — after Gobert had poked it free — and ending with a slam on the opposite finish.
His enthusiasm was contagious all through the afternoon. After selecting up his third foul late within the second quarter, Edwards was twirling a towel on the bench in tribute to the hassle to take the lead into double digits for the primary time within the sport.
Durant, the 14-time All-Star with two championship rings who arrived within the desert a bit of over a 12 months in the past within the first transfer within the main overhaul of the roster, was in prime playoff kind. Be it a fadeaway, a turnaround or a spot-up, the Wolves and their NBA -best protection had no reply when the 6-foot-10 Durant climbed into the air together with his easy bounce shot.
However Booker, the anchor of the massive three with Durant and Beal who’s the one participant left from the 2021 crew that reached the NBA Finals, had nothing to match. He couldn’t get layups to fall, not to mention jumpers.
“They’ve received some nice perimeter defenders on that crew, so we are able to do a extra inventive job of getting him open,” Suns coach Frank Vogel stated.
Grayson Allen, the league’s main 3-point shooter, missed all three of his pictures and had simply 4 factors earlier than leaving with a sprained ankle that places his availability for Sport 2 in query.
The Wolves had sellouts for each house sport this season for the primary time since they moved into Goal Heart 34 years in the past. Their followers — as antsy for a postseason run as any in American professional sports activities — introduced finals-level power to the primary spherical that the Wolves haven’t escaped since their solely development 20 years in the past, a crowd that included former (Adrian Peterson) and present (Justin Jefferson) Vikings stars.
The massive-money gamers gave the Wolves what they wanted, however considered one of their edges on this collection must be a bench that backed it up with a 41-18 scoring benefit on the Suns’ reserves.
Alexander-Walker was within the thick of the second quarter surge, highlighted by his interception of a stray cross by Allen within the lane to key a quick break layup close to the ultimate minute of the half. Alexander-Walker hit a nook 3-pointer proper earlier than the third-quarter buzzer for a 20-point lead.
Your subscription couldn’t be saved. Please strive once more.
Your subscription has been profitable.
“It’s a make-or-miss league,” Durant stated. “You’ve received to knock down pictures if you wish to win.”
Minnesota went 20 for 22 from the free-throw line. Cities was 8 for 8, and Gobert went 6 for 7.
