It only took a fiery Chris Finch half-time pep talk for Anthony Edwards to get fired up.
And for Minnesota, it was one Edwards half-time buzzer beater that set the tone for a game-changing third quarter.
“At halftime, Coach [Finch] came in and said we’re playing like we already won the series pretty much and I don’t really like that," Edwards said in the post-game press conference.
He added: “I told them we’ve only got two wins."
Now, the Timberwolves racked up three and one more victory would send them back to the Western Conference Finals for the second straight year.
Edwards went on a tear in the third frame where the tides turned in favor of Minnesota, navigating their way to a 117-110 Game 4 dub for a commanding 3-1 series lead.
[ALSO READ: Timberwolves knock on West Finals door, repeat vs Warriors to claim 3-1 series edge]
But it wouldn’t have been possible without his 30-foot bomb to end the second frame to make it a one possession game at 58-60.
“It was huge because it felt like one of those games where we were going to struggle to find a rhythm,” Finch spoke on what Edward’s half-time heave meant to the Timberwolves’ mindset in the second half.
“I thought we might be down eight, 10 at halftime with the way that we had played. Fortunately, I thought his shot made it pretty much an even game and if we came out with the type of purpose that we needed to I felt we were going to be OK,” he added.
Minnesota, as it turned out, came out more than fine in the second half.
Edwards scored 14 points as part of a 22-8 run that helped the Timberwolves build a 80-68 lead with 5:32 seconds left in the third.
Overall, the 23-year-old fired 16 of his 30 markers in that blistering offensive period — one point less than the entire Warriors’ 3Q point production of 17.
"It's the best feeling ever," Edwards commented on his third-quarter flurry.
"It's the best feeling ever."@theantedwards_ on his 16-PT third quarter flurry 😤
— NBA (@NBA) May 13, 2025
Ant's big 3Q propelled Minnesota to a Game 4 victory and a 3-1 series lead! https://t.co/ZDdtY5HlaQ
Julius Randle sizzled for 19 of his playoff career-high 31 points in the opening half. Through five games in the series, he is norming 24.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and eight assists.
The Timberwolves also became just the second team ever since the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers to beat Golden State three playoff games in a row under the Steve Kerr era.
“When we got off to some good starts, it kinda sets the tone for us as a team. I always try to come out with a mindset of being aggressive early whether it’s me scoring or getting my teammates involved,” Randle said.
Game 5 shifts back to Minnesota with the Timberwolves aiming to pounce on the first of three chances to eliminate the Warriors from postseason play.
