PHOENIX — This basketball city was anticipating popping bottles this season. As an alternative, there may be the unmistakable and merciless sound of a large bubble bursting.
The Suns, constructed with a championship in thoughts, are down 3-0 within the first spherical. The Suns, who assembled a Massive Three, a mixture essential to journey deep within the postseason, are shaping up as a Massive Tease.
Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal are one other unhealthy night time of basketball away from being swept away. It’s a disbelief that wasn’t misplaced on the house crowd in Recreation 3, which booed continually within the third quarter Friday, then chanted for coach Frank Vogel’s job within the fourth.
In the meantime, the Timberwolves — sure, we should always point out them — are almost out of breath, not simply from their effort and power spent on this sequence, but additionally from saying told-you-so’s to all of the skeptics.
Listed below are 5 takeaways from Minnesota’s strong 126-109 victory in Recreation 3:
1. This was certainly a foul matchup … for Phoenix
The Suns beat the Wolves in all three conferences this season, received all of them by double digits, confused and bewildered the Wolves’ top-ranked protection and claimed an emphatic win on the ultimate day of the season.
A nasty matchup for the Wolves, went the idea. And many fell for it, understandably so.
However as soon as once more the common season tends to idiot of us. On this sequence, the Suns are deprived by way of measurement towards Gobert, Karl-Anthony Cities and a rim-crashing Anthony Edwards. The Wolves outrebounded them an astonishing 50-28.
“They’re an even bigger, stronger group than us,” mentioned Suns coach Frank Vogel. “They killed us on the boards.”
Additionally: Their lack of a real level guard is obvious, they will’t roll up huge factors on this protection or cease Edwards when it issues.
Aside from that, all the pieces’s going swell for Phoenix.
The largest subject in Recreation 3 was permitting the Wolves to attain 126 factors, 36 in a lopsided and decisive third quarter and 67 for the second half, which the Suns spent operating uphill. With Minnesota’s protection, permitting that many factors is lethal.
“They’re inflicting matchup issues for us,” Vogel admitted.
Which implies the Suns should flip that drawback in time to rally from 0-3 to save lots of face and a sequence.
“They are saying it’s by no means been executed earlier than,” Booker mentioned. “That’s thrilling.”
2. Wolves appear like true title contenders
After main the West for a lot of the season, they stumbled late and did not safe the highest seed. Oklahoma Metropolis took these honors. The Nuggets are defending champs, and the Celtics claimed one of the best report.
However after three video games within the first spherical — the final two captured emphatically, and all three by double digits — possibly it’s time to raise the Wolves in that firm.
You can begin with protection, clearly. The Wolves’ rotations and switches are superior, Gobert is proudly owning the paint and so they’re silencing the Suns’ shot creativity.
“We knew offensively it will be one thing of a problem for us getting into the season,” mentioned Wolves coach Chris Finch, “however we had been extra superior on the defensive facet. That’s how we’d win video games.”
Plus, there’s Edwards, who served as a more in-depth Friday, placing the Wolves on his shoulders as soon as the Suns confirmed the slightest signal of a comeback run, with 18 factors within the fourth.
3. Alexander-Walker goes on well timed flurry
Nickeil Alexander-Walker has had an uneven younger profession, discovering himself on his third group since being drafted in 2019. Till the third quarter Friday, he was higher generally known as the cousin of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
After which for a number of minutes, one of the best of his profession, Alexander-Walker stepped out — haunting the Suns with killer 3-pointers from the nook that utterly modified the sport.
He was 0-for-4 from deep within the first half, which is why the Suns left him open within the third … when he then went 4-for-5. A six-point halftime lead swelled to 22.
Bear in mind, the Wolves acquired Alexander-Walker and Mike Conley for D’Angelo Russell. Who’s having fun with their first-round playoff sequence extra?
4. Edwards owns the sequence
He shares the court docket with Durant and Booker and Beal, however not the designation as this sequence’ most impactful participant. That’s Edwards’ and his alone.
The Suns haven’t any reply for him, no resistance. Once they double, he makes them pay by searching for teammates together with his underrated passing — he had 5 assists. Once they play him straight up, he punishes whoever’s in entrance of him — he completed with 36 factors.
And he brings measurement to contribute to the Wolves’ general top benefit; Edwards was lively on the boards with 9 rebounds.
Clearly, Edwards is having fun with the chance to show himself, not solely on the playoff stage however towards one of many all-time greats in Durant. That’s what budding superstars do — they anxiously assault extra achieved gamers to boost their very own rising status.
There was no scrumptious trash-talking from Edwards to Durant in Recreation 3, not like in Recreation 2, when Edwards let unfastened after dropping a giant shot. Getting the win was sufficient. And moreover, the Footprint Middle crowd let Durant and his teammates hear it as a substitute.
Edwards isn’t accepting the torch from Durant — he’s snatching it.
5. Are groups passing Durant by?
It’s the identical query being requested of LeBron James, who additionally finds himself down 3-0 within the first spherical.
These two legends, with a mixed six championships, are being confronted with a depraved actuality right here on the again finish of their careers. Each are nonetheless sharp — LeBron and Durant are more likely to be named All-NBA — but they’re not bringing one of the best group to the postseason.
In Durant’s case, he’s about to go six years with out successful a title (he missed one 12 months with an harm) after going back-to-back with the Warriors.
It’s a humbling first season for him with each Beal and Booker. And the Suns are just about locked into this trio for the close to future. All three are max contract gamers who’ll make a mixed $150 million over every of the following two seasons. Beal is signed by means of 2026-27, Booker by means of 2027-28.
And there are not any first-round picks between 2025-2030, limiting their belongings.
However, Durant, who shot 1-for-6 Friday within the third quarter, is the oldest of the three and subsequently extra on the clock.
As he surveys the West, he sees Minnesota, Denver and Oklahoma Metropolis as critical threats, and all three groups are both of their prime or nonetheless pushing towards it.
* * *
Shaun Powell has lined the NBA for greater than 25 years. You’ll be able to e-mail him right here, discover his archive right here and observe him on X.
The views on this web page don’t essentially mirror the views of the NBA, its golf equipment or Warner Bros. Discovery.