Reaching a second straight Western Conference finals was a remarkable accomplishment for the Minnesota Timberwolves after a surprise shuffle of the roster right before training camp and the pains of adjustments and injuries throughout the regular season.

Long ago, a friend in the sportswriting business in Atlanta had a colleague who would join us in the required postgame saloon stop. He would get himself full of whiskey, tell a tale of a character or a stout performance,

Shortly after the contest was over, coach Chris Finch praised Edwards's growth as a leader this season, noting that the Georgia export has come "leaps and bounds" in that departme

MINNEAPOLIS — These NBA playoffs have produced some defining images on the way to the Finals: Tyrese Haliburton cementing himself as a big city villain, Jalen Brunson as a certified crunch-time star, and Jayson Tatum writhing in pain.

Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves dominated the Oklahoma City Thunder Saturday night to make this a series. The Timberwolves took Game 3 by an overwhelming 143-101 for their first win of the Western Conference finals.