The Minnesota Timberwolves had a magnificent night on Friday, as they won Game 3 in their Playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers. It was a fantastic win for the Timberwolves, doing it in front of the home crowd at Target Center.
The fans were loud for 48 minutes, inspiring the team. Minnesota's players fed off the crowd's energy, winning the game after a fourth-quarter flurry when the fans were deafening.
Heading into Game 3, Anthony Edwards, Naz Reid, and the rest of the Timberwolves were adamant that playing at home would be impactful. They were correct because the Target Center was rocking all game.
It affected the game because every time the Timberwolves made a positive play, the fans celebrated and urged them to keep competing. Game 3 showed that the fans could help the team to get big wins.
Finch And The Players Knew The Fans Helped The Team
From the start of Game 3, all the fans were celebrating every basket. It was surreal because the noise could be heard on the broadcast, dwarfing the voices of commentators like Mike Breen and Doris Burke.
It was even better for coach Chris Finch and the Timberwolves players because they felt rejuvenated every time they made a big play that drew cheers.
"Another great atmosphere here, continues to be among the best if not the best," Finch said after Game 3. "I mean our fans were just so into it from the get-go, and I thought it was an outstanding game. I felt it was pretty well played by both teams, our guys staying even-keeled even when things weren't going for us offensively."
The Timberwolves had no nervous energy as they played their team's basketball. Game 2 had none of that because they mostly relied on Edwards and Julius Randle to bail them out. This time, the team moved the ball and got the best possible shot in almost every possession.
The Controversy With The Target Center Crowd
The fans at Target Center were spectacular in supporting the Timberwolves. However, some might have gone too far with their support because there was a play when Luka Doncic was defending in transition, and he got distracted by a whistling sound similar to a referee's whistle.
It drew Luka and coach JJ Redick's fury because the Slovenian star could have chased Jaden McDaniels, who ended up throwing down a dunk.
This will be addressed by the Target Center staff for the next game because it is a significant advantage for the Timberwolves if it keeps happening. The rest of the NBA will also have this taken out, considering it would ruin games.
Nevertheless, the Target Center crowd deserves flowers because the fans showed and proved they are 100% behind their team. Hopefully, that won't involve any controversies because the players and coaches loved how the fans supported them.
More must-reads: