Anthony Edwards achieved 36 points and nine rebounds as Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the host Phoenix Suns 126-109 on Friday night, securing a 3-0 lead in the playoff series for the first time in franchise history.

Rudy Gobert contributed 19 points and 14 rebounds, while Karl-Anthony Towns added 18 points and 13 rebounds for the third-seeded Minnesota squad. Nickeil Alexander-Walker showcased 16 points, with 12 of them coming in the third quarter.

Additionally, Mike Conley delivered 15 points and seven assists, while Naz Reid chipped in 13 points for the Timberwolves.

Bradley Beal managed to score 28 points, supported by Kevin Durant‘s 25 points, and Devin Booker‘s 23 points along with eight assists for the sixth-seeded Suns. Eric Gordon also contributed 11 points to the Suns’ efforts.

The fourth game of the first-round Western Conference series is scheduled for Sunday night in Phoenix.

During the final quarter, Edwards accumulated 18 points, marking his seventh playoff game with 30 or more points, drawing level with Kevin Garnett for the franchise’s record.

No team has ever managed to overturn a 3-0 playoff deficit in the history of the NBA. Despite Phoenix dominating the regular-season series against the Timberwolves with an average winning margin of 15.7 points, they find themselves in a challenging position.

Minnesota’s shooting performance on Friday was commendable, with a 49.4 percent field goal accuracy, including 13 successful attempts out of 34 from beyond the arc.

Phoenix, on the other hand, managed to connect on 46.1 percent of their shots and converted 11 of 28 attempts from the three-point line. Grayson Allen was absent due to an ankle injury for the Suns.

Trailing 97-73 after Edwards scored the opening basket in the fourth quarter for the Timberwolves, Phoenix faced an uphill battle.

Despite the Suns’ attempt to mount a comeback, Minnesota held their ground and extended their lead back to 20 points. Gobert widened the gap further with free throws after a flagrant foul by Josh Okogie, bringing the score to 119-99 with 2:54 remaining.

Alexander-Walker showcased his sharpshooting prowess by sinking four 3-pointers in the third quarter, where the Timberwolves outscored the Suns 36-20.

Towns kicked off the third quarter with back-to-back baskets, solidifying Minnesota’s lead at 63-53.

Conley and Towns then showcased their long-range abilities with consecutive 3-pointers, pushing the score to 69-58 with 8:09 remaining in the quarter. Alexander-Walker continued the onslaught with two crucial 3-point shots, extending the lead to 75-60.

With 4:53 left in the quarter, Alexander-Walker drained another long-range shot, elevating the lead to 83-64. Reid further widened the gap by hitting a corner 3-pointer with 3:39 remaining.

Alexander-Walker capped off his impressive quarter with another 3-pointer at 1:31, followed by Reid’s dunk, securing a commanding 95-73 lead for Minnesota going into the final quarter.

Edwards emerged as a key scorer in the first half, contributing 16 points to aid the Timberwolves in securing a 59-53 halftime advantage. Durant led the scoring for Phoenix in the first half with 14 points.