NBA

The good news for Towns is that he shot 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. The bad is that he attempted seven shots overall, which is inexcusable for an offensive talent of his caliber. Friday’s game was the first in which KAT failed to reach double figures since Game 2 of Minnesota’s first-round sweep of the Suns. While the Timberwolves could get away with that against Phoenix, the reigning champs are different. Towns needs to be more aggressive in Game 4 on Sunday night, with the Timberwolves still holding a 2-1 series lead.

After missing Game 2 to be present for the birth of his first child, Gobert was back in the lineup for Game 3. He and the Timberwolves attempted to land a decisive blow early in Friday’s game but failed, and the reigning champions eventually pulled away. Neither Gobert nor Naz Reid (7/1/1/1 with one 3-pointer in 21 minutes) could do much with Nikola Jokic, who finished with a plus-30 rating. Gobert and the Timberwolves will look to take a 3-1 series lead on Saturday night.

Faced with the opportunity to deal the reigning champions a decisive blow, Minnesota failed to do so on Friday. Edwards was the only player to reach double digits in shot attempts, which was not the case in either of Minnesota’s two wins in Denver. While he shot the ball well overall, Ant-Man was responsible for five of the Timberwolves’ 14 turnovers in Game 3. Edwards and the Timberwolves will have another opportunity to tighten their grip on the series in Game 4 on Sunday night.

After scoring 20 points in Game 1, Porter had a brutal Game 2. He wasn’t the only Nuggets player who needed to redeem himself in Game 3, and MPJ came through with timely perimeter shooting. He’s scored at least 20 points in six of his last seven playoff games, and he finished Game 3 one blocked shot shy of his third straight full stat line. Also shooting the ball well from three for Denver was Aaron Gordon, who was 3-of-4 from deep and finished with 13 points, two rebounds, five assists, and two steals in 33 minutes. Given the amount of attention Minnesota has paid Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, there will be opportunities for Porter and Gordon to flourish. They took advantage on Friday and must do the same in Game 4 on Sunday.

Having struggled through a calf injury in the first two games, Murray appeared to benefit from the three days off between Games 2 and 3. He looked sharp on offense, shooting better than 50% from the field while tying for the team-high in scoring with Nikola Jokic. The question is how fresh Murray will be on Sunday night, as the Nuggets will only have one day off. He may appear on the injury report ahead of Game 4, but DFS players and bettors should operate under the assumption that Murray will play.

Many pundits wanted to see an “MVP caliber” performance from Jokic in Game 3 and the NBA’s Most Valuable Player delivered on Friday. The Joker finished one assist shy of a triple-double while recording a full stat line with six “stocks.” Jokic thoroughly outplayed the Minnesota big men, with Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid combining for 13 points, six rebounds, and no blocked shots. He’ll look to produce another effort of this caliber in Game 4 on Sunday, as Minnesota still holds a two games to one lead.

That’s right, Alec Burks. After playing for one minute in Game 2, the veteran wing was in the rotation on Friday because the Knicks did not have OG Anunoby (hamstring). Give Burks credit for staying ready, as he made his first four shots from the field and gave New York welcome production off the bench. While the Knicks’ saw their series lead cut in half, getting 24 points from Burks and Miles McBride (10/1/1/1 with two 3-pointers in 29 minutes) is a positive takeaway. New York’s reserves outscored their Pacer counterparts by a 24-14 margin in Game 3, but it wasn’t enough to get the Knicks the win. Burks and McBride will have to offer similar production in Game 4 on Sunday, as Anunoby is unlikely to be available.

For the first time since Game 6 of the Knicks’ first-round series against Philadelphia, Hart rested. He still played 43 minutes, a surprisingly low number for the indefatigable wing. Hart corralled a playoff career-high 18 rebounds while dishing out four assists, remaining an impactful option on both ends of the floor. With OG Anunoby (hamstring) unavailable, the Knicks may get Hart a few minutes on the bench in the first half of Sunday’s Game 4. As long as Hart’s healthy, he’ll be on the court in crunch time.

Brunson did not look like himself early in Game 3, eventually subbing out with 6:55 remaining in the first quarter. The good news for the Knicks is that he still played 38 minutes and eventually got going as New York nearly stole a win on the road. The five turnovers were a concern, as the Pacers made Aaron Nesmith the primary defender, using a bigger body to make life difficult for Brunson. Now, there’s a quick turnaround for JB and the shorthanded Knicks to navigate, as Game 4 is on Sunday afternoon. Brunson may appear on the injury report but expect the Knicks point guard to take on his usual workload (or be close to it).

With OG Anunoby (hamstring) sidelined, the Knicks looked to DiVincenzo even more than usual in Game 3. And he answered the call, knocking down seven 3-pointers and scoring 35 points with a full stat line. The Pacers will pay even more attention to DiVincenzo in Sunday’s Game 4, but that isn’t going to make him “gun shy.” Look for the Big Ragu, who has scored at least 25 points in all three games of this series, to put up a lot of shots as the Knicks attempt to steal one on the road.