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Kevin Durant, Suns Ripped by NBA Fans as Anthony Edwards, Wolves Take 2-0 Series Lead

Scott Polacek

The Minnesota Timberwolves are two wins away from reaching the second round for the first time in 20 years.

Minnesota defeated the Phoenix Suns 105-93 in Tuesday's Game 2 of their first-round playoff series at Target Center. It defended home-court advantage for the second time in a row and seized a 2-0 lead in the series.

All five Timberwolves starters scored in double figures, but it was Jaden McDaniels instead of Anthony Edwards or Karl-Anthony Towns who spearheaded the effort. He finished with 25 points and eight rebounds, while Mike Conley (18 points, four assists, four rebounds and two steals) and Rudy Gobert (18 points, nine rebounds and three steals) also played well.

Phoenix got 20 points from Devin Booker before he fouled out and 18 from Kevin Durant but still couldn't win even as Edwards went 3-of-11 from the field.

Social media reacted to the Suns' plight:

The biggest storyline in Game 1 was Edwards further announcing himself as one of the league's top players. He fed off the energy of the crowd, carried his team for extended stretches and even talked trash to Durant as Minnesota pulled away in a blowout.

Phoenix seemed determined to prevent that from happening again, though, and held Edwards to just five points in the first half. Yet the visitors led by just a single point because Conley, Gobert and McDaniels all exerted themselves as scorers to make up for a quiet start from Minnesota's No. 1 option.

The supporting cast keeping it close was all the more important because Towns also spent most of the first half on the bench because of foul trouble.

It proved costly from the Suns' perspective that they didn't take more advantage of the slow starts from Edwards and Towns. Minnesota took the lead in the third quarter with Edwards getting to the free-throw line and Towns scoring eight straight points for his side in a mini spurt.

Phoenix also lost Grayson Allen to an ankle injury, further limiting its depth against a Timberwolves team that got important contributions from all five starters.

Minnesota proved it doesn't need Edwards to go off to notch an impressive victory in the fourth quarter with Conley hitting from the outside, McDaniels putting on a show and Gobert continuing to play well down low. Edwards still couldn't find his shot, but it didn't matter as the home team opened up a commanding double-digit lead and left no doubt.

The Suns will have to be much better at home in Friday's Game 3 if they are going to make this a series.

   

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