PHOENIX — Mike Conley whipped a pass from the top of the floor down to a wide open Naz Reid, who was standing under the hoop.

The second he let the ball go, Conley started running down the floor and screaming. That was the moment in which this series officially ended.

Reid flushed home the dunk to put Minnesota up 22 points in the third. Suns coach Frank Vogel called timeout and a chorus of boos from the Phoenix faithful echoed through the arena.

Game. Set. Series.

Minnesota blew Phoenix’s doors off for the third consecutive game, again pulling away in the third quarter for a 126-109 victory to put Minnesota up 3-0 in the series.

The Timberwolves will now have four chances to secure the fourth-and-final victory they need to clinch their first playoff series victory since 2004. The first of those will come Sunday in Phoenix. That will likely be all it takes.

The Wolves have destroyed the Suns’ souls. Every game to this point has played out in the exact same manner, no matter the time nor location: The first half is largely competitive as Phoenix fights tooth and nail to go toe to toe with the more physical, lengthy, youthful Wolves.

And then the Suns reach a point where they simply cannot do it any longer, and the dam breaks. The Wolves have repeatedly worn Phoenix out.

They’ve done so with relentless effort and execution. Defensively, Minnesota’s physicality is too much. Offensively, Minnesota has Phoenix in constantly rotation, so the Suns are chasing the play. Even when that doesn’t result in a Wolves’ bucket, they usually beat the then exhausted Suns to the 50-50 ball and score from there.

Minnesota had nine offensive rebounds Friday that resulted in 14 second-chance points.

Anthony Edwards grabbed a couple of those, just one element of his impressive performance Friday. The guard continued to distribute the way he has all series, but he also found opportunities to deliver his own scoring punches.

For the game, the 22-year-old finished with 36 points, nine rebounds and five assists.

Minnesota got into foul trouble in the first quarter, as Mike Conley, Naz Reid and Rudy Gobert quickly accumulated two fouls a piece as Phoenix came out of the gates with an offensive aggression not previously seen in the series.

The result was 15 free-throw attempts in the first quarter alone in what was the Suns’ most impressive offensive quarter of the series.

But Minnesota not only stemmed the tide, but actually led by two after the first 12 minutes. Because the Timberwolves’ offense was equally good. The Wolves scored 34 points in the first, including 12 from Edwards and 10 from Karl-Anthony Towns.

Towns tallied 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Rudy Gobert had 19 points and 14 boards.

Six Minnesota players scored in double figures, including Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who tallied 16 points, 12 of which came in the third on the strength of four triples to effectively close out the contest, and the series.

Minnesota out-scored Phoenix 36-20 in the third quarter.

BRIEFLY

Suns guard Grayson Allen missed the game with the right ankle sprain he re-injured in Game 2. Kyle Anderson played for the first time since suffering a hip pointer injury in Game 1. He logged eight minutes, finishing with two points, two assists and three rebounds.

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ANAHEIM, Calif. — Bailey Ober began his previous start with 4 1/3 no-hit innings against the Detroit Tigers.

He outdid himself on Friday.

The Twins starter threw five hitless innings before a soft fly ball dropped between shortstop Willi Castro and center fielder Byron Buxton to break up his bid for history.

That was part of a strong performance in which Ober threw 7 1/3 innings, matching the longest start of his career, and helped lead the Twins to a 5-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. It was the Twins’ fifth straight victory and brings them within a game of .500 after a dreadful start to the season.

Ober retired the first nine batters before issuing a leadoff walk to Angels star Mike Trout to lead off the fourth. After catcher Christian Vázquez wiped Trout off the base paths, Ober walked the next batter, as well.

But for the most part, he was pounding the strike zone and inducing weak contact.

His changeup was a particularly effective pitch, as he racked up 10 of his 12 swing-and-misses on the pitch. Ober, who gave up a run in the sixth inning, left in the eighth after retiring the first batter and then allowing a double to Zach Neto.

The long outing from Ober was especially important for the Twins after they used their top two relievers — Griffin Jax and Brock Stewart — on consecutive days.

Though an inherited runner scored after his departure, Ober’s strong start was backed by just enough run support, starting with Carlos Santana’s second home run in as many days. Santana, who did not have a home run with Minnesota until Thursday, launched a ball to center field, giving the Twins (12-13) a lead they would hold the rest of the night.

They tacked on their second run an inning later, when Byron Buxton’s sharply hit ball brought home Willi Castro. Ryan Jeffers’ single over leaping shortstop Neto scored Castro in the fifth inning, and Santana’s second hit of the night, which bounced off the mound and then second baseman Luis Rengifo’s glove, produced the Twins’ fourth run.

Castro’s third hit — a double which brought home Austin Martin  — provided an important insurance run, especially because Matt Bowman ran into trouble in the ninth inning, walking a pair of batters to bring the game-tying run to the plate. Caleb Thielbar entered and allowed a run-scoring hit before retiring Trout to end the game.

Now that they’re teammates with the Vikings, edge rusher Dallas Turner joked that he wasn’t always so fond of quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Not after Alabama lost a heartbreaker to Michigan a few months ago in the semifinals of the College Football Playoff.

Turner couldn’t stomach the thought of seeing the highlight reel on social media.

“That was probably the first time I cried in a little minute,” Turner said with a laugh. “I unfollowed him on Instagram.”

Asked for his assessment on Turner heading into that particular game, McCarthy noted his new teammate was a point of emphasis in the game plan. “A game wrecker,” he said. “Somebody that could affect the game at all times.”

That’s exactly what the Vikings are hoping Turner can be after stealing him with the No. 17 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. After having to wait to hear his name called on Thursday night, Turner admitted he did not expect to fall so far down the board.

It’s safe to say the Vikings weren’t expecting that to happen, either. As the run of offensive players continued throughout the first round, however, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah made the decision to be aggressive, trading a haul of draft picks to the Jacksonville Jaguars for the chance to select Turner.

“I’m happy to be a Viking,” Turner said. “When I got that phone call, seeing where it was from, I immediately dropped my head because I knew I was going to a good organization.”

What is he most looking forward to as he prepares to work with defensive coordinator Brian Flores?

“The sacks,” Tuner said. “Just  how he frees his pass rushers up to make a lot of plays and stuff like that.”

There should be an opportunity for Turner to make a name for himself after the Vikings lost star edge rusher Danielle Hunter in free agency. That might also explain why the Vikings hosted Turner on a Top 30 visit ahead of this week’s draft. They were clearly interested in his services.

“He told me before he left he felt comfortable here and that he could really continue to ascend as a player,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said. “He’s got some lofty goals for himself.”

What are they?

“Just being the best teammate possible,” Turner said. “Just being as dudes that my teammates can trust.”

Though he likely has some numbers he’d also like to reach along the way, Turner opted to remain humble in the early stages of his career. As for the minor beef on Instagram a few months ago, Turner confirmed that he has since re-followed McCarthy.

“That’s my brother now,” Turner said with a smile. “That’s my ride or die.”

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