Timberwolves overshadow Suns, take 2-0 NBA playoff lead

Jaden McDaniels scored 25 points for a career best in the NBA playoffs and spearheaded another stifling defensive performance by the Timberwolves in a 105-93 victory over the Suns.

Their victory on Tuesday night (Wednesday AEST) gave Minnesota a 2-0 lead in their first-round series.

Mike Conley and Rudy Gobert each added 18 points to help the Timberwolves offset the smothering of Anthony Edwards by Phoenix, who held the All-Star to 15 points after allowing him 33 in the opener. Edwards went 3-for-12 from the floor.

The teams head to Phoenix for Game 3 on Friday night (local time).

Minnesota have held a 2-0 series lead only one other time in franchise history, against Denver in the first round in 2004 en route to a 4-1 series victory.

Devin Booker scored 20 points, Kevin Durant added 18 and sixth man Eric Gordon had 15 for the Suns, who again failed to get their high-octane offence in gear.

The big three of Booker, Durant and Bradley Beal combined to shoot 18-for-45, with McDaniels leading the list of reasons for the slump.

In Milwaukee, Pascal Siakam scored 37 points as Indiana overcame another fantastic first-half performance from Damian Lillard to beat the Bucks 125-108 and tie their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series at a game apiece.

Indiana snapped a 10-game playoff losing streak that began with a Game 7 loss to Cleveland in a first-round series in 2018. The Pacers were swept by Boston in 2019 and by Miami in 2020.

Two nights after scoring all 35 of his points in the first half of the Bucks' 109-94 Game 1 victory, Lillard had 26 by halftime on Tuesday and finished with 34.

Lillard didn't get enough help, with the Bucks once again missing two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo because of a strained left calf.

In Los Angeles, Luka Doncic scored 32 points as Dallas overcame the return of Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard to beat the home side 96-93 and tie their Western Conference first-round playoff series at a game apiece.

Leonard had 15 points and seven rebounds in 35 minutes of his first game since March 31. He hadn't played or had any contact practices during that stretch because of inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee.

Kyrie Irving added 23 points for the Mavericks, who led for most of the game two days after they trailed by 29 points and eventually lost 109-97.

Game 3 is on Friday (local time) in Dallas.