Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards. Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Three stars from Friday's NBA playoffs

By Sean Keane | Last updated 4/27/24

Two lower seeds took the lead in their first-round series, while another went up 3-0.

Here are three players who stood out during Friday's slate of NBA playoff contests.

Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks: 42 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two game-tying three-pointers in Milwaukee's 121-118 loss to Pacers

Milwaukee may have lost Game 3, but it wasn't due to any lack of heroics from Khris Middleton. The Bucks forward scored 42 points while sending the game to overtime with a three-pointer with 2.1 seconds left in regulation and sinking another game-tying three with eight seconds to go in overtime. It's not his fault Tyrese Haliburton snuck in a basket afterward!

MIDDLETON TIES THE GAME AT 111

PACERS BALL... 1.4 SECONDS REMAINING ON ESPN pic.twitter.com/yXyV8nMQqj
— NBA (@NBA) April 27, 2024

After two injury-plagued seasons, Middleton reminded the world that when he's healthy, he's a really, really good basketball player.

Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks: 21 points (19 in the second half), six assists, four rebounds and two steals in Dallas' 101-90 win over Clippers

Dallas only managed 47 points in Game 3's rock fight of a second half, but 19 came from Kyrie Irving. He kept going to the hoop in an eight-point third quarter, then torched L.A. from the perimeter in the fourth. And while it's a stretch to call Irving a lockdown defender, the Clippers' stars struggled to score. Irving was skillful, patient, deadly and dare we say it...mature?

"I think me maturing over the past few years has really taught me to just let the game come to me."

Kyrie Irving on finding his rhythm in Game 3! pic.twitter.com/kIbyF1yCai
— NBA (@NBA) April 27, 2024

Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves: 36 rebounds, nine rebounds, five assists, two steals and +19 in 43 minutes in Minnesota's 126-109 win over Suns

The Timberwolves are up 3-0 on the Suns for plenty of reasons. The biggest might be that Anthony Edwards is wildly outplaying his counterpart, Devin Booker. Edwards scored 36 points, shooting 12-for-23 from the field and a perfect 11-for-11 from the free-throw line. 18 of his points happened in the fourth quarter. He's outscored Booker 84-61 in the series.

Ant drives the baseline and scores the tough reverse

Wolves look to keep the lead as the 4Q gets underway on ESPN! pic.twitter.com/MoQSDi9WyY
— NBA (@NBA) April 27, 2024

Edwards tied Kevin Garnett with his seventh 30-point playoff performance for most in franchise history. He's only 22 years old.

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