Why Suns' Drew Eubanks, Timberwolves' Mike Conley Jr. could be X-factors in Game 3

One of the few things that went well for the Phoenix Suns in their Game 2 blowout loss at the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday was limiting Anthony Edwards to just 15 points on 3-of-12 shooting, unlike Game 1 in which he scored 33.

Another positive for the Suns' was one of their top reserves, Eric Gordon, breaking his month-long shooting slump. He scored 15 points (5-of-9 FG, 3-of-5 from the 3), added three rebounds, one assist and a steal in 23 minutes off the bench.

Several Timberwolves' role players were tremendous in Game 2, namely Jaden McDaniels, with a playoff career-high 25 points.

So which role players could emerge in Game 3 like Gordon and McDaniels? Here's a look at two who could be the X-factors, one for each team, as the Suns try to climb out of their 2-0 hole in Game 3 at home on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Eubanks' energy, physicality could rally Suns' home crowd

Drew Eubanks: Averages vs. Timberwolves this season (including playoffs) are 5.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 16 minutes.

Eubanks is known for bringing grit, speed, finishing alley-oops and occasional highlights soaring over defenders for dunks as a blue-collar big off the bench. That hypes the Suns home crowd, which the team will need to win Game 3.

Although he scored eight points and went 4-of-8 in just 17 minutes, Eubanks doesn't need to score a lot of points to be impactful. He needs to help keep starting big Jusuf Nurkic out of foul trouble by giving him breaks. And he has the literal tall task of trying to contain their bigs, Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns, crashing the glass. He also needs to continue his duty screening for Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and other wings to get them open, and help the Suns win the rebounding war.

The Suns lack size and length compared to the bigger Timberwolves, and can't afford to lose their composure going up against their physicality in Game 3 like they have in the first two playoff games. Suns' coach Frank Vogel said at practice on Thursday that he might go deeper into his bench to match up against Minnesota's frontcourt of Gobert, Towns and Naz Reid. But Vogel has yet to give the wiry framed, 7-3 Bol Bol some action in the postseason thus far, which means Eubanks needs to be up for the challenge.

“He brings us a lot of energy off the bench," Grayson Allen said of Eubanks at practice Thursday. "He’s a dynamic roller, more of a lob threat than Nurk. He gets up and he’s aggressive defensively or really active, so when he comes in the game he does a lot of good things for us.”

Vogel added that Eubanks is “one of our tougher guys” whose rebounding, physicality, speed, athleticism and screens are needed to combat the Timberwolves’ size and strength.

Conley Jr. 'crafty' in two-man game with Gobert

Mike Conley Jr.: Key stats vs. Suns this season (including playoffs) are 11.6 points, 3.8 assists, 44% shooting, 41.2% on 3s.

Conley is the catalyst for Minnesota, bringing what the Suns lack in a consummate point guard initiating the offense. He scored 18 points on nearly 54% shooting, hit 3-of-6 from deep, had four assists and two steals in Game 2.

When he's shooting well, he's dangerous as Minnesota's 3-point shooting (ranked third during the regular season) can stretch defenses. That enables Conley to open up Gobert and their bigs for lob threats and Edwards attacking the point. If Conley's shot is off, he finds other ways to effectively distribute the ball, like in Game 1 (four points, 2-of-12 FG, game-high seven assists).

Edwards got double-teamed a lot in Game 2, but part of Minnesota taking advantage in the second half was Conley and Gobert running their two-man game, and Kevin Durant defending Gobert for much of it in the high and low posts.

“I think in the first game, we did a good, solid job on Mike. He’s a veteran player who knows how to play crafty, and he got into the paint a little bit last game, hit some shots last game," Kevin Durant said about Conley.

"Rudy’s a big guy rolling to the rim. He got a lot of penetrators, so we help and Rudy’s there in the safe end route sometimes. We’re just playing harder, help each other out more and just be there on the catch a little bit more.”

In addition, Conley is among the Timberwolves’ top guys in their point-of-attack defense to stifle actions.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Suns' Eubanks, Timberwolves' Conley Jr. headline potential X-factors