Just days after a crucial victory against the Warriors in the Western Conference semifinals – a game Anthony Edwards called the “most important” of his career – the Timberwolves star faced another challenge on the road in Game 3.
Facing the Warriors, Edwards, known as a top scorer in the regular season, found his team down at halftime. Edwards himself had a quiet first half, scoring only eight points on poor shooting and being on the court for a significant negative point differential for the team.
But in the second half, the young All-Star ignited, displaying the skill and athleticism that frequently impresses teammates, including veteran point guard Mike Conley.
There are moments where I`ll go home… thinking I could be right now… a teammate of one of the best players that ever played this game.
— Mike Conley
Edwards didn`t just score – he poured in 28 points in the second half with remarkable flair. His performance highlighted why the powerful shooting guard is already being compared to Michael Jordan.
One memorable moment was a late third-quarter dunk when, trailing, he took off from near the free throw line and finished powerfully over Kevon Looney.
Another key play was an early fourth-quarter three-pointer. Guarded tightly by Brandin Podziemski, Edwards created space with a step-back, hitting the shot while his team was down.
But perhaps his most crucial play demonstrated a different aspect of his game.
In a critical moment, Edwards was triple-teamed. With his scoring momentum, many expected him to shoot over the defenders. Instead, he passed to an open teammate, initiating a sequence that led to Jaden McDaniels hitting a three-pointer, giving Minnesota a lead they wouldn`t relinquish significantly.
While not credited statistically, this play exemplified Edwards` growth into a more complete player. His improved decision-making has been key to the Timberwolves transforming their performance in clutch situations.
The team`s clutch record this postseason is impressive, significantly outscoring opponents in critical final minutes.
Edwards himself has performed well in clutch minutes, scoring efficiently and notably accumulating assists without turnovers, showcasing his improved playmaking under pressure.
My trainer Chris Hines always tells me, `Michael Jordan had Steve Kerr.` He always tells me stuff like that. So, it`s just being able to trust my teammates.
— Anthony Edwards
This evolution, however, has been a deliberate process throughout the season.
Five months prior, in a game against the Warriors, Edwards` performance in the final minutes was a key factor in the Timberwolves` loss. Despite leading a comeback earlier in that game, his late-game execution faltered, with missed shots and a turnover contributing to the team`s defeat.
This pattern of late-game struggles wasn`t new for the team.
In the last five minutes, he just wanted to score, score, score… He came into the team afterwards and he apologized. He said, `That`s on me.` He just stopped kind of creating for everybody down the stretch.
— Coach Chris Finch
This particular loss was frustrating because just two days prior, Edwards had played an excellent all-around game in a win against the same team.
He played an amazing game.
— Coach Chris Finch
Trainer Chris Hines recalls that game and the lessons learned from it. Hines used an analogy to describe Edwards` tendency to revert to old habits, likening him to a child told not to eat chocolate who shows up with it on his face.
Still, despite the clear struggles in that late-game situation, his teammates still supported him.
That was part of our growth as a team… He`s the ultimate competitor. But he was able to recognize, `Hey man, I got to be better.` That`s just who Ant is. He`s not hesitant to take the blame… but he constantly wants to get better.
— Julius Randle
Hines understands Edwards` competitive drive and admiration for players like Jordan and Kobe Bryant. He notes that Edwards` youth means he didn`t witness their careers fully, so Hines continues to teach him about their complete games, not just highlights.
Jordan had Steve Kerr. He had Paxson. LeBron James had Boobie Gibson at times. Guys who would really make these shots, timely shots… And if he doesn`t study that type of stuff, then he`s going to keep bumping his head against a brick wall.
— Chris Hines
Watching clips, such as Kobe Bryant passing to Rick Fox, helps Edwards understand this history, even if he doesn`t recognize every player, allowing him to see how these historical patterns apply to his own development.
Edwards admits that moving past his tendency to try and win games single-handedly has been difficult.
My first couple of times in the playoffs down the stretch, I always just wanted to win the game myself. Because growing up, when you watch the games, you always think like, `Oh, they always hit the big shots!` But sometimes they make the extra pass, the right play.
— Anthony Edwards
Despite his aspirations to replicate the late-game heroics of legends, statistics show he has historically struggled with tying or go-ahead shots in the final seconds of games. This season, the Timberwolves lost many close games, and Edwards` performance on potential tying or winning shots was a significant factor, with him missing numerous attempts.
His coaches and teammates emphasize that they don`t want to stifle his aggressive mindset but rather help him add new dimensions to his game and better handle defensive strategies.
He is actively learning and adapting.
That`s the balance he`s been having to deal with because he`s a go, go, go kind of guy… We tell him all the time, we want him to be aggressive to score… So it`s just about getting him to understand, stay in an attacking mode, be aggressive all the time, but while you`re doing that, can you process it? Can you pick it up when you see somebody last minute come over to help, you know where your outlet is? And I think that`s where he`s getting to.
— Mike Conley
This balance isn`t always intuitive yet. Edwards mentioned consciously thinking about his shot attempts in crucial moments. He`s developing a mental rhythm for deciding when to pass or shoot. His work on improving his catch-and-shoot skills has also motivated him to make passes, allowing him opportunities to score in a different way, embodying the role of a timely shooter like Steve Kerr.
This improvement was influenced by his experience at the Olympics, where he was coached by Steve Kerr and played alongside stars like Kevin Durant.
KD told me being able to catch and shoot the ball is going to be the biggest thing for me.
— Anthony Edwards
Sometimes the advice resonates more depending on who it comes from.
We`ve been trying to get him to do that for a number of years because the numbers were so good… He was such a good catch-and-shoot shooter, but he had always played with this rhythm with the ball in his hands… So I think it felt a little uncomfortable, even though he had great success.
— Coach Chris Finch
His teammates believe his success at the Olympics significantly impacted his development positively.
He talks about Team USA more than he`s talked about anything. And he talks a lot… I think it opened up a new world for him.
— Mike Conley
Hines added that the experience also boosted Edwards` confidence, making him feel he belonged among the top players.
As his game evolves, Edwards is leading the Wolves towards success. While he showed improved passing in closing out one playoff series, he also demonstrated his scoring dominance in another crucial game.
The team believes he has the potential to lead the franchise to its first championship.
I have been around a lot of great players. He is as confident in his belief in himself as … it`s Kobe-like. And I was around Kobe… He`s not scared of any moment and he wants those moments. His belief and confidence in who he is as a player is the highest I`ve ever seen or been around, for anybody.
— Julius Randle
As Edwards learns to trust his teammates, they, in turn, have unwavering trust in him.
We preach to him: `Make the right play, make the right play,`… Ant said to me one time, `Maybe I`m the right play.`
— Coach Chris Finch
Finch concluded that Edwards isn`t entirely wrong in that sentiment.