3 Major observations from Anthony Edwards' performance against the Pacers

Anthony Edwards didn't play in the Minnesota Timberwolves' first preseason game against the Denver Nuggets this past Saturday. However, he returned to the court during Tuesday's home preseason opener against the Indiana Pacers. The Wolves fell short 135-134 in overtime. Edwards finished with 17 points, two assists, and one rebound, only playing in the first half.

During this game, the 24-year-old showed off a few new elements of his rumored offseason improvements. Let's dive into some notable takeaways from Edwards' 2025 preseason debut.

Edwards' mid-range improvements look legit

Edwards' main reported offseason focus was on developing a mid-range and post-up game. Against the Pacers, Edwards showed promise in this area. He shot 2-5 from the mid-range. This included a turnaround mid-range jumper to start the game.

Showing a willingness to take more mid-range shots is an encouraging sign. For reference, last season, Edwards attempted just 2.7 mid-range shots per game and .3 post-ups per game. He shot 37.6 percent and 30.8 percent on these shots, respectively.

Developing a consistent mid-range game would make Edwards a more well-rounded scorer, which would make him less predictable and harder to game plan against in playoff settings. Likewise, for a post-up game, which would also allow Edwards to take advantage of his physical gifts. While it's just one preseason game, Edwards' growth as a mid-range scorer looks real.

Edwards showed off some positive strides as a playmaker

Another key area of growth for Edwards this offseason was his playmaking. Last season, Edwards posted a subpar assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.44. Regardless, against Indiana, Edwards showed a ton of poise as a playmaker, notching two assists and zero turnovers.

These numbers might not jump off the page. However, Edwards was making the right reads and had more potential assists. Additionally, it's worth noting that the Wolves had 21 turnovers as a team, including 13 in the first half, and often struggled against the Pacers' stifling ball pressure.

Mike Conley remained the team's lead ball-handler and organizer. However, Edwards served as a secondary ball-handler and often assumed point guard duties when Conley was on the bench. Edwards displayed some nice nuance as a passer, including hitting Naz Reid on a drive-and-kick pass and finding an open Rudy Gobert down low when the Pacers' defense collapsed on him.

Making the right reads when he's pressured will be key for Edwards' growth as a playmaker, and doing so against a pesky Pacers defense is a promising sign.

Ant and the Wolves need to execute better in transition

While there were a ton of positive areas of growth for Edwards' preseason performance, one area that continued to trouble him and the team was transition. Notably, last season, the Wolves ranked just 29th in transition points. In Tuesday's game, the Wolves were outscored 20-4 in fastbreak points during the first half, when Edwards played, and 28-18 for the game.

Of course, this is in large part a team issue. Nevertheless, Edwards is the leader of the team and one of the players who would particularly thrive at getting out and running in transition more. Edwards scored four points in transition and generally thrives playing at a faster pace. During the regular season, the Wolves will have to emphasize pushing the pace and running in transition.