The Minnesota Timberwolves are rolling right now, and their Wednesday night win over the Denver Nuggets was all the evidence anyone needed to prove that they are operating on the level of a true championship contender right now. After an up-and-down start to the season, the Wolves have truly begun putting it all together. Now that the roster is healthy again, this team is starting to look - dare I say it - like potentially even more dangerous than last year's Western Conference Finals squad.
What has been the key? There are plenty of factors, with Julius Randle's improved health since October being one of them. His playmaking has begun to open up Minnesota's offense in a big way. Donte DiVincenzo also adds a major wrinkle to the Timberwolves' attack, giving them a floor-spacing shooter that brings solid all-around production. Having him back has been massive. However, as with any conversation concerning this team, it always has to start with Anthony Edwards.
It is safe to say that Edwards has come a long way from the beginning of this season. Back in November, he was clearly and visibly frustrated with the double teams opponents were throwing at him. Not wanting to become a pass-first player, Ant expressed that it was different not being able to get his offense going like he was used to. But after a strong second half to his season, Ant has clearly found a way to make things work.
Asked Anthony Edwards about his growth against double teams over the last few months -- after previously being frustrated about those types of coverages.
— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) March 13, 2025
He said he's watched a lot of Luka Doncic film, and learned from that. https://t.co/lF58jWRhFL pic.twitter.com/3a929ElOAZ
Edwards studied Luka to learn how to better beat double teams
One of the ways he has found success? By emulating the habits of one of the best scorers in the NBA, Luka Doncic. Dane Moore asked Edwards about his offensive improvement after the win over Denver on Wednesday. "Just little reads, man, and then watching how other players that get doubled, watch how they're attacking, and watch how they try to manipulate it," Edwards said. "Especially Luka. I watch a lot of Luka, seeing how he attacks the double teams, even though we play at different paces."
We knew all along that one of the best solutions Ant was going to have to his double team problem was to study the greats who were all in the same boat as him at one point or another. It is no surprise that he looked to Doncic for a potential solution, given that he is one of the most crafty and logic-defying scorers in the league.
As Edwards' game keeps evolving, he will only get better at dealing with various defensive looks and schemes, through studying his peers and by other methods. That is certainly a scary thought for any opponent of the Minnesota Timberwolves.