While the Minnesota Timberwolves fell short 127-125 against the Cleveland Cavaliers in overtime, Anthony Edwards did everything possible for Minnesota to avoid this fate. He scored 47 total points, including 17 clutch points. This was the Wolves' first clutch-time game of the season, and Edwards quickly reminded the world of his clutch-time dominance.
Look, it stinks that the Wolves recorded their first loss of the season, but it wasn't a disastrous game. If a few plays (or calls) had gone differently, we could be talking about how Edwards willed the Wolves to victory. As such, I think it's worth acknowledging his clutch-time heroics and why his clutch abilities are such a massive advantage for the Wolves.
Anthony Edwards' elite clutch scoring is a weapon for the Timberwolves
Last season, Edwards ranked second in the league for clutch points per game, only behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and he did so with elite efficiency, netting 56.5 percent of his clutch field goals. His difficult shot-making (both from 3-point and the mid-range) and downhill scoring are the ultimate weapon for the Wolves, and these skills make him among the league's best clutch scorers.
Edwards' clutch skills were on full display again during Monday's loss to the Cavs. In addition to his 17 clutch points, he shot 58.3 percent from the field.
Frankly, this felt like a scheduled loss for the Wolves, who were coming off a back-to-back on the road. They carried a 10-point lead to halftime, but in the second half, their offense was stuck in the mud outside of Edwards.
LaMelo Ball's 3-point shot was off. Rudy Gobert struggled to finish around the rim and catch the ball. Jaden McDaniels didn't build on his strong first half. Jonathan Kuminga wasn't on his A-Game as a scorer. For what it's worth, the Wolves' new-look offense has been awesome, and Edwards has more support than ever, so I wouldn't read too much into this becoming a trend.
Regardless, Ant-Man ensured that the Wolves still had a chance until nearly the final buzzer.
His difficult shot-making was off the charts. He constantly hit contested 3-pointers and mid-range shots. Even though the results didn't fall in Minnesota's favor, it's hard not to be in awe. I mean, look at the types of shots he was making.
Having a shot-maker as skilled as Ant is a massive weapon in close games. I'd argue Edwards, Jalen Brunson, and SGA are the league's three best clutch-time scorers (in some order). It's not a coincidence that Brunson and Shai led their teams to titles in the past two years.
Edwards' ability to create offense in high-leverage moments gives the Wolves a puncher's chance as long as they can keep it somewhat close. And with LaMelo's playmaking, we might see an even better clutch season from Ant. Ball certainly helped him in Monday's game, assisting on three of his clutch field goals.
At the end of the day, it was an unfortunate loss for the Timberwolves. It's also fair to wonder whether some negative trends (particularly Gobert's lack of offensive production) will pop up again.
Still, Edwards' clutch heroics were a clear silver lining, and I'm confident that the Timberwolves will be more than fine in future clutch-time games.
Add us as a preferred source on Google