Anthony Edwards’ dangerous mindset could eventually cost the Timberwolves

Anthony Edwards stole the show on Thursday night by hitting a ridiculous contested 3-pointer to secure a win for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Equally as entertaining was his exchange with Chris Finch after hitting the shot and the subsequent lack of clarity on what led to that. 

Edwards claims that Finch told him to pass on the play before, while Finch denies saying this. That's a whole other story, though, and one that I have already covered. What I want to focus on in this article is another quote that flew under the radar. 

After the game, Anthony Edwards was asked what he did to try to attack the Los Angeles Clippers down the stretch. 

"I just tried to shoot it every time that I touched it. Some people are gonna say I should pass the ball, I think we have a better chance of winning if I shoot it... Me and my coach have the best relationship ever," Edwards said. 

Ant's clutch time dominance is undeniable, but his mindset is concerning

Listen, it's hard to argue with the results -- Ant has been the best clutch time player in the NBA this season. Edwards is averaging 5.9 clutch points with a stellar 63.7 effective field goal percentage.  

However, Edwards' need to always be the hero can be risky, and teams might start loading up on him even more. And this quote isn't a new mindset for Ant -- after beating the Portland Trail Blazers earlier this week, he had a similar quote. 

"I loved it. I damn near shot every shot. Yeah, I love that," Edwards said when asked what he liked about how the Wolves closed the game. 

Again, he's Ant-Man for a reason, and his late-game heroics are amazing. Nevertheless, I'm a bit concerned by these two quotes. Sometimes, finding the open man off a double can be just as important as making the big shot. Being this determined to take every clutch shot could backfire.

Michael Jordan passed the ball, which eventually led to an open shot for John Paxson to secure a Chicago Bulls championship in 1993, and again in 1997, he found an open Steve Kerr to secure ring No. 5 for the Bulls. A big part of MJ winning six championships was learning to trust his teammates in the biggest moments, and Edwards needs to work on this.

Ant's inability to trust his teammates could cost the Timberwolves in the playoffs

Edwards is still 24, and he's on a fantastic career path. Yet I do have concerns about his decision-making late in games. Simply put, you don't always have to be the hero.

If Finch did tell Ant to pass it, I must say he has a point. Ant's first mid-range shot over two defenders was flat-out reckless, and while the 3-pointer went in, that's a risky shot to say the least. Outside of that incredible 3-pointer, he was 1-for-5 in the clutch. If Ant misses that shot, we are likely to question his decision-making after the fact, even if the Wolves win.

Regardless, that's what makes Ant so special, he takes (and often makes) shots others wouldn't dare to.

Edwards has undoubtedly been the best clutch player in basketball this season, but at times, the Wolves are too dependent on him to close games, and part of this is because he doesn't pass out of double teams. 

Overall, Ant has shot 84 total clutch shots this season, while nobody else has more than 28. Furthermore, he has a 41.1 usage rate, and nobody else has a usage rate above 18.9.

Doing this against the Clippers in the regular season is one thing -- but what about the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs in the playoffs? These teams are better equipped to stop Edwards, and the scouting report is clear: load up on Ant and force him to pass. Will he make the right read come playoff time, though?

This isn't just a problem in the clutch; Ant's playmaking is still an area of growth. Per Cleaning the Glass, he ranks in the seventh percentile for assist-to-usage ratio, which is the lowest mark of his career. 

Ant has earned the right to take difficult shots late in games, though, and it's largely worked out this season. Frankly, most teams' clutch offense is putting the ball in their best players' hands, and the Wolves should be grateful they have arguably the best difficult shot maker in the sport. 

Nevertheless, I'd like to see Ant trust his teammates just a bit more, and I have to wonder if, at some point, Edwards' need to play hero ball will cost the Wolves in the playoffs.