Anthony Edwards has never shied away from the moment. After the Minnesota Timberwolves lost their third straight game, Edwards took the blame and challenged himself to be better.
“I just gotta be better," Edwards said. "Just trying to set the tone and start the game. Just me. Everything is about me.”
Firstly, putting all of the blame on himself isn't accurate -- everyone on the team contributed to this three-game losing streak. Plus, outside of the Los Angeles Lakers game, Edwards was highly productive during the losing streak. Nevertheless, taking accountability is what leaders do.
Just as importantly, Ant delivered a stellar performance on Friday night to help get the Wolves out of their rut against the Golden State Warriors. Edwards recorded 42 points, eight rebounds, and five assists.
The scoring was fantastic, and it was the main reason the Wolves won the game. However, I was impressed with his all-around impact as a playmaker and defender. For the Wolves to reach their ceiling, Ant will need to be a willing facilitator and engaged defender.
Ant-Man is ready to do whatever it takes
While it was nice that the Wolves pulled off a win, there's no denying they are still in a tricky spot. Minnesota is currently the No. 6 seed, but it is just two games out of the play-in and 1.5 games behind the No. 3 seed. With so much seeding uncertainty closing out the last 15 games on a high note will be vital.
Frankly, beating the injury-riddled Warriors (no Steph Curry or Draymond Green) by 10 points isn't a season-changing win.
Regardless, Ant-Man is ready to do whatever it takes to win and maximize the Timberwolves' upside. If Friday's game is any indication of what's to come for the rest of the season, it's fair to expect Edwards to make a positive all-around impact while providing elite-level scoring. This is exactly what the Wolves need to win at the highest level.
Ant's approach in the Warriors game stood out, he looked to get his teammates involved early, dishing out three first-quarter assists. Rudy Gobert had one of his better games in recent memory, notching 18 points, and Jaden McDaniels broke out of his slump, scoring 15 points. Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo are still looking for a way out of their cold streaks.
Edwards can't control the result of his teammates' shots, but getting them involved as a playmaker can help. This especially applies to role players such as DiVincenzo and Gobert. Furthermore, remaining engaged off the ball on defense is necessary for Edwards to impact the game at the highest level and, in turn, for Minnesota to win.
With this rollercoaster of a season coming to a close, Ant-Man seems like he's ready to put on his Superman cape. While the Wolves are still in a rough patch, it's hard not to be optimistic about Ant's ability to lead them out of this and avoid a nightmare scenario.