Anthony Edwards scored 45 points in the Minnesota Timberwolves' 131-106 win over the Miami Heat. That's the perfect way to start off the season with a bang. The difficult shot-making and the 3-point brilliance were absolutely classic Ant.
He shot 9-for-17 from the 3-point range, helping the Timberwolves rack up 21 made triples. The Heat had no answer for Ant. No matter how tightly Ant was covered, he found a way to get his shot off and make it. Simply put, it was classic Edwards, and an encapsulation of everything that makes him such a dominant scorer.
However, what also needs to be mentioned is his all-around impact. Edwards crashed the glass exceptionally well, recording 10 rebounds. His overall defensive engagement was also stellar. Making a two-way impact while notching 45 points is incredibly impressive, and it's a promising sign for the rest of the season.
Anthony Edwards showed he's ready to unlock his two-way upside
Arguably the biggest concern about the Wolves heading into the season was their rebounding. Encouragingly, in the first game of the year, Minnesota outrebounded Miami 52-34. This wouldn't be possible without Ant's efforts on the glass.
Moreover, Ant's defense was stout. He got up in the grill of Miami's perimeter players, mainly Davion Mitchell. Off the ball, he was engaged and disruptive. Notably, Edwards recorded three stocks. Doing this while scoring at the clip Edwards did is truly absurd, and it indicates that this will be the best two-way season of his career.
While Ant is a gifted athlete, his defensive impact has wavered throughout his career, and last year it was flat-out poor. Likewise, he has never crashed the glass at a high rate. Last season, he had just two games with 10 or more rebounds. It's safe to say he'll quickly beat that total.
With the Timberwolves losing some frontcourt size this season, they'll need him to crash the glass and lock in on defense more. Wednesday's game is a great example of how beneficial it is for the Timberwolves to get an engaged version Ant on defense. For the Wolves to reach their ceiling, more of the same has to continue.
Edwards is already a clear-cut top-10 player in the league and a superstar. While he's flashed his defensive upside at times, Ant has gotten to this level by being a spectacular three-level scorer. That's always going to be his bread and butter at the end of the day. However, for Ant to reach the top-tier of superstardom, more consistent and impactful defense is needed.
Thankfully, opening night shows that Ant is ready to unlock his defensive upside. If he can continue to be engaged on defense and on the glass while being dynamic, then the sky is the limit for him and the team.
Look, 45 points will always be the highlight and the lasting memory of this game. It was simply magnificent to watch. Nevertheless, Edwards' all-around impact can't be lost when discussing this game. In fact, I'd argue it's the more encouraging sign for his overall season outlook.
We know he can score at an elite level, but seeing him pair that with an all-around impact was truly special, and it should put opposing teams on notice.
Add us as a preferred source on Google