During the Minnesota Timberwolves' win over the Orlando Magic on Thursday, Anthony Edwards pulled out a show-stopping dunk that instantly went viral across social media. Late in the third quarter with the Wolves up seven, Ant drove in the lane and finished strong over Anthony Black. Hilariously, Edwards would say after the game that his dunk didn't really count since it was over a guard.
Of course, all of America took notice of this play. It was instantly plastered across every major sports account on socials, and it served as a reminder of just how strong and athletic Edwards is. Many a highlight tape of Ant's past poster dunks re-surfaced on the internet on Friday.
One individual who took notice was Edwards' former teammate, Austin Rivers. For anyone reading that may be a new Timberwolves fan, Rivers played in Minnesota two seasons ago, in his last season in the NBA.
Writing about Ant's dunk on social media, Rivers had plenty to say. He wrote: This is why…as good as a 3 pointer shooter Ant is…I still want him living and having a steady diet in the paint!! 2 explosive and 2 strong. In an era with not a lot of interior defense he could literally live in there. I don’t mind his 3s, but still want more paint touches!!
This is why…as good as a 3 pointer shooter Ant is…I still want him living and having a steady diet in the paint!! 2 explosive and 2 strong. In an era with not a lot of interior defense he could literally live in there. I don’t mind his 3s, but still want more paint touches!! 😤 pic.twitter.com/lOjgXvJS6e
— Austin Rivers (@AustinRivers25) January 10, 2025
Rivers wants to see more paint touches for Ant
Firstly, it is cool to see Rivers still keeping up with and supporting his former teammate. Secondly, his analysis is a nice thought, but we know that it is not exactly a simple outcome to achieve. Yes, having Ant live in the paint would be wonderful, no one is denying that. But we have seen in recent weeks how the Timberwolves' opponents have been able to stifle his driving ability and make that harder for him to do. It's part of why he has shot so many more threes.
More attempts at the rim would certainly further ignite Edwards offensively, but those looks have generally been harder to come by this year than in past seasons. Or at the least, it's been inconsistent in terms of him getting those attempts. On the one hand, Ant had 53 less than a week ago. And on the other, his dunk against the Magic was his only two-point make of the ball game on Thursday.
The Wolves are still trying to find ways to put their best player in a position to play his game night in and night out. But I think we can all agree with Austin that we would love to see Edwards attacking the basket and getting these kind of dunks on a more regular basis.