The Minnesota Timberwolves took a 2-1 edge over the Lakers in their first-round playoff series on Friday night. Jaden McDaniels had another outstanding game and Julius Randle chipped in 22 points, but it was Anthony Edwards who stole the show. The three-time All-Star had 29, including seven in the fourth to lift Minnesota on their home floor. It was not Ant-Man’s scoring that stood out the most.
Edwards dished out eight dimes after having nine in the Game 1 win. The Lakers’ game plan is to make the 23-year-old superstar give up the ball, and Ant-Man has them paying for the decision. He’s produced just five turnovers in the series and has Minnesota believing they can make another deep playoff run in the loaded Western Conference.
Much has been made about Edwards’ playmaking. He committed too many turnovers during the regular season and struggled when teams put two on him. Many wondered if the Wolves' clutch time and shot creation woes would be too much to overcome against this star-studded Lakers squad, but Edwards is ending all that talk.
Anthony Edwards savagely quiets critics of his playmaking
Edwards averaged 4.5 assists and 3.2 turnovers per game during the regular season, but he changes the narrative when the games matter most. The 6’4 superstar has 5.7 dimes and just 1.7 turnovers through three games against the Lakers. He is beating double teams, hunting Luka Doncic, and making LA question how they slow him down.
Edwards was impressive in the clutch in Game 3. He was decisive and had his playmaking chops on full display. Minnesota needed it in a tied series, so it was fantastic to see Ant-Man raise his game and deliver.
The Lakers dominated Game 2 by being more physical than the Wolves, but Minnesota punched right back. They are still trying to figure out how to best use Rudy Gobert against LA’s small ball, but it won’t matter if Edwards is the best player in this series.
The Timberwolves need Anthony Edwards to make the right plays. Game 4 is on Sunday afternoon, and the Lakers will come out hungry. LA knows they cannot go down 3-1. Minnesota has too much firepower to overcome that deficit. Expect the Lakers to blitz and double Edwards even more in Game 4. The Wolves superstar’s answer will determine who takes the contest and ultimately advances in this series.
Anthony Edwards has silenced his critics so far. Will it continue? The Minnesota Timberwolves hope so because that means another deep playoff run. It feels more real than ever.