Timberwolves shooting guard Anthony Edwards has been very vocal the past couple of weeks about wanting to be more aggressive and taking more shots.
Last week, when the Timberwolves lost to the Dallas Mavericks by the score of 115-108, Edwards had this to say to Minnesota journalist, Dane Moore, after giving up a 15-2 run to close the game.
Anthony Edwards postgame if it stung to lose a game in the clutch, given that they've been so good in the clutch this season...
— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) January 8, 2024
"Yeah because I feel like, once again, I left bullets in the chamber. But I'll take this one, for sure. I gotta be aggressive down the stretch... I…
This new mindset of Edwards has certainly reaped awards with him averaging 31 points per game in his last 16 outings.
His new mindset has also caused a few sights for sore eyes in the closing minutes of close games. Most recently the 127-120 OT loss to the Boston Celtics where Edwards had 3 turnovers with 0-of-3 shooting (including an airball on a layup) in overtime.
Games like these cause fans to freak out about the Wolves' guard playing too much hero ball. Its made head coach Chris Finch very direct when referencing Edwards' poor play down the stretch.
Chris Finch said the Wolves had too many mental errors to close the game. Asked what those mental errors were specifically, Finch said:
— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) January 11, 2024
"I think Anthony had four turnovers in that closing stretch. Just too much iso, too much iso against a really good defense. We built a lead and… https://t.co/5JneGelfXQ
While Edwards is the face of the franchise, his increased burden from the fanbase has made it increasingly difficult to perform at an All-NBA level.
Fans love Edwards because of his off-the-court personality along with his desire to have the ball in his hands in clutch moments. At this point in his career, Edwards is bound to falter down the stretch of winnable games. But, that's alright
He is a 22-year-old who doesn't have as much basketball experience as a lot of other stars. Timberwolves fans have hardly grown accustomed to winning ways in recent years. The front office is pressure-cooking a winning team through trade and free-agent signings, but fans need to relax when it comes to Edwards' ball dominant-style and late-game heroics.
Instead, there has to be a rational understanding, that in due time, with more experience under his belt, he will be able to play using his hyper-aggressive playstyle while being able to avoid the silly turnovers and the bad double teams he tends to find himself in.
Enjoy the moment Wolves fans. Minnesota is in first place in the Western Conference and rosters a player who is so close to putting it all together at the tender age of 22.