On Monday night, the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 119-114. The victory over Portland elevated the Wolves over the Thunder in the Western Conference standings.
Against the Trail Blazers, big man Rudy Gobert led the way, scoring 25 points and hauling in 16 rebounds. Other than Gobert, no single Wolf stood out. Every player who hit the hardwood scored at least five points.
However, it took one player a tad bit longer to hit the hardwood than usual. Despite starting every game since February of 2021, Wolves star Anthony Edwards began the game at the scores table... literally.
Ant got late for the T-Wolves opening tip 😅 pic.twitter.com/q3QXPL7iYI
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 5, 2024
Reserve guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker started the game while Edwards squatted in front of the scores table, awaiting admission into the game. Alexander-Walker played 35 seconds before Edwards entered the game.
As odd as it sounds, the Minnesota guard had apparently, "lost track of time" as he told reporters in a post-game interview. Surely an interesting response for an NBA player.
However, it doesn't go without mentioning that Edwards typically works with resistance bands in the tunnels near the locker room as part of his pregame routine. Possibly further clarifying Edwards' " track of time" comments but not outright justifiable.
Even though the two-time All-Star missed the first half-minute of the game, he went on to play 35 minutes and score 13 points, grab four rebounds, and dish out six assists. The late start coincidentally led to a tardy performance. Edwards scored 9 points and recorded two of his six assists in the fourth quarter alone.
Up next, the Wolves take on the Indiana Pacers away from the Target Center to kick off a six-game road trip. Other notable opponents are the Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers, and LA Clippers.
Luckily for the Wolves, no matter the predicament, their star player seems to show out. It's been quite the tumultuous week for Edwards, but it seems as if things are beginning to calm as the Wolves embark on a difficult stretch of games.