The Minnesota Timberwolves have a player they know is getting the ball down the stretch of a close game. The defense knows likewise, but it matters little. Anthony Edwards often gets the job done, and it is one of the reasons that Ant-Man is one of the favorites to win Clutch Player of the Year.
Friday night marked the third straight contest that Ant has been forced to miss with a right knee injury. It was a close loss for the Timberwolves, and a game that might have had a different outcome if Edwards was out there.
Struggles in the fourth quarter without Ant-Man
The fourth quarter of Minnesota’s 108-104 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday wasn’t their best work on the offensive end. The team shot just 6-of-22 from the field (1-of-6 from 3-point range) and totaled only 18 points. Not exactly known for taking the ball to the basket this season, Donte DiVincenzo missed a driving shot with Donovan Clingan guarding him with less than 15 seconds remaining and down two. Two ensuing tip-in tries by Rudy Gobert were unsuccessful before Portland secured the rebound.
It wasn’t an ideal possession for the Wolves, and it certainly would have been different if Edwards were in the lineup. In situations referred to as “clutch”, Ant is shooting an impressive 56 percent from the field. According to DraftKings Sportsbook, he has the second-best odds to take home Clutch Player of the Year, only behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
In general, the Wolves also miss Edwards' ability to bail out the offense with his difficult shot-making.
Not only that, but he gets buckets in the fourth quarter, something the Timberwolves weren’t getting enough of late Friday. Edwards is averaging nearly a point per minute in the final stanza this season (6.3 points in 6.7 minutes). Everyone in the league who averages more in the last 12 minutes also gets more playing time in the fourth on average. Minnesota has been involved in quite a few blowouts (whether they are doing the blowing out, or they are getting blown out) which has kept Ant on the bench late in games sometimes.
Now, in the game before against the Utah Jazz, the Timberwolves scored 147 points. It was their most in a non-overtime game in nearly three years. It also came against an Utah team that isn’t necessarily even trying to win and ranks dead last in defensive rating. The absence of Ant was felt more against the Trail Blazers as they are at least middle of the pack in defensive rating.
Unfortunately, the challenge gets even tougher for the Wolves sans Edwards as they take on the Boston Celtics. In fact, their next three outings are against teams that are all no worse than seventh in defensive rating (Celtics, Houston Rockets, and Detroit Pistons). However, Edwards may return on Wednesday against Houston. If not, it's possible that the Wolves struggle as their schedule gets more difficult.