I want to be clear, Anthony Edwards is not responsible for the Minnesota Timberwolves' three-game losing streak. In two of these games, he's been brilliant, scoring 34 points against the Orlando Magic and 36 points against the Los Angeles Clippers. However, Edwards' all-around game as of late leaves much to be desired.
A lot needs to change for the Wolves to get back on track. Ant-Man leaning into being a facilitator and locking in on defense more are certainly two factors that would help the Wolves. Again, this won't magically change all of Minnesota's problems, but these adjustments could help uplift the Wolves.
Anthony Edwards needs to be more of a playmaker
Truthfully, the Timberwolves aren't at their best when Edwards has a monster scoring night. Notably, they are just 14-13 when Edwards scores 30-plus points, and 26-13 when he scores fewer than 30 points. Furthermore, the Wolves are 7-1 when Ant-Man has six-plus assists.
It's a simple recipe; the Timberwolves' offense is harder to defend when they have multiple scoring threats. On one hand, nearly all of Edwards' teammates are in the midst of a slump, and they need to get back on track. Nevertheless, as the de facto point guard, Ant needs to emphasize getting his teammates involved. The lack of involvement from Jaden McDaniels, Donte DiVincenzo, and Rudy Gobert over the past three games stands out.
Besides outlier games against the Los Angeles Lakers, Edwards doesn't have to worry about scoring. Even if he takes a backseat to get his teammates involved early in the game, he can go off for 25-plus points and lead the Wolves to a win down the stretch of games.
Edwards' defense must be better
The other aspect of Edwards' game that has to be better is defense. Frankly, his defensive engagement has been lackluster all season long. There was no game where this was more jarring than against the Clippers, when the Wolves gave up 153 points. Ant's inactivity defending off the ball was a key factor in the Wolves' shortcomings.
On the season, the Wolves' defense is 6.4 points per 100 possessions worse with Edwards on the court. The Timberwolves often lack energy, and Ant must do a better job of setting the tone as a leader. Taking on more playmaking duties could also allow him to be more active on defense.
The Wolves need to get back on track and build some momentum before the playoffs. When you lose three straight games by double-digit points, everyone plays a role. Regardless, Ant focusing more on his all-around game would be a significant difference maker in their ability to right the ship.