The Minnesota Timberwolves picked up a monumental 117-110 win against the Golden State Warriors. Anthony Edwards had an electric performance that led the Wolves to their most impressive victory. The 23-year-old guard was unguardable, especially in the second half of the game. His stats didn’t jump off the page, but he was efficient scoring 16 points on a blazing 6-for-8 from the field. Beyond the victory itself, this win demonstrated that Minnesota’s chances to return from an early deficit weren’t impossible. Perhaps even more importantly, it solidified their mission to reach the Western Conference finals for the second consecutive year.
Edwards’ performance was particularly noteworthy in the third quarter, where he nearly single-handedly matched the Warriors’ total for the period. The Timberwolves went off in that quarter, outscoring their opponents 39-17. This excellent performance provided them with an 11 point cushion as they went into the game’s last quarter. His scoring spree not only helped them to victory, but was a testament to his ability to perform under pressure.
Timberwolves coach Chris Finch lauded Edwards’ leadership at halftime. What he didn’t mention was that Edwards was perhaps the loudest player to speak up during that decisive short period. Edwards pulled no punches when it came to the need to win, barking at his teammates, “We only got two wins.” His powerful message struck a chord with the team and fired them up to raise their level of play and get what they desperately needed – a huge win.
“I’ve never seen a series end 2-1. I told them we have to get two more wins and right now we’re playing like we already got four wins. … We had to figure it out because if we would have kept playing like that, we would have lost tonight.” – Anthony Edwards
Edwards just about single-handedly put the game away, exploding for 16 points in the third quarter alone. He finished the game with 30 points on 11-for-21, while dishing out five assists. That was the second straight 30-point game of the Western Conference semifinals for him and third this postseason overall. Alongside Julius Randle, who played a significant role in the team’s success, Edwards has emerged as one of Minnesota’s main pillars of production during their impressive 7-2 postseason record.
To that end, Randle knew Edwards’ heavy pull, “Ant’s the brightest star in the room.” He’s got that ‘it’ thing about him, and so I just always push him. This collaborative energy between the two young stars on the court has been crucial for the Wolves as they make their run through the playoffs.
As the Wolves get ready for Game 5 in Minneapolis, they’ll be concentrating on home court advantage. Nickeil Alexander-Walker remarked on the necessity of improvement, saying, “For us it’s just about defending home court, being better than that and growing.”
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