Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards has proven to be a strong and confident engine, pushing the Wolves farther and deeper into a playoff push than before imagined. His contributions have really been magnified since the injury to Nikola Jokic. He hadn’t dipped below 20 points in any game until Sunday. This impressive run isn’t only a testament to Edwards’ development into a true second best choice for the franchise ahead of an important stretch.
In Jokic’s absence, Edwards has taken his game to another level. He’s already putting up 23.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.2 steals a game. Plus, he’s been blocking his tail off the past seven games. He rules the roost down low. His average of 10 paint touches per game over this stretch is a testament to his ability to take and create shots. It’s not just in pure shooting numbers that Brown’s versatility takes shape. Meanwhile, just 40% of his attempts come from 3, and he shoots a ridiculous 56% on all his twos.
“Seventy-one percent.”
This figure emphasizes Edwards’ remarkable shooting efficiency in one of his recent top performances. It demonstrates his skill as a hyper-efficient high-pressure, late-game shot maker. Not to mention his clutch shooting! With 42% accuracy on his two-point jumpers in the clutch, he becomes even more deadly when the game’s on the line.
As Edwards finds his footing, so too are other teams finding their own missteps and victories in this new frontier. Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies has been perhaps the most amazing player in clutch time all season long. In those clutch minutes, he’s shot 29-for-41 from the floor, good for 70.7 percent. So far, the most surprising trend of the Grizzlies has been their defense. This isn’t necessarily true, as they’ve underachieved without him on the court, holding an 11-10 record on the floor compared to a 6-12 record with him playing.
After Jokic’s injury, the Denver Nuggets are going through their own changes and dynamics. As Tim Cowlishaw points out, this may be the best thing that’s ever happened to the team. Peyton Watson is the biggest surprise, quickly becoming a critical piece as the Nuggets have continued to play at a high level without their superstar. How the Nuggets have navigated this new reality and how that navigation could pay big dividends in long-term roster strength is the focus of this story.
The Oklahoma City Thunder begin an important final three games stretch with a home bout vs the San Antonio Spurs. Most sports pundits believe this will be a must-win game for the Thunder. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s out here lighting the league up! Once he gets a little space, he’s deceptively quick and shifty while attacking the rim or creating separation for a jump-shot. His scoring ability will be needed even more so now for the Thunder, as they look to gain a better playoff spot going into the finish line.
As we settle into the playoff intensity, young stars such as Anthony Edwards are hitting their marks with accuracy and maturity. Edwards has established himself as a clutch performer. His recent performances indicate that he is prepared to assume a larger load and carry his squad through the most critical junctures.
“NO CAP.”
This sentiment speaks to the widely held belief that Edwards is quickly establishing himself as a new leader and league-changer — a new clutch performer — of the NBA. His talent to add huge value at key moments would be integral to the Timberwolves’ postseason hopes.
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