Anthony Edwards, the 23-year-old star of the Minnesota Timberwolves, has expressed his commitment to improvement following the team’s recent playoff exit. In that tough series vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder, Edwards was often too good and way more clutch. He scored 19 important points in the championship-clinching Game 5. He realized that the way he ran his campaign wasn’t going to win him a win. Because of that, the Timberwolves missed out on the postseason race.
In that closeout game, the soon-to-be crowned Rookie of the Year was amazing, but his shooting was the antithesis of excellent. He tied for the team lead with 19 points on 7-for-18 shooting, but he was a woeful 1-for-7 from 3-point range. He fumbled three times in the process of the game. This showing came after a brutal stretch for him. During the course of the regular season, he was able to average 27.6 points per game, which placed him fourth overall in the NBA rankings.
In Game 5’s first period, the Timberwolves history was…well, ugly. Although Edwards dropped six points during that time span, the other players on the team contributed only three points total while shooting just 1-for-15. That initial battle was a precursor to the tremendous pressure exerted on Edwards as he sought to inspire his new team.
Over this series, Edwards scored 35 points over three games. In three of five matchups against Oklahoma City, he was held to under 20 points. After the series loss, he admitted that Oklahoma City was the better team and did what was required.
“They were the better team, they came out and beat us, punched us in the face,” – Anthony Edwards
Edwards made no excuses, vowing to work harder than anyone this offseason. He recalled a conversation in the middle of that season with his head coach. They discussed what a winning season would be and focused their goals on making a deeper playoff run.
“What do you think we think a good season feels like? What do you think that looks like for us right now?” – Finch
Edwards said he planned to be the hardest worker in the room this summer.
“Nobody’s going to work harder than me this summer,” – Anthony Edwards
His determination follows a 2022 campaign in which he dazzled with game-changing ability, but too often failed to deliver in the crucial moments. Even in the frustration of being cut, his thoughts about what might lie ahead were exhilarating.
“We did pretty good this year, man. We just came up short again. Try to do it again next year,” – Anthony Edwards
Edwards’ performance served as a reminder of his potential and things he still needs to improve. He proved his scoring ability by averaging an unbelievable 27.6 regular season points per game. This performance masked the inconsistency that plagued him during the playoffs.
If the Timberwolves won’t have a healthy Gobert and Towns, they’ll have to count on Edwards’ continued work ethic to be their biggest asset going into next season. Plus, his recognition that they need to deepen their roster’s rotation further indicates his grasp of team dynamics.
“I think we definitely need to lengthen the rotation,” – Anthony Edwards
As he prepares for an even more grueling offseason, Edwards looked back on his personal odyssey through these playoff gauntlets. He recalls moments during the season when they faced adversity, stating:
“We thought it was over for us at one point. It was looking real bad for us… [And] we turned it around.” – Anthony Edwards
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