SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Anthony Edwards didn’t want to be the face of the NBA, but the Minnesota Timberwolves star became the centerpiece of one of the league’s biggest matchups when he faced off against San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembunyama.
While Edwards scored a career-high 55 points, Vumbanyama scored 39 points and grabbed a key offensive rebound in the final seconds to help the Spurs beat Minnesota 126-123 on Saturday.
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Wembunyama and Edwards traded highlights and shots in a matchup between two of the Western Conference’s top teams.
“They have Winby,” Edwards said. “He should be the voice of the league. So, I always have to stand up for that.”
Edwards is averaging 36.7 points in three games against the Spurs this season.
On January 11, in Minnesota’s 104-103 victory over the Spurs, he scored 19 points on a 3-foot dash with 16.8 seconds left.
Edwards almost did it again on Saturday, shooting 19-for-33 from the field and 9-for-16 from 3-point range for the highest scoring total of his seven-year NBA career.
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“It’s an honor and the best thing to have the best players fight as hard as they can because, first of all, it makes us better and it makes me better,” Wembanyama said. “It’s a sign of respect and it’s a sign of progress because the current standings make us a respectable team.”
On Saturday, Wembunyama shot 12-for-23 from the field and 4-for-9 from 3-point range, one point shy of the season-high he set in the season opener against Dallas on Oct. 22.
“He’s definitely put on a lot of weight,” Edwards said of Wembanya. “Looking at last year and this year, I tried to keep him out and he’s really put on a lot of weight. I can tell from a distance that he’s working hard. I have no choice but to respect that.”
Edwards has been selected to the All-Star three times since joining the league as the No. 1 pick in 2020, but he reiterated that he would rather be himself than become the league’s featured star.
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While Edwards prefers to let the charismatic Vunbanyama shine in the spotlight off the court, Edwards proved on Saturday that he won’t give in to the 2023 No. 1 overall pick on the court.
Edwards hit an 11-foot fadeaway jumper to give Minnesota a 110-108 lead with 3:28 left. Wembanyama responded with an 18-foot jumper. Edwards hit a 25-foot three-pointer to put the Wolves back in front, and Wembanyama hit a 26-foot three-pointer to tie the game at 113. The back-and-forth between the two sides lasted only 53 seconds and excited the sold-out crowd at Frost Bank Center.
“I love it. I love it,” Edwards said with a smile. “I wish we could get everyone out of the way and check on me and him.”
Wembunyama and Edwards didn’t go one-on-one, but they created some tension in the final seconds.
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Edwards scored 26 points in the fourth quarter and Wembanyama scored 12 points.
Edwards hit one of two free throws with six seconds left to cut the Spurs’ lead to 125-123, but missed the second. Spurs forward Julian Champagne was fouled immediately after grabbing the rebound, but missed both free throws. Wembanyama skated past Minnesota defenders to rebound on a second turnover and save the win.
The San Antonio Spurs (29-13) remain second in the Western Conference, with Minnesota 2 1/2 games behind in fourth.
“It’s interesting,” Vunbanyama said. “Not the most fun, but it’s certainly a fun game. Given what the West is like now, it’s a great value.”
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA