MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Never one to shy away from clutch opportunities, Anthony Edwards is the quintessential clutch player late in games for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Even the three-time All-Star guard, with his NBA MVP aspirations and fearless playing style, admitted he had second thoughts.
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San Antonio Spurs’ 7-foot-4 superstar Victor Wembanyama had just replaced Edwards at the top of the key, and the Timberwolves trailed by one heading into Sunday’s final thrilling contest between the Western Conference’s two best teams.
Edwards was suddenly and uncharacteristically unsure of his best move against one of the league’s most formidable defenders, whether to create enough space for a step-back three, drive hard to the rim, or kick the ball to his top partner, Julius Randle.
“Because he’s so tall, man,” Edwards said. “He takes away everything. He takes away layups, jump shots, and he’s got great footwork. He can move. Yeah, he’s unique.”
As it turns out, Edwards made the right choice.
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Edwards takes a step ahead as he dribbles to the right, slowing down as he approaches the paint, making defenders think about having to defend the mid-range pull-up and tightening the path to the basket. Then he stepped on the gas again and really lost Wembanya, using Randle’s big frame as a baseline cushion to sink a 3-foot floater off the backboard to take the lead.
Under Randall’s final defense, the Wolves trailed the Spurs by 19 points in the third quarter and won 104-103.
While Edwards scored 23 points on 10-for-21 shooting, he saved his best performance for last and impressed the Wolves with his smart decisions in critical situations, one of the skills he has lacked throughout his six-year career.
“He values possession of the ball more. He understands that possession of the ball is very important,” teammate Rudy Gobert said. “A few years ago, he might have hit a step-back 3 over Wimby. He could make it, but it wasn’t a high-percentage shot. Tonight he was patient and composed. He attacked, stepped back, attacked again and then hit a floater off the backboard. That’s where growth is.”
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Edwards proudly points to the hard work he does in the weight room and on the court to diversify his offensive game, especially on both sides of the paint — attacking in key moments when traps and blitzes make three-point shooting more challenging.
“The difference between me and previous years is that I know what shots I want to get — and like to work hard and keep pushing,” Edwards said. “Just like I did this summer, working on my step-back mid-range shot and my fadeaway jumper. Like those are the shots I’m going to take on the court in late-game situations. So just being comfortable, knowing when to shoot, knowing when they’re taking two shots on me, I’ve got to get out of it and make the right reads.”
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