The Minnesota Timberwolves received a huge boost ahead of Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals as Anthony Edwards was upgraded to available. Although he came off the bench, Edwards played a vital role in helping the Wolves beat the Spurs 104-102 on the road.
Anthony Edwards’ return was nothing short of heroic, primarily since the superstar suffered a knee injury just eight days earlier. While praising Edwards’ courage to return to the floor in such a short period, Wolves’ veteran Mike Conley couldn’t help but draw comparisons to his own heroics in the 2015 playoffs.
While giving Edwards his flowers for returning for the crucial semifinals showdown, Conley shared:
“I called him my hero before the game. This is like something you look up to somebody for what he put himself through in the last week just to get ready for Game 1. I mean, nobody expected him to play. Just his level of commitment to the game, not only to the game, but [also] his teammates. It showed a lot.”
Conley continued by highlighting how this display spoke volumes about Anthony Edwards’ character. On that note, the veteran was asked whether he recalled similar instances of teammates pushing themselves to play through injury. To this, he responded:
“Probably me. I’ve had a couple of them. Broke my face one time and played like four days later… That was similar to where you probably shouldn’t be playing, but do anyway. You win the game, and it just sparks your team.”
Like Edwards, Conley’s heroic display in Game 2 of the 2015 playoffs against the Golden State Warriors was noteworthy. After suffering a facial fracture just eight days earlier, Conley returned to the Memphis Grizzlies‘ rotation and posted 22 points and three assists in 27 minutes to secure a win.
Although Conley’s Grizzlies went on to lose the series in six games, the Wolves will hope that Anthony Edwards’ display doesn’t suffer the same fate.
In his first game back since Game 4 of the first round, Anthony Edwards recorded 18 points, three rebounds, and three assists in 25 minutes while shooting 8-13 from the field and 2-3 from three-point range. Although these figures are well below his regular-season averages of 28.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game, Edwards remained a key contributor in Game 1.
While speaking on “NBA Showtime,” Tracy McGrady noted how Chris Finch managed Edwards’ minutes and how it affected his performance, commenting:
“Ant-Man was going in increments of minutes in the first half to reserve him for the fourth quarter. He was extremely aggressive in that fourth quarter, taking over the game.”
The Wolves outscored the Spurs 35-30 in the final frame, as Anthony Edwards contributed 11 points and an assist toward the winning effort. Although the superstar made some critical errors, something he took accountability for after the game, it is safe to say that he delivered when the team needed him the most.
While Minnesota has proven itself as a strong team even without Edwards on the floor, with their superstar back, the Wolves look like contenders. Having established a 1-0 lead in the semifinals after stealing a win on the road, Minnesota looks threatening.
