After giving the Spurs a shock in the first game, star shooting guard Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves set a tone for the series that is still being felt today. But in Game 5, with the two teams tied at 2-2, the Wolves lost control in the first half and struggled to climb their way back, resulting in a blowout loss that tilted all momentum toward the enemy (126-97).
Edwards, who finished with 20 points, two rebounds, two assists, and four turnovers in 39 minutes, had one of his worst games of the series, but it was more than just his underwhelming play that decided the game. According to the young star, Spurs center Victor Wembanyama was unstoppable in the game, and the stats prove it: 27 points, 17 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks on 56.25% shooting (2-5 from three).
“Tonight, some of the stuff that Wemby was doing, you don’t really have too much of an answer for it,” said Edwards. “You just kind of hope he misses. He came out hot and made a bunch of shots, and I feel like we adjusted and fought back in the game to dig ourselves out of the hole, but eventually, they created another lead, running out in transition. We gotta get back, get matched up. It’s game plan mistakes that we keep making, and it’s too late in the series to make these mistakes.”
When asked specifically why the Timberwolves lost this game, Edwards didn’t seem entirely sure. While Victor Wembanyama’s dominance obviously played a factor, the young guard also blamed second-chance points. What Edwards realized, however, is that both teams secured roughly the same number of offensive rebounds (11 and 10) in Game 5.
“They had a lot of second-chance points,” said Edwards. “I don’t know, I gotta go look at the film to really answer that question. But the first thing that comes to mind is second-chance points. But the first thing that comes to mind is second-chance points. We had 10 offensive rebounds, so it’s kind of even, but I think they converted on theirs more than we did.”
Despite the ugly loss that sent his team to the brink of elimination, it’s not all bad for Edwards. For starters, there will be two full days off before Game 6, giving Anthony and his teammates some extra time to rest and prepare before the must-win game on Friday. He said he’s looking forward to the break, which we can expect he will use wisely.
“I’m so happy,” said Edwards, via Anthony Slater. “It’s not really gonna be a break, but it’s gonna be two days. I’m ready to get 2 days. I’m excited for it. We know what we have to do to beat the team [Spurs]. I think everything starts with Jaden McDaniels and trying to keep him out of foul trouble.”He’s so important to the team, he’s so important to us. It hurts everybody when he gets in foul trouble, and it’s some tough calls being made out there against him.”
Ultimately, only time will tell how the Timberwolves respond to the loss, but they’ve shown they can rally against adversity before. In the previous series, they were down multiple starters (including Edwards himself) and yet still found a way to defeat Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. This Spurs team, however, is different than any challenge the Wolves have faced, and they are learning the hard way how tough they can be to handle.
Unless Minnesota can figure out a defensive strategy to slow down Wemby, their best path to victory may just be to outscore the enemy. The Timberwolves shot just 38.6% from the field today, but we can expect them (and particularly Edwards) to shoot a bit better in Game 6, which is back in Minnesota. Beyond him, they’ll look to Julius Randle, Rudy Gobert, and Naz Reid to step up and provide whatever spark they can.
