Anthony Edwards believes fatigue played a part in the Timberwolves’ Game 1 loss to the Mavericks. Speaking in a post-game interview, Ant spoke about how poorly the team played, their inconsistency on the court, and what led to the performance. However, Edwards made it clear that the team should be held accountable for their performance.
Edwards: “I don’t know, I think we just came out flat today. We found our energy then we went back to being flat. I think it was just on us. Everything was on us today. I didn’t get downhill as much. Just stuff like that, we were probably just a little tired probably.”
"We came out flat today. We found our energy and went back to being flat. Everything was on us today."
Anthony Edwards discusses the Timberwolves' Game 1 loss to the Mavericks 🗣
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— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 23, 2024
Edwards made no bones about how poorly he played. In Game 1, Edwards had 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists, which looks like a good stat line. But when you look at Edwards’ shooting numbers, going 6 for 16 from the field, it becomes clear just how poorly the Timberwolves guard played tonight.
Furthermore, Edwards had made a lot of noise about looking forward to playing against Kyrie Irving and wanting to guard Kyrie prior to the series beginning. That didn’t turn out the way he had hoped, as Irving scored 30 points and helped the Mavs close the gap with the Timberwolves in the first half.
After the game, Irving spoke about Edwards’ comments, noting that it motivated him to play well and show Ant what kind of player he was. Despite the motivation, Irving showed a lot of love and respect toward Edwards, noting how inspiring his competitive spirit was.
Edwards will have to step up in Game 2, as he said in his post-game interview. He has proven that he is capable of being the Timberwolves best player and leader, and he will need to be just that for the rest of the series if the Timberwolves want to reach the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.
Anthony Edwards Must Play Better In The Future
Anthony Edwards has shown during this playoff run that he is a superstar in this league. So far in the playoffs, Edwards has averaged 28.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 6.1 assists. Ant has been one of the best players across the NBA Playoffs this year, which is why his performance tonight was such a disappointment.
Legends of the game have also praised Edwards, not just as a player, but as a leader for the Timberwolves. Minnesota legend Kevin Garnett spoke about how Edwards is too big to be the secondary superstar and explained the way he and Karl-Anthony Towns can play together as a superstar duo for the franchise.
Edwards and the Timberwolves will now look to refocus ahead of Game 2 this weekend. Having lost Game 1 at home, the Timberwolves will understand the importance of winning Game 2 and then trying to steal a game when they play in Dallas. The series is far from over, but the Timberwolves must act quickly if they want to preserve their chances to win the series and reach the NBA Finals.
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