Anthony Edwards is having the last laugh, and he’s not holding back. After leading the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 4-1 first-round series win over the heavily favored Los Angeles Lakers, Edwards went on a full-fledged victory lap, mocking pundits, fans, and memes that prematurely crowned the Lakers before the series began.
The main target? The now-infamous “Lakers in 5” prediction was popularized by analyst Shannon Sharpe, who had confidently rhymed his way through a bold forecast on national TV. Edwards didn’t forget.
“Ant-Man, Batman, Superman… Lakers in 5,” Edwards said with a smirk as he walked through the Crypto.com Arena halls following the Game 5 win.
Anthony Edwards:
“Ant man, Batman, Superman… Lakers in 5.” (via @lakeshowyo) pic.twitter.com/oXwCVOOpY3
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) May 1, 2025
Later, on the streets of Los Angeles, he continued trolling Lakers fans: “They said Lakers in 5… then when we was up 3-1, they said Lakers in 7.”
The swagger was unmistakable; Edwards was standing on business.
In his postgame press conference, Edwards doubled down.
“What makes it feel even better is they said ‘Lakers in 5,’ and the Wolves won in 5. So that makes it feel 10 times better.”
Anthony Edwards takes a victory lap outside Crypto Arena after eliminating the Lakers
“They said ‘Lakers in 5,’ and when we was up 3-1, they said ‘Lakers in 7.’ Go to hell today… Good guys don’t die in this movie, Morris Chestnut died in this movie” 😅
— FearBuck (@FearedBuck) May 1, 2025
That statement was more than trash talk. It was vindication.
Minnesota entered the series as underdogs, a No. 6 seed facing off against a LeBron James–Luka Doncic led superteam that had championship aspirations. Experts and fans alike expected the Lakers to overpower the Timberwolves with experience and star power. But Edwards and the Wolves flipped the narrative.
Edwards wasn’t perfect in Game 5 — he shot 0-for-11 from three and finished with 15 points but his leadership, effort, and confidence were infectious. His comments weren’t aimed at the Lakers’ players; in fact, he paid LeBron James the highest compliment:
“We beat the best player in the world. The best player ever.”
But he wanted to send a message to everyone who doubted Minnesota.
The Timberwolves dominated the series on both ends. Rudy Gobert had a historic Game 5, dropping 27 points and grabbing 24 rebounds while punishing the Lakers’ undersized frontcourt.
This performance was especially meaningful given how much criticism Gobert has received for his playoff shortcomings in recent years. He had been quiet for most of the series, scoring just 14 points combined across the first four games.
But in Game 5, he turned into a force or, as Edwards put it, “a dragon.”
“24 rebounds, he was a dragon tonight. Rudy was the dragon, yeah Rudy was the dragon tonight for sure.”
“24 rebounds, he was a dragon tonight. Rudy was the dragon (laughs), yeah Rudy was the dragon tonight for sure”
– Anthony Edwards on Rudy Gobert pic.twitter.com/DkEXYn7uTo
— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) May 1, 2025
Edwards jokingly clarified that Gobert wasn’t a dragon from the Arctic, but “a Game of Thrones dragon,” capable of torching the opposition at the highest level.
Julius Randle added 23 points and Jaden McDaniels was a two-way force all series long. Despite Edwards’ off shooting night, Minnesota’s depth and toughness overwhelmed Los Angeles.
While Edwards mocked Sharpe’s viral “Lakers in 5” prediction, even the Timberwolves’ official social media team joined in, firing off posts that reminded everyone how wrong the pundits had been. But by then, Edwards had already claimed the meme for himself.
This series win wasn’t just about advancing to the second round. It was about respect. The Timberwolves, often dismissed as an unserious franchise, are now back-to-back second-round participants and looking like a real threat in the West.
Edwards, now a household name, has emerged as one of the game’s brightest young stars, both for his talent and for his unfiltered, charismatic confidence.
With either Golden State or Houston waiting in the next round, Edwards will have new opponents to prepare for. But for now, Ant-Man is enjoying every second of proving the doubters wrong, one meme at a time.
