Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards rose to the occasion in Game 4 with a stellar performance to secure a 3-1 lead for the series. Considering that a key aspect of Minnesota’s success has been the physicality they have brought to each game, Edwards addressed and justified his approach with specific reference to Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.
While speaking on the topic after the 116-113 win in Game 4 with the media, Edwards said, “I’m not going to say I was trying to make a point. But just letting him know that we’re here. You ain’t just going to push us around all night.”
The Wolves guard admitted how daunting a challenge it was to restrain James, an imposing physical specimen in every regard. “I’m going to be a pest to him whenever I get on him, try to get up under his skin.”
“We played together in the USA [team], so he’s like a big brother to me. He looks out for me. Helped me out a lot, read the game, IQ, everything, so just trying to be a pest to him out there.”
Anthony Edwards’ efforts yielded positive results. His increased physicality with James certainly had an impact on the forward’s performance down the stretch.
Game 4 saw the Wolves guard establish himself as the best player in the series with virtually no objections. Edwards announced his arrival with yet another terrific outing to secure the game for his team.
The Wolves star notched 43 points on the night, a historic scoring performance for the 23-year-old. Along with this, he played a vital role in securing possession with nine rebounds and also facilitated his team’s offense to a large extent with six assists to go with it.
Edwards’ contributions helped elevate his team’s performance. Players such as Julius Randle and Jaden McDaniels capitalized on the impact of their superstar’s performance and made significant contributions of their own.
The tenacity of this Wolves team is not to be overlooked. Faced with a 10-point deficit heading into the fourth quarter, Minnesota overcame the initial panic by digging its heels in and chipping away at the lead.
Riding on the momentum of back-to-back baskets by Edwards, the Wolves created enough of an opening to tackle the Lakers’ schemes. Crucial contributions by Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo saw Minnesota take the lead back and eventually bet on their defense to close out the win.
The Timberwolves’ defensive display in the fourth quarter was beyond impressive. By restricting the Lakers to only 19 points, Minnesota eliminated every avenue for the opposition to secure a foothold.
The win in Game 4 puts the Wolves in a commanding position to close things out on the road in Game 5. Luka Doncic and the Lakers will aren’t expected to go quietly given the grueling nature of this series. However, Minnesota has all the momentum heading into the upcoming matchup on Wednesday at 10 pm ET.
