Anthony Edwards couldn’t lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a win over the Los Angeles Lakers tonight, as Minny fell 109-120 on the road against the Lakers. Despite Anthony Davis having a historic performance, Edwards placed the blame for the loss on the officiating for the 29-13 free throw differential in the contest.
“It’s tough. It’s tough every night when we don’t get to the free-throw line as much as the other team. When 1 player shoots more free throws than you’re entire team, it’s tough. It’s tough to compete… You want to compete and if every time they get the ball, we so-called foul them and they get to the free throw line. It’s tough. I don’t know how to explain it man.”
"It's tough every night when we don’t get to the free throw line as much as the other team…You want to compete and if every time they get the ball, we so-called foul them, and they get to the free throw line. It's tough. I don't know how to explain it man."
Anthony Edwards on… pic.twitter.com/nN3yKax9Qz
— michael corvo (@michaelcorvo_) March 11, 2024
The ‘one player’ Edwards is referring to is Anthony Davis, who went to the line 13 times throughout the game. LeBron James went to the line nine times as well. The fouls on both players also did occur due to the lack of interior defense for the Wolves tonight, playing backup centers Naz Reid and Luka Garza in place of Gobert and KAT.
There’s a valid point to be made regarding the frequency at which the Lakers have gotten to the line in recent seasons, but many arguments chip away at any conspiracy. The Lakers have one of the highest frequencies of drives to the rim, which causes contact. Tonight, the Wolves were contact-prone as well, so the calls can’t necessarily be disputed heavily.
Edwards had a decent game with 25 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, but it wasn’t the star performance they needed to win over the Lakers tonight. This loss drops the Wolves to the No. 2 seed, trailing the Oklahoma City Thunder by one game.
Anthony Edwards Needs To Live Up To Being Among The Best In The League
The performance from Edwards was among the best in Minnesota tonight, but the expectations from him are higher now. He’s expected to carry the franchise, not score less than his season average in a game where his co-stars aren’t there. Naz Reid’s offensive explosion tonight helped the Timberwolves keep the game close, but Edwards should have been the one to go off for a generational performance like his contemporaries.
We’ve seen Edwards be capable of doing so, as he displayed in the Wolves’ win over the Indiana Pacers after KAT’s injury. He scored 44 points and got the game-winning block in a truly dominant performance. His numbers were affected by the Lakers’ stifling defense and the lack of elite options around him, allowing the defensive game plan to be geared toward stopping him.
Gobert is expected to return soon as Minnesota needs to stay in the fight for the No. 1 seed in the West. Unfortunately, Karl-Anthony Towns could likely miss the remainder of the regular season, a loss that the Wolves might not be able to shrug off easily.
Edwards’ point about free throws is valid, but the best teams in the league need to move on from these losses and rebound harder than ever. The Wolves will hope to do that, especially without KAT in the lineup for the foreseeable future.
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