In the wake of the Los Angeles Lakers‘ early playoff exit at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves, LeBron James took a moment on his Mind the Game podcast with Steve Nash to reflect on what went wrong and gave Anthony Edwards his due for figuring it out.
“He’s improved so much with his playmaking. And you’ve seen him make the jump, you know, just from last year’s playoff run all the way to just one playoff series right there. He was super patient.”
“Even when we were getting up in the gaps, and sometimes we would double him, sometimes we would smoke, sometimes we would just be up in the gaps, just trying to make him think, you know? And we did.”
“He had one quote where he was like, ‘Their defense is confusing and making me think.’ And he figured it out, you know? So I commend him, man. He just, he grew throughout our series that I think is going to benefit him throughout the rest of this run.”
“We wanted to try to change pitches on him as much as possible because you don’t ever give one player, no great players, one steady diet of the same thing. But, you know, even when you try to double him, his ability to erase double teams, to split double teams, to get creative, and he’s still strong too.”
“So it’s not like he’s a frail guy where you can double him and be super aggressive with him and get him on. He’s learned over time. But he’s strong. He has a low center of gravity. He has a great handle. He can shoot the ball extremely well.”
“And to add on to what we said a couple of times before in some of our older episodes about believing in your teammates, making them feel even better than what they are as well. And he’s trusting his teammates to make plays.”
That growth was on full display. Edwards averaged 26.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 6.2 assists across the series, showcasing not just scoring talent but a maturity in how he processed the Lakers’ defense.
Rather than forcing the issue when double-teamed, he consistently made the right reads, trusting his teammates like Rudy Gobert, who torched L.A. for 27 points and 24 rebounds in Game 5 when the entire scheme focused on containing Ant.
What stood out most to LeBron was Edwards’ evolution as a playmaker. While known primarily for his athleticism and shot creation, it was his trust in teammates and decision-making that made the difference.
Edwards’ poise under pressure contrasted starkly with the Lakers’ unraveling. Head coach JJ Redick, limited by a thin bench and glaring size disadvantage, had no consistent answer once Edwards adjusted. And with the defense keyed entirely on Ant, Gobert capitalized.
Though LeBron averaged 25.4 points, 9 rebounds, and 5.6 assists in the series, the Lakers lacked the depth, size, and defensive cohesion needed to hang with a Timberwolves team that played with unity and resilience.
For the second straight postseason, Edwards proved capable of elevating his team, this time, by outsmarting a defense crafted specifically to stop him.
That good matchup, as it turns out, is now a superstar in full bloom.
