The Minnesota Timberwolves fell to a narrow 115-118 loss to the Boston Celtics at home in a game where Anthony Edwards struggled mightily. He scored 15 points (5-16 FG) and six assists in a rough night and then lamented the excessive double-teams he’s facing in the post-game interview.
Edwards enjoys being a facilitator but isn’t prepared to give up scoring for that role on the squad this early in his career.
“That was a good brand of basketball but It’s not how I want to play, of course. I’m only 23, I don’t wanna just be passing the ball all night. (I don’t want to be like Mike Conley) At all but the way they’re guarding me, I think I have to.”
He was asked if it was tough to stay engaged throughout the game and if opposing teams were trying to use mental tactics against him.
“Super hard. Super hard. I’m wired to score the ball… I don’t think their plan is ‘mentally take him out’ because it don’t take me all the way out of the game. But them doubling me is definitely, like what is going on?”
Edwards went off on how double-teams completely changing his play style has gravely affected how he can display his talent on the court.
“I don’t want to make it seem like I’m chasing the ball all the time. But when I get doubled and give it up and do the corner and then make it seem like the double team won? I don’t know what to do honestly. It’s not fun. I don’t want to look like I’m not trying or not as good as I am because I can’t show it because I’m getting double-teamed.”
He also lamented his subpar showings in recent clashes against star-level players like Victor Wembanyama, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Jayson Tatum.
“It’s definitely frustrating to see these guys cooking us and I can’t cook them.”
Pretty much the entirety of Anthony Edwards's postgame media was him talking about his frustration with the way teams are putting two on him, taking away his opportunities to be a scorer and forcing him to get off the ball.
"It's not how I want to play, of course. I'm only 23, I… pic.twitter.com/7bJdFS6zeU
— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) January 3, 2025
This was probably the most frustrated Edwards we have seen in a post-game interview in his young career. The 23-year-old spoke from the heart in a candid reflection of a challenge that many superstars face early in their careers.
Double-teams are frustrating and we once saw a young Devin Booker complain about them, but star-level players adapt quickly and find ways to be effective regardless.
Edwards had an offensive force like Karl-Anthony Towns next to him last season which would split defensive attention, but the same hasn’t happened with Julius Randle. Randle went off tonight with 27 points (9-16 FG), eight rebounds, and seven assists but he wasn’t guarded nearly as aggressively as Boston was with Edwards.
The Timberwolves had a hot shooting night playing off the defensive attention on Edwards, going 21-39 (53.8 3P%) from beyond the arc despite Edwards going 2-9 on threes himself.
He’s averaging 16.3 points (35.8 FG%) in the last three games and 24.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists on the season.
They almost won tonight against the Celtics because the team’s offense flowed better in the open court. Edwards was useful as a link-up player but his shots were forced and usually out-of-rhythm. He will come up with counters as he encounters them more, but he’ll have to learn the hard way for now.
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