Anthony Edwards Unphased by Timberwolves Loss; Shocked by Postgame Box Score

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Anthony Edwards - NBA Playoffs - Minnesota Timberwolves at Oklahoma City Thunder
Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Timberwolves were run out of the Paycom Center gym in Oklahoma City on Tuesday night by the home Thunder. The first half remained close, as both teams struggled to make shots from the outside.

That was until the second half, when OKC outscored the Wolves 70-40, flipping a one-point Wolves halftime lead into a Thunder 114-88 blowout win. What happened? Well, the Minnesota Timberwolves forgot how to shoot.

Minnesota Timberwolves forget how to shoot in game one vs OKC Thunder

On Tuesday, the Wolves shot a Western Conference Finals record 51 three-pointers, and only hit 15 of them. It wasn’t a shot selection problem, though. According to NBA analytics, 47 of their game-one three-pointers were considered “open”. They went 22-of-65 (33.8%) overall on uncontested shots

The problem was accuracy. Wolves players without “Edwards” or “Randle” on the backs of their jerseys in game one went 7-of-37 (19%) from behind the arc. Naz Reid shot 0-of-7 from deep, Nickeil Alexander-Walker was 2-of-9 and Donte DiVinThinksHe’sStephCurry was 3-of-12.

Maybe those are the numbers Ant and Julius were laughing at when they got to the post-game podium and looked at the box score, following game one…?

Any sort of bounceback shooting performance in game two will make stopping Anthony Edwards exponentially more difficult on the Thunder. Because really, if the Minnesota Timberwolves hadn’t been historically bad from three-point land in game one, it would have been a completely different contest.

Anthony Edwards unphased by Timberwolves loss

After the game, Anthony Edwards took to the post-game podium to talk with reporters. There, he made it very clear that he’s not worried about opening this series with a loss. When asked by media what the Thunder did so well to limit him, Ant pointed to their collapsing defense, which made it impossible for him to get to the rim.

Then, when forced to kick out to open teammates, they missed repeatedly (my words, not his). So what’s the fix? Edwards — who could not believe he “only took 13 f*cking shots” — believes he’ll be working a lot more off the ball in game two, where it’ll be more difficult for the OKC defense to double and triple team him.

Reporter: “Is there anything about their style of play [on defense] that wears on you throughout the course of the game?”

Ant: “Not really. Just gotta… I definitely gotta shoot more. I only took 13 f*cking shots. I’d say, I probably have to get off the ball a little more, play without the ball. I think that’ll be the answer because, playing on the ball, they’re just gonna double [me] and sit in the gaps all day. So, gotta go watch the film and pick it apart. We’ll figure it out.”

Reporter: “Did your ankle affect your shooting at all?”

Ant: “No.”

Ant’s logic is on point. He will have to get off the ball, in order to score and shoot more in this series, if the Thunder defense is going to continue collapsing on him in the lane, like they did in game one.

But in reality — and Anthony Edwards isn’t going to put extra public pressure on his teammates by saying this during a post-game press conference — but Minnesota Timberwolves outside shooters will need to make shots in this series, or it won’t matter how well Ant can play off the ball.

Off-ball Ant is a good idea, but it won’t fix Wolves’ game one problem

If Edwards can’t be the top-of-the-key houdini, 1v1, then he won’t be at his best. But in order for Ant’s dribble-drive penetration to be effective, Wolves outside shooters have to make a high enough percentage of kick-out threes, that opposing defenses think twice before fully collapsing on a driving Anthony Edwards.

That’s how this roster was built, and guys like NAW, Jaden, Donte and Naz need to earn their paychecks, going forward. If they can’t figure it out, then no matter how well Anthony Edwards plays off the ball, Minnesota’s offense just won’t work.

Related: OKC Thunder Making it Hard for Timberwolves Fans to Buy Their Playoff Tickets

Nonetheless, I agree with Ant. There is no reason to panic, after a game one loss on the road. The Minnesota Timberwolves have not shot well throughout much of these playoffs, but they haven’t shot as poorly as they did last night.

Had a few of Reid’s wide open threes dropped, if Conley makes a couple, etc… (like they all normally do), then collapsing on Edwards becomes way more difficult, and who knows how the second half unfolds. So, don’t lose hope yet, Minnesota Timberwolves fans. That’s just what the national media (and NBA refs) want.

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