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Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves fell 127-120 to the Boston Celtics in overtime on Wednesday in a battle between the NBA’s top two teams. According to Wolves coach Chris Finch, the tough loss can be attributed to Edwards’ inability to take care of the ball down the stretch.
Edwards finished with a team-high 29 points, six rebounds, three assists and three 3-pointers on 44.0% shooting. However, he committed five turnovers, including a few costly ones late in the fourth quarter and OT.
Minnesota was unable to overcome these mental errors against the league’s top team. Instead, Celtics superstar forward Jayson Tatum came up big, scoring 26 of his game-high 45 points in the fourth quarter and OT to secure the victory.
After the game, Finch called out Edwards for playing too much iso ball and failing to find the open man.
“I think Anthony had four turnovers in that closing stretch. Just too much iso, too much iso against a really good defense,” Finch said.
“We built a lead and we were, for the most part, through the entire game, playing with good movement and moving the ball. … And again, just got too stagnant. And then we're relying on one pass and a shot or driving it at the end of the clock.”
However, Finch noted that Edwards’ late-game struggles were par for the course for the 22-year-old star.
"This is all part of the growth curve, all part of learning,” Finch said. “I think you can't be wired to try and score in these moments; you gotta be wired to make the right play.”
The loss marked the Wolves’ fourth in their last six games. However, they still sit first in the Western Conference. On the flip side, the Celtics have won nine of their last 11 games and remain perfect at home (18-0).
Minnesota (26-11) will work to bounce back when it hosts the struggling Portland Trail Blazers (10-26) on Friday. Meanwhile, Boston (29-8) will try to maintain its success on the road against the Milwaukee Bucks (25-12) on Thursday.
Jaylen Brown has high praise for Anthony Edwards
Despite Anthony Edwards’ late-game struggles on Wednesday, Celtics star wing Jaylen Brown still heaped high praise on the Timberwolves star postgame.
Brown referred to Edwards as a rising superstar, highlighting how he made it a point of emphasis to shut him down.
“We’re playing against a young superstar in Anthony Edwards. … It’s going to be an opportunity for him to showcase his greatness,” Brown said. “My whole thing was, ‘Not tonight.’”
Through 34 games, Edwards is averaging 26.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.6 blocks and 2.6 3-pointers per game on 46.0% shooting. He remains the leading scorer on the West’s top team.
