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Anthony Edwards took it upon himself to shut down Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. after a successful first half of the Wolves-Grizzlies matchup, the fourth of their season series.
Edwards significantly impacted the game by playing Jackson tough and reducing his operating space. After the game, coach Chris Finch said 'Ant' stands out as the Timberwolves' most physical on-ball defender for crucial late-game scenarios like the one on Wednesday, a factor that also benefited them offensively in the 110-101 win.
When questioned about why he believes he doesn't receive more recognition for the All-Defense team, the two-time All-Star said (via USA Today):
"I think people gotta watch more Minnesota Timberwolves games, as far as whoever the f*** the voters are. They just gotta watch the games because this is not my first time doing this. I have nights like this all the time where somebody gets hot, their best player gets hot and I go shut em down the rest of the game."
He continued:
"Nobody sees it but y’all. I think that goes into my votes of All-Defensive team. But nobody sees it. Only y’all see it. I think they gotta watch more games. I think that’s the outcome."
Anthony Edwards' defense spearheads Timberwolves' comeback
Despite injuries to key players like Rudy Gobert and Anthony Edwards, the Minnesota Timberwolves managed to turn things around after playing inconsistently for the majority of the game on Wednesday.
In the final stretch, they showcased their dominance by pulling together and closing out the game with a strong performance. At halftime, Jackson had accumulated 19 points, benefitting from the ample space available on the court.
He efficiently utilized the room at the elbows to leverage his speed for drives to the basket, as the Timberwolves' defense struggled with closing him down. Jackson adeptly maneuvered around Gobert, demonstrating impeccable finesse near the basket. The Minnesota Timberwolves faced significant offensive challenges, particularly in the first half of the game.
They were unable to score until only 8:43 minutes left in the first quarter, allowing the Memphis Grizzlies to establish a 12-0 lead early on. This sluggish start was compounded by their failure to secure an offensive rebound towards the end of the half, which was followed by a deep three-pointer from Memphis.
Facing an 11-point deficit with just over four minutes remaining in the third quarter, the Timberwolves ignited an impressive rally.
In a span of merely three minutes, they managed to erase the deficit, demonstrating a sudden and decisive burst of offensive efficiency.
Scoring on their final nine possessions of the third quarter, the Timberwolves transformed their performance, moving from trailing to leading the game.
Coach Finch said (via Sports Illustrated):
"Ant shut his water off and turned the game around on both ends".
Anthony Edwards, when queried on the defensive adjustment, remarked:
"Sh*t, he was cookin. That’s pretty much it. We couldn’t guard him. I said, sh*t, I might as well try."
Guess the Lakers players!
