As devastating news struck the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday that Karl-Anthony Towns suffered a torn meniscus, it was clear the team would need a boost from others to fill his void. Thursday night was the first game of an extended road trip for the Timberwolves as they took on the Indiana Pacers.
Minnesota wasted no time by starting the game on a 10-2 run. The first quarter was all Minnesota as the Timberwolves got out and running. Scoring on numerous fast breaks, the team looked desperate to start strong in KAT’s absence.
However, the Pacers fought back behind an energetic home crowd. Star guard Tyrese Haliburton showed out in his normal way with another efficient double-double. Scoring 23 points and registering 13 assists, the new point god was a tough task to handle.
Despite his three-point shot not falling (2-7) consistently on the night, Haliburton still finished the game 9-15 from the field. His co-star, Pascal Siakam, poured in 24 points of his own as Indiana surged back out in front in the second half. Completely erasing the Timberwolves’ big lead, the Pacers seemed destined for the comeback win at home.
Until the fourth quarter that is as Anthony Edwards answered the bell for the short-handed Timberwolves. Despite all signs pointing to a Pacers win, Ant-Man would not be denied on Thursday night.
A stunning array of clutch scoring and a LeBron James-esque chase down block by Edwards allowed Minnesota to edge out the Pacers by a final score of 113-111. Let’s break down Edwards’ huge night and his clutch performance down the stretch.
Anthony Edwards’ fantastic scoring night
With the Wolves missing Towns' gaudy scoring numbers, the two-time All-Star guard stepped up in a big way. After twisting his ankle in the first minute of the game and a scary fall in the second quarter, Edwards went on to have arguably the best game of his career. Finishing with an outrageous 44 points, he asserted himself all night long.
Accruing 35 shot attempts, Indiana simply did not have anyone who could matchup with Ant’s downhill slashing and timely shot-making. Edwards maintained his efficiency by connecting on 18 of those 35 shots including a solid 3-7 from deep. What really stood out from Edwards was his clutch scoring as he took the game by the throat in the fourth quarter.
Scoring 14 points in the final frame, the star guard displayed his scoring prowess. Slicing through the Pacers’ porous defense with euro lay-ups and rising up into pull-up triples out of the pick and roll, he just simply couldn’t miss when it mattered most. Edwards scored 11 of the Wolves’ final 13 points. He truly carried the torch for the Wolves offense down the stretch of the game.
The final sequence
While Edwards was brilliant all night long, the final 15 seconds of the game showcased his talent to an even greater degree. Indiana drew within one point before Minnesota’s final possession. As the Pacers hunted for a steal, the Timberwolves calmly moved the ball around until seven seconds remained. At that point, Indiana abruptly fouled Edwards.
With the Wolves in the bonus, Minnesota’s best player stepped to the line. The star guard rattled in the first. On his second attempt, Edwards had a chance to push the lead to three. However, his second free throw rimmed out. The Pacers elected to not take a timeout and instead quickly outletted the ball to Aaron Nesmith in transition.
Nesmith pushed the ball downhill and managed to get to the rim right before time expired. However, Edwards came out of nowhere with an unbelievable chase down block. Once again, his two-way play propelled the Wolves to another clutch win.
ANTHONY EDWARDS 44 POINTS AND THE GAME-SAVING BLOCK 🚫
Ant hit his head on the rim as he blocked Aaron Nesmith to save the Timberwolves win!pic.twitter.com/0VbXr0ZsrB
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 8, 2024
Finishing with two steals and two blocks, Edwards’ defensive greatness paired with his offensive excellency stole the show in Minnesota’s clutch win in Indiana.
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