When the Los Angeles Lakers landed the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, fans in the Gopher State knew one player above all others would need to step up to secure the win: Anthony Edwards.

On paper, it makes sense, right? While the Timberwolves do have multiple high-paid players, including Rudy Gobert on a max contract, none are as explosive as the player they call Antman, with his unique offensive game and fiery personality making him one of the new faces of the NBA.

And, in the opening moments of his 2025 playoff debut, Edwards showed off his athleticism firsthand, with the All-Star winger dropping defensive specialist Rui Hachimura to the ground as he drove to the basket with one of the nastiest crossovers you will ever see.

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Now granted, Edwards didn't actually score on the play; he ended up getting fouled and was afforded a chance to pick up his points at the line. And yet, where Edwards' dagger didn't put points on the board, it did make Lakers fans open their eyes, as they have to face off against a performer of this caliber for as many as six more games.

In the four games the Timberwolves played against the Lakers during the 2024-25 NBA regular season, Minnesota only secured the victory twice, including a big loss on opening night. And yet, through the first half of Game 1, the two teams have been remarkably well matched, with the two sides trading points through the first half of the contest.

While only time will tell who secures the win in Game 1, not to mention which team ultimately pulls out the series in the end, for now, fans will remain fixed on the screen, as a battle between two of the top teams in the West, led by two of the top offensive players in the NBA has to be considered much-watch for true hoops heads.