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The veterans of the game will always say that the closeout game is the most difficult one in any series. For the Minnesota Timberwolves, even though everything seems to be working in their favor for their closeout game against the Golden State Warriors, as they'll be at home and they'll be coming up against a Dubs team without Stephen Curry, they will have to be wary of the desperation the team down 3-1 will be playing with.
For Shaquille O'Neal, the onus to lead the Timberwolves to their second consecutive trip to the Western Conference Finals falls on Anthony Edwards' shoulders. Edwards, as per Shaq, has to take control of the game and not allow the Warriors get an inkling of a 3-1 comeback.
“Tonight is all about Anthony Edwards. Every now and then as a star player, you have to say, ‘It's over. Follow me. Give me the ball. It's over,'” O'Neal said on the Wednesday night edition of TNT's Inside the NBA. “Forget Julius Randle. Anthony Edwards has to say, ‘Follow me, Minnesota. The whole state of Minnesota, follow me tonight. This thing is over.”
It's one thing for Edwards to lead the Timberwolves in Game 5 and it's another thing for him entirely to play selfishly and resort to hero ball, which is not going to be helpful for anyone other than the Warriors. Learning to take over the game without disrupting the team's flow is what the league's best superstars do, and Edwards has certainly proven that he's capable of playing in such a way.
Edwards averaged 33 points over the past two games, and he has certainly found his rhythm from beyond the arc. The Timberwolves will be expecting more of the same from their best player as they look to finish off the Warriors while they're wounded — not allowing them the opportunity to get back into the series and potentially get Stephen Curry back from injury.
Anthony Edwards-Julius Randle one-two punch has powered Timberwolves
Anthony Edwards deserves to be called the Timberwolves' best player, but throughout their series against the Warriors, Julius Randle has nearly been as important to the team as Edwards.
Randle wasn't very good during his first few years in the playoffs, but with the Timberwolves, he's been a changed man. During their past three games (all wins), Randle averaged 26.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 8.7 assists per game on 50.8 percent shooting from the field. Edwards will have to take over the game and have his team follow his lead, but he knows that he doesn't have to do it alone.
