Continuing their road trip, Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves found themselves taking on the Utah Jazz on Saturday night. In the first of a baseball-styled road series with the Jazz, the Timberwolves flexed their muscles with a convincing 119-100 win over the Western Conference foe. Former Jazz point guard Mike Conley showcased his skill set in his first game back in Utah since last season’s trade, pouring in 25 points on 8-of-12 shooting and five triples.
Typical sixth man Naz Reid continued his amazing streak of play in the starting lineup. As Rudy Gobert missed Saturday’s contest, Reid showed out again with one of his best games of the season. The former undrafted big man scored 22 points of his own to go along with 12 boards, five assists and two blocks.
But while Conley and Reid were great for Minnesota, one man stole the show once again: Edwards. The Timberwolves star led all scorers with a game-high 31 points on tremendous efficiency. Edwards shot 12-of-20 (60%) from the floor and drilled five triples on just seven attempts.
In addition to his outrageous scoring, Ant-Man stuffed the stat sheet, snagging 10 rebounds to go along with an impressive six stocks (three steals and three blocks). Saturday night was a historic one for Edwards. who has quickly become the face of the franchise. Behind another 30-point outpouring, Anthony Edwards made history for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Anthony Edwards passes Kevin Love
As the young guard continues his ascent to a face of the NBA, it’s already clear he is one of the best to ever suit up for the Minnesota Timberwolves franchise. His 31-point performance on Saturday night marked the 26th time this season in which Edwards has scored 30 or more points in a game. With 15 games to go this year, Edwards has already surpassed Kevin Love for the most games with 30 or more points in a single season.
While K-Love’s career didn’t end in Minnesota the way fans would’ve loved, his tenure with the Wolves was undeniably great. In the early 2010’s, Love was carrying an inexperienced and under-talented roster to respectable win totals, including a 40-42 record in the 2013-14 campaign. After Kevin Love’s messy divorce with the Wolves, hope was seemingly lost for the franchise when it came to developing and keeping premier talent.
Flash forward to today and Anthony Edwards signals a beacon of hope for a state that hasn’t experienced high-end team success since the early 2000s. Now boasting a 46-21 record, it’s clear to see that Minnesota has come a long way. As Edwards continues to blossom as a player, his desire to win with the Wolves is huge for the fan base and for his standing as potentially the greatest Timberwolves player when it’s all said and done.
Of course, Kevin Garnett’s success will be tough to beat, but Ant-Man is on a great trajectory.
Ant continues to step up without Karl-Anthony Towns
In addition to surpassing Kevin Love’s 30+ point scoring record, Edwards has had other big shoes to fill. With Karl-Anthony Towns out due to a meniscus injury, a historic Timberwolves season appeared to be in jeopardy. However, since KAT went down, Edwards’ numbers continue to rise.
In that stretch without Towns, Edwards is averaging an absurd 31.2 points, by far the most over any sustained stretch in his career. However, he’s doing more than just scoring the rock. Making up for the seven-footer’s absence by rebounding and blocking shots. Ant-Man continues to show he’s all about winning by making big-time effort plays.
Averaging 1.6 blocks and 7.2 boards in this span, Minnesota wouldn’t stay afloat if it weren’t for the sensational Edwards. Thinking back to his outrageous game-sealing block against the Pacers, Ant’s ascension as a potential face of the league comes from his unbelievable moments. Pairing absurd athleticism with elite skill and a desire to win, the Timberwolves appear destined for a long stretch of team success due to their rising 22-year-old supernova.
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