After dominating the first two games of the series, the Minnesota Timberwolves came up short in Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals. The Denver Nuggets capitalized on their shortcomings, defeating the Wolves by a mammoth 27-point margin. However, this disappointing loss for Minnesota quickly became a reason for redemption with a positive statement from Anthony Edwards after the game.
Many wondered how a 117-90 loss at the hands of Nikola Jokic and Co. would affect a team as young as the Wolves. Oddly enough, Minnesota’s 22-year-old superstar showed the calmness of a veteran, simply stating, “It’s a series, bruh! We good!” to his teammates.
After the game, Edwards explained the causes behind his less-than-amazing performance tonight. Addressing all questions with extreme poise, the ‘Ant-Man’ displayed excellent leadership qualities, taking accountability for the loss upon himself instead of passing the blame onto anyone else.
“I don’t know, man. It’s on me, I’ll take the blame for this loss. I came out with no energy at all, I came out flat. I can’t afford to do that, not for my team. I let my team, coaches, and the fans down. I’ll be ready Sunday.”
A refreshing approach by the leading star of a team, Anthony Edwards seemed too bothered by tonight’s loss. However, the 22-year-old was confident that despite not having the level of energy he would have wanted, he and the team would be ready for Sunday’s matchup.
That said, as any great leader does, the Wolves star wasn’t afraid to hold his team accountable. When asked what went wrong with the group tonight, Edwards mentioned that the number of turnovers and a lack of rebounding were among the reasons for tonight’s loss, something that will now likely be points of emphasis heading into Game 4.
However, despite blaming his and the team’s mistakes, the 22-year-old wasn’t shy about acknowledging the opposition’s strength. Tipping his hat to the defending champions, Edwards admitted, “They just made shots tonight. They played well. They’re the defending champs. We didn’t expect it to be easy.”
To finish things up, the superstar was sure to point out the good things the Wolves did during the game, despite the 27-point blowout loss.
“Our half-court defense was pretty good if you ask me. We made a few game plan mistakes but other than that, we’ll be alright…It’s not my first loss. I’ve been sent home twice, it’ll be alright.”
Edwards’ post-game interview could not be described better than a man laughing in the face of adversity. It is no wonder that the young man has already received so many comparisons to Michael Jordan.
As Anthony Edwards mentioned at the start of his interview, he did not have the best game tonight. The Minnesota Timberwolves star had just 19 points in Game 3, shooting an efficient 8-15 from the field but going only 3-8 from beyond the arc. The guard also led the team in turnovers, with 5 tonight. Yet, the Georgia State product was adamant about this game being nothing to worry about.
The 2020 #1 overall NBA draft pick has hit the nail on its head. Yes, the Timberwolves lost by a large margin. However, this was just one game, and they still hold the advantage in the series with 2-1.
Edwards may have had a flat tire tonight, but it is extremely unlikely to happen in this series again. In fact, the Denver Nuggets should likely be a little worried, considering just how much this showing will motivate him.
Who knows? There may just be a 50-point explosion on the cards here.