On Thursday, veteran guard Chris Paul of the Golden State Warriors examined the Western Conference finals between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks players Anthony Edwards and Kyrie Irving. Paul compared his previous playoff matches with Steph Curry, a former opponent who is now a teammate.
Edwards reported that Irving “just outran” him during the competition, leaving him “exhausted.” In an interview with ESPN’s “NBA Countdown,” Paul discussed how Minnesota should use Edwards more in Game 2. In the postseason, was the nine-time All-Defensive team selection ever worn out “chasing around somebody as prolific as Kyrie”?
Curry was the opponent Paul named without hesitation, having faced him thrice in the playoffs (in 2014, 2018, and 2019). “Absolutely, I used to have to chase around Steph all the time,” Paul said humorously.
Early in the two-time MVP’s career, Paul’s Los Angeles Clippers beat Curry’s Warriors 4-3 in the 2014 playoffs’ opening round. But Curry and the company eventually exacted retribution. They defeated Paul’s Houston Rockets 4-3 in the 2018 West finals and 4-2 in the second round of the 2019 postseason.
Chris Paul’s Advice for Anthony Edwards After Game 1 Defeat
Regarding Chris Paul’s advice for Anthony Edwards in Game 2, he emphasized the necessity of reducing his defensive exertion against Kyrie Irving. Paul pointed out that the 22-year-old may play part-time defense rather than full-time, giving him more energy for Minnesota’s attack.
Paul said, “We loved that Ant said that he wanted the matchup. But that doesn’t mean you have to guard him the entire game. So, we love the competitiveness, we love the challenge, but you can start on him and then throughout the game. You can change up your coverage, you can guard someone else.”
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It will be interesting to see whether Anthony Edwards decides to play more aggressively on Friday in their Game 2 matchup in Minneapolis. To avoid a steep 2-0 disadvantage, the Timberwolves will probably need to see a significant increase in offensive output from their top scorer.
Also Read: Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving Shine in Game 1 Victory as Patrick Mahomes’ Prediction Comes True
