Anthony Edwards and Co. were tipped as favorites by many experts heading into the series against the Mavs. But after the first two games at Target Center, things looked entirely different, with the Dallas side taking a 2-0 lead. So before their game at American Airlines Center, Timberwolves HC had some words of encouragement for his boys.
“It’s been pretty simple. Ant, you got to speed it up. KAT, you got to slow it down,” said Finch before the game. Did it work? The 116-107 scoreline in favor of the Mavs doesn’t indicate so.
Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving were at their best as the duo weaved their magic by scoring 33 each in game 3. For the Timberwolves, Rudy Gobert was a non-factor in the game, giving more ammunition to his critics after a performance like that. Karl-Anthony Towns had a double-double, but Anthony Edwards did not receive scoring support. After two storming series against the Suns and the Nuggets, Edwards has yet to find his sparkling best despite showing some resistance in game 3.
Anthony Edwards Unable to Dominate Mavs in WCF Series
After outlasting the reigning NBA champions in the Western Conference semifinals series, Anthony Edwards had high hopes as he looked unstoppable. But so far, against the Mavs, his bite doesn’t quite have the effect it had previously.
His slow start to the series, with 19 and 21 points respectively in the first two games, prompted his HC to deliver the message he mentioned above. That seemingly worked, as Edwards was in his groove tonight with a 26-9-9 performance. His Michael Jordan-esque hammer dunk in the third quarter showed he meant business, but the others around him were far from impressive.
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Edwards scored 11 of 24 points by shooting from the field, with no attempts from beyond the 3-point arc. His tenacity will be the only positive the Timberwolves can take into game 4, as historically, they’re in an unfavorable position.
No team has ever won the WCF after going 3-0 down, and Kyrie Irving has not lost his last 14 playoff eliminator games. If the Minnesota side is to salvage the series from here, they need to get Anthony Edwards firing again.
Also Read: Karl-Anthony Towns Continues to Struggle as the Minnesota Timberwolves Face the Brink of Elimination
