The Minnesota Timberwolves are going to be just fine. That seems to be the message Anthony Edwards sent to his team and their fans Thursday night when he delivered a mesmerizing performance against the Indiana Pacers on the road that was capped by a memorable defensive play that will be talked about for at least the next several days.
Playing without the injured Karl-Anthony Towns, Edwards put the Minnesota Timberwolves on his back and towed them to a 113-111 victory in enemy territory.
Edwards was magical in the game, as he pumped out 44 points, knocking down 18 of his 35 attempts from the field and 5 of 8 shots from the foul line. He was also 3/7 from behind the 3-point line. And he did all that in just 39 minutes.
But none of the buckets he buried in the Indiana game has thrilled Minnesota Timberwolves fans more than the sensational, gravity-denying, game-saving block he had late in the contest.
Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith had a golden chance to tie the game and send it to overtime at least when he tried to go for a lay-up only for his shot to get absolutely erased by Edwards, who jumped so high that his head hit the rim.
And then there’s also this (via OptaSTATS):
NBA guards to score 40+ points in a game while also blocking a shot in the final 3 seconds, last 20 years: Kobe Bryant, Lakers (January 11, 2012) Anthony Edwards, @Timberwolves (tonight)
Anthony Edwards Led The Way For The Minnesota Timberwolves Against The Indiana Pacers
Fortunately for Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves, he was not seriously injured during that memorable defensive play. The T’wolves can’t afford another major injury, with Towns already out for likely the rest of the 2023-24 NBA season with a torn left meniscus.
Edwards’ block perhaps best encapsulated the defensive mindset of the Timberwolves in the game.
“I thought the defensive game plan was on point,” Minnesota head coach Chris Finch said after the game (via ESPN). “I thought our players really executed in the first half, got a little loose in the second half. Of course, they made some adjustments, but we were able to turn them over a lot early.”
While the Pacer scored 111 points and shot 51.2 percent from the field, the Timberwolves forced Indiana to cough up the ball 15 times and turned those errors into 17 points. Minnesota, which is No. 1 in the NBA so far in the 2023-24 NBA regular season with just 106.5 points allowed per contest, had nine steals to just five by the Pacers.
Social Media Reacts To Anthony Edwards’ Huge Game
NBA fans on social media have all been blown away by what Edwards showed on the court versus the Pacers.
OHHHH BLOCKED BY ANTHONY EDWARDS @PatBevPod
pic.twitter.com/Ct0jKzIBqw— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) March 8, 2024
“Anthony Edwards is just a Different breed!!!! A casual 44 piece wing dinner “fried hard, All Flats” with arguably one of the best block shots of the season. The league is in great hands!!! Carry the hell on,” said former NBA center Kendrick Perkins.
ANTHONY EDWARDS, what a block to end it pic.twitter.com/flqYgACNUh
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) March 8, 2024
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