2 weeks Ago By Godwin Mathew, NBA Analysis Network
A Minnesota Timberwolves star player heaped praise on Anthony Edwards’ leadership after the team secured a brilliant win in Game 1 against the LA Lakers. Anthony Edwards started the game looking not looking so good as he had a silly turnover early on, but made sure he kept his calm to finish with 22 points, eight rebounds and nine assists on the night. He had the second best +/- in the Minnesota Timberwolves lineup, making his presence felt on both ends of the floor.
Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid also stepped up for the team as they added 25 and 23 points respectively to help take a 117-95 win in Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs against the LA Lakers . After the game, Reid gave his teammate Edwards huge credit for being a good leader. Reid lauds Anthony Edwards’ leadership Edwards is considered to be one of the most exciting talents in the NBA and is often brought up in the conversation to be the next face of the league.
Since his arrival T-Wolves have been a different franchise and Reid believes that is due to Edwards wanting his teammates to do well. Speaking on the superstar guard, Reid said: “I think just his leadership and how he has been leading us as young as he is, it’s crazy to me. You’d think he’s 30.
Just how vocal he is. “He wants to win, you can tell and he wants his teammates to do well as well, so I think just him being the teammate that he is just falls down the line, just falls down my hands and the younger guys as well and so forth and so on, just inspiring each other day by day, moments like today is huge.” Anthony Edwards is going to be a problem Lakers legend Magic Johnson admitted he was worried for the Lakers due to the presence of Edwards.
The 23-year-old showed exactly why as he stuffed the stat sheet to help Timberwolves get a win in Game 1. Edwards knew his shots were not falling efficiently so he decided to become a facilitator and was able to dish nine dimes in the game. He did that by conceding just one turnover, which came early in the first quarter.
The Timberwolves had 29 assists in the game and made 44 field goals, while the Lakers had only 15 on 33 field goals. This indicates Chris Finch’s men were not trying the typical isolation ball by just throwing everything at Edwards and as a leader he was smart to understand that would not work. There is still a lot of basketball left in the series and the Lakers will try and be a lot better in the coming games as they will have to because failure in doing so could result in Edwards continuing his stellar performances and leading the Timberwolves to the next round.
This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission..
