MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Anthony Edwards delivered the star-level performance Minnesota desperately needed, helping the Timberwolves even their heated first-round playoff battle with Denver after capturing Game 2 on the road.
Edwards posted 30 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while adding two blocks and providing vocal leadership for his squad. Minnesota head coach Chris Finch praised Edwards’ calming presence even after a disappointing showing in the series opener.
“He was calm and gave confidence to the guys,” Finch said, reflecting on the series opener after practice on Wednesday. “When we were down early and big, he was really into them with the right messages, to stay calm but to do the things that were asked to be done — put a little bit more work in, be a little smarter with the fouling, all that kind of stuff. So I thought that was really key.”
The four-time All-Star has been crucial in motivating Rudy Gobert to excel defensively against Denver’s star center Nikola Jokic. Edwards has also shown his commitment by competing despite knee issues that kept him out of 11 of the final 13 regular season contests.
“It definitely uplifts me. I feel like I can’t let him down. If he’s out there battling, then there’s no excuse why I can’t give my best and make the extra effort plays and just go out there and compete at the highest level,” teammate Julius Randle said.
Minnesota will require Edwards to maintain this level of intensity across all aspects of the game to defeat their biggest rival three more times and advance to the next round.
Denver will certainly bring their own determination when they visit Minnesota for Thursday’s Game 3 between these evenly matched clubs. Thursday’s other Game 3 matchups feature New York traveling to Atlanta and Cleveland visiting Toronto.
The recent history between Minnesota and Denver shows just how competitive this rivalry has become, with each team claiming 15 victories in their past 30 encounters across regular season and playoff action over the last four seasons.
“Who doesn’t love a big game? Who doesn’t want to wake up for a game with a lot of excitement, a lot of back and forth in it?” Timberwolves reserve Naz Reid said.
Game Details: Game 3, 7 p.m. EDT (Prime Video)
Series Status: Tied 1-1.
Betting Line: Nuggets by 2 1/2.
Key Storylines: The intensity between these division foes continues to escalate in their third playoff meeting in four years, with both games featuring physical play and heated moments. Minnesota gained valuable momentum by overcoming a 19-point early deficit to claim a 119-114 victory in Game 2. Edwards now has six 30-point performances against Denver across 14 playoff games, while guard Donte DiVincenzo has been exceptional with a game-high plus-20 rating and 16 points in the latest win. DiVincenzo has connected on 10 of 16 three-point attempts through two games. Denver dismissed postgame comments from Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels, who suggested the Timberwolves should continue attacking Denver directly because they’re “all bad defenders.”
