All greats who pass through the Association must undergo this rite of passage. Anthony Edwards responded to a need. He confronted the defending champs and delivered a tremendous blow that would have knocked lesser teams out.
Edwards is the NBA's newest sweetheart, and he deserves all the acclaim. Edwards was a one-man show in Western Conference semifinal Game 4. Even without saying it, the 22-year-old knew a series could be won Sunday night.
Edwards arrived but was greeted by a proud champion that appeared to have found its groove in the worst conditions. Edwards will be like the Denver Nuggets, facing a dynamic young jack with nothing to lose, and he'll remember scoring 44 efficiently. He'll remember not everyone on his side meeting the occasion.
Edwards' enemy, the Nuggets, is blocking him. The Detroit Pistons' obstruction of Michael Jordan's coronation. How the Celtics initially blocked LeBron James.
Sunday's 115-107 triumph at Target Center saw the Nuggets knot the Western Conference semifinal series at two games each. The series returns to Denver on Tuesday, where the Timberwolves won two games a week earlier.
Oh, how a week changes things. Edwards has dropped 40 for the second time this series and averaged 33.2 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals in four games. He battled the Nuggets at every step, going to the basket, absorbing contact in a rough series, but standing tall, making triples, and learning his impact in high-stakes basketball.
Edwards was great. He moved carefully, tiptoeing through the lane like Gregory Hines. If the Nuggets have figured out everyone else in this series, they haven't this man.
“He came out with a very aggressive mindset and he maintained it throughout the game, irrespective of what his teammates were not doing,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said.
Fatigue may be the Nuggets' best chance of stopping him. Edwards, who played as a cornerback against all Nuggets scorers, including Nikola Jokić in the fourth quarter, was exhausted in the final 12 minutes.
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