It’s well past time to stop underestimating guard Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves in their first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers.
With 10.7 seconds left in the fourth quarter in Minnesota’s home game on Sunday, Edwards drilled two clutch free throws, giving the Wolves a 116-113 lead. The Lakers then drove up the court, setting up an open three-pointer for guard Austin Reaves, but the ball rattled out of the bucket.
With the loss, the Lakers now trail the Timberwolves 3-1. Of course, it’s not the first time Lakers forward LeBron James has been in this position.
During the 2016 NBA Finals, the Cleveland Cavaliers trailed the Golden State Warriors 3-1, but the future Hall of Famer led a comeback, and the club won its only championship.
While that Warriors team featured Stephen Curry and a prime Klay Thompson, it didn’t have a force like Edwards.
On Sunday, he scored 43 points on 12-of-23 shooting, grabbed nine rebounds and had six assists. His stellar performance helped Minnesota outscore L.A. 32-19 in the fourth quarter.
James and Lakers guard Luka Doncic have played well throughout the series. Through four games, Doncic has averaged 30.8 points per game, while James has averaged 26.3 points per game. On Sunday, Doncic and James combined for 65 points. But that’s still not enough to knock off Edwards and Co.
The series heads back to Los Angeles for Game 5 on Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET on TNT. If L.A. wins that game, don’t expect James to spur another remarkable comeback.
Until the Lakers find a way to ground Edwards, they’ll likely be eliminated from the first round of the playoffs for a second consecutive season.
While the Lakers roster has, perhaps, the two biggest stars in the sport in James and Doncic, it seems the series may be Edwards’ moment to shine.
