Anthony Edwards shines late as Wolves take Game 3

By Jace Frederick, Pioneer Press – April 26, 2025

The Timberwolves were one of the very worst clutch-time teams in the NBA this season. They went 20-26 in games with a margin within five points at any point in the last five minutes. They were out-scored by 8.4 points per 100 possessions in those instances.

They’re the only Western Conference playoff team in the bottom 12 in the NBA in clutch net rating.

So of course, with the game tied in the final five minutes of a series-swinging game, the Wolves delivered. Minnesota finished the game on a 13-1 run to topple the Lakers 116-104 in Game 3 on Friday at Target Center.

The Wolves now lead the best-of-7 first-round series 2-1. Game 4 is Sunday in Minneapolis.

“We picked the perfect time to kind of close the game (well),” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch noted. “Our best closing effort of the year, no doubt, both sides of the ball.”

Offensively, Anthony Edwards led the charge. It’s fitting in that the 23-year-old guard was one of three finalists for the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year honor. What’s funny is that when the Timberwolves posted about Edwards being a finalist on social media, local fans were befuddled.

“What? Why?”

They knew of the team’s struggles, and were all-too-aware of the star’s role in them. He took too many tough shots, and missed most of them. He tallied more clutch-time turnovers than assists. A clutch player in the regular season he was not.

A clutch player in the most critical moment of the season to date? Absolutely.

Tied 103-103 in the final five minutes of a game in which it could never create separation, Edwards delivered a few minutes of brilliant offense.

First, the guard hit a 3-pointer over a mild contest to put Minnesota back in front. A minute later, he drove to collapse the defense before kicking out to Naz Reid, who buried a triple of his own. Then with Minnesota up five with 2:30 to play, Edwards maneuvered his way through the lane for a layup.

Finally, with Minnesota up six and just more than a minute to play, the guard hit a long jumper to effectively put the game on ice.

Edwards finished with 29 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. He had seven points, two assists, three rebounds, a blocked shot and zero turnovers in the final frame.

“He was completely in control, and that’s what we’ve been wanting from him,” Wolves guard Mike Conley said. “Tonight was a great step in the right direction for late game for us. He’s going to have the ball, he’s going to make a lot of decisions, but for him to see the court, manage the court, make plays for guys in big moments just shows that he’s really trying. He’s really working at it.”

That control is something Minnesota has lacked for much of the season with the game in the balance. Too often Minnesota seemed to have no plan in such situations. And blame would naturally head in the direction of the head coach.

But this is the NBA. It’s a star-driven league. When Denver needs a bucket late, Nikola Jokic is driving the bus. Same for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Oklahoma City and Jalen Brunson in New York.

No matter who is on the team, when Minnesota needs to generate something late in the game, Anthony Edwards is getting the rock at the top of the floor. And he’ll be expected to make something happen.

“It helps when you have an All-NBA guy on your team,” Wolves guard Donte DiVincenzo said. “It’s all about going quick for him, and he understands that and he knows what he wants to get to. He did a great job tonight of getting exactly where he wanted to get to.”

The guard was reading the game and adjusting accordingly. Nothing was predetermined in his mind. He was thinking through plays as they occurred. On his kickout to Reid, Edwards noted the Wolves ran an action to get Luka Doncic to switch, and that didn’t occur. Instead, the Lakers were going to double Edwards. So he made a split-second decision to attack Doncic off the bounce and got to the baseline.

Throughout the series, the Lakers have covered up the corner kickouts. So Edwards knew he had to throw a pass to the wing. He couldn’t necessarily see Reid, but he knew someone would be in that spot. Money pass, cashed in by Reid.

Beautiful basketball.

“He was incredible,” Wolves center Rudy Gobert said. “His leadership, watching his understanding of the game, see how he’s growing, how he’s learning, it’s cool to see.”

PHOTO: Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) celebrates after making a 3-point shot during the second half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers, Friday, April 25, 2025, in Minneapolis. | AP Photo/Abbie Parr