The Minnesota Timberwolves struggled offensively in Tuesday’s 99-88 loss at the hands of the Golden State Warriors despite Stephen Curry leaving the game due to a hamstring injury. Following the game, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch called out star guard Anthony Edwards for his performance.
“It starts with Ant,” Finch said. “I thought he struggled, and then you could just kind of see the light go out a little bit for a while.”
Edwards finished with 23 points on 9 of 22 shooting (1 of 5 from 3) while securing 14 rebounds and dishing out two assists. While his production eventually came around, Edwards missed his first 10 shots and didn’t convert a field goal until four minutes into the third quarter.
Stephen Curry injury update: Warriors star likely out Game 2 with hamstring strain, return timeline unclear
Brad Botkin
“What is there to talk about? You’re the leader of the team,” Finch added. “You’ve got to come out and set the tone. If your shot is not going, you still have to carry the energy. If I’ve got to talk to guys about having the right energy coming into an opening second-round game, then we’re not on the same page.”
Edwards hasn’t shot the ball all that efficiently dating back to the opening round against the Los Angeles Lakers. In a series-clinching Game 5 win, Edwards was just 5 of 19 from the field and missed all 11 of his attempts from 3. However, he recorded eight assists and grabbed 11 rebounds against Los Angeles as he affected the game in other ways.
The Timberwolves will certainly need Edwards to step up his game with the Warriors winning the first game of the second-round playoff series.
