MINNEAPOLIS — With the clock winding down within the Minnesota Timberwolves’ 115-107 Sport 4 loss to the Denver Nuggets — ending a disastrous homestand throughout which the Wolves handed again the two-game Western Convention semifinals lead that they had constructed on the defending champs — Anthony Edwards regarded defiant relatively than defeated.
Because the 22-year-old star crossed instructions with Denver’s Jamal Murray close to the sideline, Edwards clapped his palms, nodded his head and stored his gaze mounted on the Nuggets level guard whereas he delivered a message.
“I simply instructed his ass we love that,” mentioned Edwards, who scored a game-high 44 factors in Sunday’s outing. “‘Hold speaking [like] that. That is what we like.’ Effectively, I cherished it. He did not say nothing again. However I am fairly positive he heard me. They heard me. You reside for that.”
Edwards made loads of noise together with his play earlier than that, topping the 40-point plateau for the second time within the collection and the third time this postseason as he shot 16-for-25 from the sphere (64%), 5-for-8 from 3 (62.5%) and 7-for-8 from the foul line (87.5%) in Sport 4.
The remainder of his staff mixed to shoot 40.4% total, 30% from 3 and 57.9% on free throws.
The Wolves now head again to Denver with the collection tied 2-2.
Murray, who scored 13 of his 19 factors from the ultimate two seconds of the primary half by the primary 4½ minutes of the third quarter — together with a buzzer-beating 3 from 55 toes out to finish the second quarter — didn’t touch upon the change with Edwards.
However Murray did converse on the problem of containing the Wolves capturing guard, who’s averaging 33.3 factors on 60.4% capturing by the primary 4 video games of this second-round collection.
“He is downhill, he is robust to protect, he is explosive,” Murray mentioned. “He is at all times in assault mode, you already know what I am saying? So, I feel we are able to simply do a greater job of simply giving him some consideration.”
Whereas Edwards confronted Murray, the Wolves guard comforted his teammate Karl-Anthony Cities, who shot simply 1-for-10 within the first half on his technique to a 5 for 18 efficiency. Cities scored simply 13 factors whereas Nuggets large males Nikola Jokic (35 factors on 15-for-26 from the sphere) and Aaron Gordon (27 factors on 11-for-12) had big nights.
“He is a celebrity,” Edwards mentioned of Cities. “He will get paid to place the ball within the rim. I at all times inform him, ‘Do not you ever cease capturing the ball since you missed 5 – 6. I do not give a rattling. To ensure that us to win, we’d like you to attain.’ I am simply blissful he was aggressive the whole evening. That is a win for us tonight. Him being aggressive all through after having an off evening, I suppose.”
Even with the phrases of encouragement from Edwards and an enchancment within the second half, Cities couldn’t cover his disappointment.
“Issues weren’t falling at the moment,” Cities mentioned. “I take accountability for that. I do know I put the work in, so I be ok with the work I put in. It is proven this playoffs, clearly. It is unlucky that on Mom’s Day I’ve a capturing efficiency like that. But it surely’s the way in which the sport goes. It isn’t a enjoyable sport generally.”
Cities’ mom, Jackie Cruz-Cities, died of COVID-19 issues in April 2020.
Because the longest-tenured member of the Wolves, drafted by the franchise with the No. 1 decide in 2015, Cities has skilled loads extra on-court disappointment than dropping two video games straight within the playoffs. In three of his first eight seasons within the league, Minnesota gained fewer than 30 video games, earlier than breaking by with 56 wins this season to earn the No. 3 seed within the West.
“We simply bought to remain linked on this locker room,” Cities mentioned. “Even by good, dangerous, we at all times are collectively, and we at all times lean into the brotherhood that we’ve got constructed right here. … But it surely’s a take a look at now. And we bought to be keen to indicate the work that we have put into our friendships and {our relationships} on this staff, and that work that we have put in all yr will materialize to us both discovering a technique to win this collection collectively or discovering ourselves on the unsuitable facet of historical past.”
If Edwards’ angle on the finish of Sport 4 was an indicator, there may be a minimum of one Wolves participant who’s unfazed by Denver knotting issues up.
“I do not suppose they bought any momentum,” Edwards mentioned of the Nuggets. “We gained two video games. They gained two video games. At this level, it is whoever wins two [more] video games. I do not understand how folks have a look at it, however I have a look at it like I am blissful. I am prepared.
“It is competing on the highest stage. I am smiling about it as a result of I am blissful. I am able to go play. If we performed tomorrow, I might be prepared. It will be enjoyable.”
