Anthony Edwards is in no way afraid of LeBron James. Not in the slightest. He proved that much midway through Game 4 on Sunday afternoon at Target Center.
After igniting a run shortly before halftime to help the Timberwolves close the gap on the Los Angeles Lakers, Edwards made his presence felt when James tried to play some bully ball on the other end.
In that moment, Edwards stood up to James, literally and figuratively, shoving him a few times too many, which resulted in him getting called for a foul that was very much deserved. What message was he trying to send?
“Just letting him know that we here,” Edwards said. “You ain’t just going to push around.”
Fittingly, the Timberwolves embodied that mentality as they chased down the Lakers to earn a 116-113 win. They showed absolutely no fear in the final minutes with Edwards leading the charge.
“He just took over,” Chris Finch said. “He’s a special player and he had a special night.”
That might be putting it lightly.
It was an otherworldly performance by Edwards as he finished with 43 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists. He did everything required of him to lead the Timberwolves to a win, whether it was nailing stepback jumpers, making the right read out of the double team, and getting to the free throw line at will.
The performance from Edwards was a continuation in his growth as a player. He’s taken his game to the next level so far in the playoffs. Especially when the chips are on the table.
“He’s been real meticulous with what he’s doing late in the games,” Mike Conley said. “He’s taking his time, really sizing up the defense, and understanding where guys are going to be on the court.”
Though certainly got some help from Julius Randle, who finished with 25 points, Jaden McDaniels, who finished with 15 points, and Naz Reid, who finished with 12 points, Edwards was consistently the best player on the court.
As good as he was at various points throughout the game, however, Edwards saved his best for last when his teammates needed him most.
With the Timberwolves trailing by 10 points with 12 minutes to play, Edwards refused to let them lose. He went nuclear from beyond the arc for a brief stretch and finishing 16 points in the final frame alone.
On the other end, James looked every bit of 40 years old, running out of gas down the stretch after playing near the entire game. He failed to score a point in the final frame and spent most possessions camping in the corner trying to catch his breath.
“I felt like they was gassed,” Edwards said. “Just tried to keep my foot on the pedal.”
The juxtaposition of the performance from Edwards and the performance from James sure felt like a passing of the torch.
Though he isn’t necessarily the best player in the league — not with Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic still very much at the peak of their powers — Edwards is starting to come into his own as the next face of it.
“When it comes winning time the dude knows how to win,” Donte DiVincenzo said. “That’s flat out what it comes down to.”
That’s a perfect way to describe Edwards. Just like it was a perfect way to describe James once upon a time.
“I just try to take advantage of every opportunity because I’ve been dreaming of this all my life,” Edwards said. “Just trying to prove I belong and to all my haters and people that criticize me that I’m better than they think.”
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