Always a fierce competitor when the stakes are at their highest, Anthony Edwards was asked back at the start of training camp how he’d keep himself motivated against the league’s cellar dwellers.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, rear, goes to the basket against Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) in the first quarter of an NBA Cup basketball game Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
The affable star guard delivered another of his patently honest answers.
“Try to get a career high in points,” Edwards said. “I think that’s how I’m going to try to do it, because I usually approach it like, ‘Ah, I’m going to let my teammates get that (shots) off.’ Instead, I’m just going to go for a career high. I think that’s how I’m going to stay engaged.”
That formula is now 1 for 1 in terms of effectiveness.
In his first game of the season against a suspected tanking team, Edwards scored 29 of his 37 points in the first half as Minnesota pummeled Utah 137-97 in Minneapolis in the team’s NBA Cup group play opener on the fluorescent green Target Center floor.
It was all Wolves from start to finish, as Minnesota utilized a cranked-up defensive intensity to build up a 27-6 advantage midway through the opening frame.
The Wolves also disposed of Charlotte and Brooklyn with relative ease within the past week, but Edwards was sidelined for those contests with a hamstring strain.
Thus far this season, his only full games were against Portland, the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks. Friday marked the All-NBA guard’s first chance to pour it on an inferior foe. He didn’t waste it.
Edwards went 10 for 16 from the field — including 6 for 10 from deep — in the first half alone as Minnesota led 79-45 at half.
But truly everyone rolled throughout the evening. Julius Randle logged his second triple-double over the last three games, finishing with 19 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds. Jaden McDaniels’ run of efficient offense continued to the tune of 22 points on 9 for 14 shooting to go with three steals and two blocked shots.
And the entire team defended in the manner it has yearned to do since the season’s outset.
Minnesota held Utah (3-6) to 37% shooting while forcing 18 turnovers it parlayed into 22 points. Jazz star forward Lauri Markkanen finished with just 12 points on 4 for 14 shooting.
The massive margin of victory sets Minnesota (5-4) up well for NBA Cup advancement. The winners of each of the six groups automatically advance to the quarterfinals, but there are also two additional spots for wildcard teams. Those are given to the 3-1 teams with the best point differential in group play.
Minnesota’s group is quite favorable. On top of Utah, the Wolves will play Sacramento and Phoenix, who are also expected to occupy positions near the bottom of the Western Conference standings. Win those games, and the Wolves may have a quarterfinal spot all but secure before they even play the Oklahoma City Thunder in their group play finale on Nov. 26.
The Wolves failed to reach the quarterfinals in each of the first two years of Cup play. They’re now in a strong position to do so in their trip around the block.
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