Anthony Edwards was visibly upset after Minnesota fell in five games to Denver in last year’s first-round playoff series.

Many likely remember Edwards running directly off the floor after his potential game-tying 3-pointer hit off the iron as the clock expired to end the Timberwolves’ season, and the folding chair relocation that briefly slowed his sprint to the tunnel.

But just as memorable was the dejection Edwards’ displayed in his postgame press conference roughly 15 minutes later. The generally charismatic All-Star guard could muster little in terms of insight or emotion.

Edwards said that first-round exit — his second in as many seasons — provided “all the motivation” he needed heading into the offseason. But he also said he took a little pressure off himself for the defeat once the Nuggets went on to win the NBA championship.

“Like, I lost to the championship team,” Edwards said after Minnesota completed its first-round sweep of Phoenix on Sunday. “But yeah, man, I don’t like that feeling at all, getting sent home — especially in five games. I mean, at least take them to seven, you know what I mean? Hopefully we play them a little tougher this time.”

That’s the Timberwolves’ plan and, frankly, the Wolves likely enter this series confident they’ll push — if not beat — the defending champion Nuggets. The second-round series starts Saturday in Denver. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. CDT.

Bruce Brown, a key reserve guard for the Nuggets last season before leaving in free agency in the offseason, noted on a podcast last summer that Minnesota gave the Nuggets their toughest fight, even though the series went just five games.

And the Timberwolves feel like a better team this time around.

“We’re healthier,” Karl-Anthony Towns noted.

Towns is certainly in a better spot. He returned from a calf injury with just a couple games left in the regular season in 2023. While the same situation essentially played out this year with his meniscus tear, Towns returned in much better condition, and his reintegration into the fold has gone smoothly.

The Wolves also have Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid, who missed last season’s series because of injuries. So, it’s possible Minnesota can give the defending champs a legitimate run this time around.

Here are the keys to the series:

JAMAL MURRAY

The Denver guard officially sent the Lakers home packing in Game 5 on Monday with the go-ahead shot made in the closing seconds. It was Murray’s second game-winner of the series.

But outside of his late-game excellence, the guard struggled with his efficiency throughout the series. Over the five games, he eclipsed the 22-point plateau just once, while shooting 40% from the field and 29% from 3-point range.

Denver’s offense failed to hum at its usual pace throughout its series against the Lakers, and Murray’s lack of production was a big reason. Forget soon-to-be, three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, Murray — who played through a calf injury Monday — is often the best barometer for Denver’s success.

That’s been especially true against Minnesota. In last year’s playoffs, the Wolves only won Game 4, during which Murray went 8 for 21 from the field. Minnesota’s two regular-season wins this year against Denver came in a late March contest in which Murray didn’t play and an early November bout where Murray went 5 for 16 from the floor.

Meanwhile, Murray had 20 points and six assists while going 8 for 13 from the floor in Denver’s victory over Minnesota in April, and he had 13 assists when the Nuggets won at Target Center in mid-March.

He scored 40 in Game 2 of last year’s series and had 35 in the series-clinching Game 5. But McDaniels’ length can make life difficult for Murray. Nickeil Alexander-Walker had to chase Murray around, essentially, by himself in last year’s playoffs. The ability for Alexander-Walker and McDaniels to share the duty should prove advantageous for Minnesota.

ANTHONY EDWARDS

Like many teams, Denver doesn’t really have an answer for Edwards. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is a solid perimeter defending guard, but he gives up a lot of size to Edwards. Aaron Gordon, a mobile power forward, is Denver’s biggest potential “wing” defender, but he’s generally assigned the Towns’ matchup.

In last year’s series, Denver tried to guard Edwards relatively straight up, and often paid dearly for it. Finally, in Game 5, the Nuggets committed more resources to limiting the scoring guard, which freed up opportunities for others like Towns to shine. As was the case in the Wolves’ series sweep of Phoenix, nearly all of Minnesota’s offensive advantages were created through Edwards’ presence on the floor.

Edwards has demonstrated his ability to repeatedly make the right play for others when multiple defenders are assigned to slowing him. But should Denver again attempt to defend Edwards with just someone like Caldwell-Pope, Edwards has to be aggressive early to take advantage of that and force the Nuggets to shift strategies.

Because Denver doesn’t have a truly elite defensive wing or shot blocker in its starting five, Edwards is Minnesota’s biggest advantage in the series.

LATE-GAME EXECUTION

The Lakers scored 121 points per 100 possessions in clutch time in their first-round series against Denver, which demonstrated strong offensive execution with the game on the line. And yet the Lakers dropped all three games that were decided in clutch time.

Because Denver scored a remarkable 1.63 points per clutch-time possession. That’s offensive execution at its finest, and it resembles what the Nuggets have done all season. They sported the third-best clutch-time offense during the regular season and were the best clutch-time team overall. When the Nuggets run a possession late in a close game, they usually generate a good shot.

Minnesota, meanwhile, was 27th in clutch-time efficiency. The Wolves often bogged down on offense, which also, at times, compromised their defense.

That’s what was most encouraging about Minnesota’s Game 4 victory over Phoenix. While the Wolves obliterated the Suns over the first three contests of the series, they needed to ride Edwards over the final few minutes to close out the series-winner.

Edwards is more apt now to succeed in such situations as he’s evolved as a decision maker. If the Wolves can simply rely on the 22-year-old to steer the ship late in games and experience success doing so, they’re in good shape.

If not, Minnesota could find itself kicking away a couple winnable games against the Nuggets, something that cannot happen if the Wolves hope to reach their first Western Conference Finals since 2004.

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3M Co. plans to slash its dividend, ending more than six decades of boosting the payout each year as it enters a new era following the spinoff of its health care products division.

Starting in May, the Maplewood-based manufacturing giant plans to pay a dividend at roughly 40% of its adjusted free cash flow, 3M said in a statement Tuesday as it reported better-than-expected first-quarter earnings. That compares to a payout that translated to more than 60% of its free cash flow last year.

Departing 3M Chief Executive Officer Mike Roman said in an interview that the decision was a “resetting of our dividend” following the April 1 spinoff of its massive health care business, now known as Solventum Corp. That business had accounted for about 30% of the company’s free cash flow, he said.

The move breaks with 3M’s legacy as so-called dividend aristocrat. The maker of Post-it notes, industrial adhesives and roofing granules earned that reputation by paying a dividend for more than a century without interruption. And through last year, it increased the payout on a per-share basis annually for several decades.

“Paying a competitive dividend has been a priority for 3M for more than 100 years,” Roman said on the company’s earnings call. “This will continue to be true.”

The change puts 3M’s dividend in line with its industrial peers, he said.

Despite the reduced payout, investors traded up the shares after the quarterly results suggested the slimmed-down 3M is getting a handle on its shaky financial situation. The stock rose 4.7% on Tuesday.

Adjusted earnings were $2.39 per share in the first three months of the year, topping the $2.03 average of analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Adjusted operating income margin was 21.9%, also exceeding Wall Street expectations for 19.8%.

“The margin performance in Q1 was strong,” Julian Mitchell, a Barclays analyst, said in a note. Sales and adjusted earnings above expectations could also be contributing to the share performance, he said.

3M initiated a full-year outlook for adjusted earnings of $6.80 to $7.30 per share, without contribution from its former health care division.

CEO Change

The results are Roman’s last as 3M’s CEO. Former L3Harris Technologies Inc. CEO William “Bill” Brown will take over chief executive on Wednesday. Roman will continue as 3M’s executive chairman.

Roman’s six-year tenure was tumultuous. The company won praise during the pandemic for accelerating respirator production before it struggled to combat slumping sales, soaring inflation and legal challenges as the economy recovered. Roman plans to stay on as 3M’s executive chair.

Recently, Roman has come under fire for failing to boost 3M’s margins, with the conglomerate’s share price falling by nearly half under his tenure. The company is facing multiple lawsuits over its use of so-called “forever chemicals” in its products and faulty earplugs that are likely to cost it billions in damages.

The health care spinoff raised nearly $8 billion in cash, while the company holds 19.9% of Solventum’s common stock, which will be monetized over the next five years.

Analysts have said 3M’s dividend was in line for a cut following the spinoff. Multibillion-dollar legal settlements will also weigh on the company’s cash flows, fueling expectations for a reduction.

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Dylan Simmons, the man accused of intentionally striking and killing a teenage girl with his vehicle last year in Lakeside Memorial Park in downtown Forest Lake, has pleaded not guilty.

Dylan Robert Simmons (Courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office)

Simmons, 20, of North Branch, is facing six criminal charges in connection with the hit-and-run death of Darisha Bailey Vath, 17, of Stacy, Minn., around 1:20 a.m. July 16, 2023. The charges include two counts of second-degree murder, one count of criminal vehicular homicide and three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon in connection, according to the Washington County Attorney’s office.

Simmons last week rejected a plea deal offered by prosecutors and pleaded not guilty to all six charges, said Laura Perkins, public information manager. Terms of the plea deal were not disclosed.

Simmons’ attorneys said their client acted out of self-defense, she said.

Security video footage shows a white Mazda 3, driven by Simmons, was parked and then “quickly drove forward in the direction of a group of approximately six bystanders, narrowly missing them,” according to the criminal complaint filed in Washington County District Court.

“Simmons then looped around and again rapidly accelerated towards the group of bystanders … narrowly missing them, but striking the rear end of a parked vehicle,” the complaint states. “(He) then backed up and again lurched forward, striking and then driving over (Vath) before leaving the parking lot.”

The hit-and-run allegedly happened after a fight involving two groups of people that knew one another.

“Participants on both sides were shouting at the other and multiple participants had armed themselves with weapons such as a baseball bat, hammers, a crowbar and a folding knife,” the complaint states.

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Buzzy newcomer Stephen Sanchez will headline the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand on Aug. 31.

Tickets are priced from $68 to $34 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday through Etix or by phone at 800-514-3849.

Sanchez, 21, first earned attention in the summer of 2020 when he posted a cover of Cage the Elephant’s “Cigarette Daydreams” on TikTok. After posting a snippet of his own song “Lady by the Sea,” singer/songwriter Jeremy Zucker reached out with an offer to produce it. That led to a deal with Republic Records, which released his debut EP “What Was, Not Now” in October 2021.

Thanks to a sound heavily influenced by the music of the 1950s and early ’60s — most obviously Roy Orbison — Sanchez has been able to stand out in the crowded pop music market. His 2021 single “Until I Found You” went quadruple platinum in the U.S. and hit the charts around the world, making it to No. 1 in India and Malaysia. He performed it on “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and “The Late Late Show with James Corden” as well as with Elton John during his headlining show at Glastonbury 2023.

Sanchez released his debut album “Angel Face” last fall and embarked on a sold-out tour that included an October stop at First Avenue.

Other Grandstand performers include Chance the Rapper, Nate Bargatze, Blake Shelton, the Happy Together Tour, Ludacris and T-Pain, Motley Crue, Matchbox Twenty and Kidz Bop Live. The final two shows will be announced in the coming weeks.

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