Anthony Edwards joins the elite club as he drops a 40-point performance at the age of 21
Anthony Edwards’ incredible 41-point output in Game 2 of the series between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets put him in the record books. He joined LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Ja Morant and Tracy McGrady as the only 21-year-olds to score at least 40 points in the postseason.
21-year-olds with a 40-point playoff game:
— LeBron James
— Luka Doncic
— Ja Morant
— Tracy McGrady
And now, Anthony Edwards. https://t.co/Z5Fj3oOTI7
The youngest to hit 40 points in a playoff game was LA Lakers legend Magic Johnson. “Junior” accomplished the feat in Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers. Johnson started at center to fill in for the injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and finished with 42 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists.
Magic was only 20 years old when he authored one of the most iconic games in NBA history. It was the game that won him the NBA Finals MVP, the youngest to do so in league history.
LeBron James topped 40 points twice as a 21-year-old phenom. He did it against the Washington Wizards on April 28, 2006, when he dropped 41 points. Five days later, he exploded for 45 points against the same opponents.
Like “King James,” Luka Doncic also hit the 40-point mark twice when he was of the same age. “Luka Legend” had 42 and 43 points on August 17 and 23, 2020 against the LA Clippers. Doncic’s 43-point performance also included 17 rebounds and 13 assists.
Anthony Edwards is next on this list after scoring 41 points on Wednesday night against the Denver Nuggets. This was Edwards’ first 40-point game in the postseason. Unfortunately, “Ant-Man” couldn’t lead his team to a series-tying victory.
Anthony Edwards (21 years, 258 days) is the youngest player in NBA history to record 40+ PTS and 5+ 3PM in a playoff game. https://t.co/nK30cq8M1S
Ja Morant carved the Utah Jazz on May 26, 2021, for 47 points in 43 minutes in just his second postseason game. He broke Mike Miller's franchise record of 45 points.
On April 28, 2001, Tracy McGrady had 42 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds against the Milwaukee Bucks. McGrady’s superb performance in Game 3 prevented the Bucks from sweeping the Orlando Magic.
Anthony Edwards has six 40-point games in his career
The Minnesota Timberwolves made Anthony Edwards the No. 1 pick of the 2020 NBA Draft. They believe that the freshman out of Georgia would be the right fit alongside Karl-Anthony Towns to make the franchise relevant in the playoffs again.
“Ant-Man” hasn’t disappointed. Although his game lacked the flourish of Rookie of the Year winner LaMelo Ball, he was as good as advertised.
Edwards has proven himself to be an explosive scorer. He already has six 40-point games in his young career.
Anthony Edwards recorded his first 40-point game on March 18, 2021, against the Phoenix Suns. He had 42 points in 38 minutes and added seven rebounds, three assists and two steals to his total.
The next time he had at least 40 points was on May 5, 2021, against the Memphis Grizzlies. Anthony Edwards again had 42 points, seven assists, six rebounds, one steal and a block. It was one of the most complete games of his young NBA career.
On November 10, 2021, he showed the Golden State Warriors that he was going to be a force on offense. Edwards exploded for a then-career-high 48 points on 16-27 shooting.
The Portland Trail Blazers fell victim to another of Anthony Edwards’ 40-point games. On January 25, 2022, he scored 40 points in just 39 minutes to go with nine rebounds, three steals and three blocks.
On March 7, 2022, “Ant-Man” scored a career-high 49 points against the San Antonio Spurs. Edwards was 16-28 from the field and hit 11-14 free throws.
Anthony Edwards’ career-game vs San Antonio:
49 PTS (career high), 6 REB, 8 AST, 6 3P.
> 1st player w/ multiple 45-point games in a season before turning 21 since KD in 2009
> He’s TOP-5 EVER before turning 21 in: PTS, 40-point games, 3PM, FGM and 40-5-5 games
#RaisedByWolves https://t.co/SwLTUtX3c0
The first-time All-Star had his first 40-point game in 2023 on Jan. 21. He had 44 points in 41 minutes against the Houston Rockets.
During this six-game stretch, he averaged 44.2 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 4.5 APG, 2.0 SPG and 1.2 BPG. He hit 57.9% of his shots, including 48.7% from deep.
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