"He just outran me" - Anthony Edwards admits fatigue played into exhaustion during series opener vs Dallas
Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves dropped Wednesday's Game 1 Western Conference finals home matchup against the Dallas Mavericks 108-105. Afterward, the two-time All-Star noted that Minnesota struggled with fatigue coming off its grueling seven-game Round 2 series victory over the Denver Nuggets.
Edwards and his co-star Karl-Anthony Towns combined for only 35 points on 12-for-36 (33.3%) shooting. Meanwhile, Mavericks stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving combined for 63 points on 24-for-49 (49.0%) shooting as Dallas snatched home-court advantage from the Timberwolves.
During his postgame interview, Edwards touched on Minnesota's inconsistent energy level throughout the contest.
"We came out flat today and then we found our energy and then went back to being flat," Edwards said. "So, I think it was just on us. Everything was on us today. I didn't get downhill as much. ... We were just a little tired, probably."
Edwards was asked whether Sunday's Game 7 comeback win over Denver factored into his team's energy deficiency. The Timberwolves trailed the Nuggets by 20 points in the must-win contest's third quarter before rallying for a 98-90 road victory to eliminate the defending champions.
Meanwhile, the Mavericks had an extra day of rest after securing a 117-116 Game 6 second-round victory to eliminate the OKC Thunder 4-2 on Saturday.
According to Edwards, that disadvantage contributed to Minnesota's struggles keeping up with Dallas, including his difficulty defending Irving. However, he noted that he isn't concerned about his squad's chances of bouncing back.
"Yeah, for sure. Y'all can see it, we were a step behind everybody, especially myself," Edwards said. "Kyrie got a transition layup from when I think we scored and he just outran me. I was just exhausted. So, yeah, for sure. But we'll be alright."
Through 12 playoff outings, Anthony Edwards is averaging 28.1 points per game on 49.6% shooting, the highest average of any player remaining in the postseason. So, most would probably agree that the 22-year-old's confidence is justified.
Draymond Green calls out Anthony Edwards' leadership following Game 1 postgame comments
After Anthony Edwards' Game 1 postgame interview, Golden State Warriors veteran forward Draymond Green called him out for making excuses.
On TNT, Green noted that Edwards typically exudes confidence, which spreads throughout his team. According to the four-time NBA champion, Edwards citing fatigue as an excuse could lead his teammates to follow suit.
"I've said a lot about Anthony Edwards' interviews all playoffs long and that was one of my least favorites," Green said. "Saying, 'We're tired, we didn't know what to expect.' The same way those guys have followed you to this point, they'll follow that as well."
It remains to be seen if Edwards' comments will negatively impact Minnesota moving forward. He and the Timberwolves will attempt to even up their Round 3 series 1-1 during Friday's Game 2 matchup in Minnesota.
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