"If I'm refereeing that game, and you dunk on someone like that, I'm not calling a charge" - Anthony Edwards disappointed in the NBA referees after his monster dunk is ruled out, refers to them as 'zebras'
Anthony Edwards' Minnesota Timberwolves pulled off an incredible upset against the in-form Miami Heat to register their ninth win of the 2021-22 NBA season. Although the game was still close early in the fourth quarter, Edwards was not afraid to attempt the spectacular.
With ten minutes left to play in the fourth quarter, Anthony Edwards cut the rim and was clear for take-off, but Heat's Gabe Vincent stepped in to draw the charge. Many people thought it was a clean dunk and should have stood. But the referees thought otherwise, calling on an offensive foul on Ant-Man.
Speaking post-game, Anthony Edwards was dumbfounded that it was called an offensive foul but laughed through it all. He probably would have reacted differently if his team had lost the game. When asked if he thought it was a foul, he said:
"The zebras man I don't know. If I'm refereeing that game, and you dunk on someone like that, I'm not calling a charge. And you at home, not calling a charge. I don't care if he was three feet above the circle like I'm not calling a charge."
The NBA rules are clear regarding plays like these. And while that was one of the best dunks of the season, the referees had to follow the rules to the T.
Can Anthony Edwards lead the Timberwolves to a playoff feature?
Since 2004, the Wolves have had only one playoff victory. They qualified for the playoffs in 2018 and lost to the Houston Rockets in five games.
With the quality on their roster, a playoff feature is undoubtedly the primary goal of the organization, and Anthony Edwards can help them achieve that. The team has been dependent only on Karl-Anthony Towns, and while he is an elite talent, he could not single-handedly lead them to the playoffs.
HAVE A NIGHT ANTHONY EDWARDS 🤩
33 PTS
14 REB
6 AST
3 STL
13/27 FG
Leads Timberwolves over Miami 😤 https://t.co/tWB1BVQxkY
Things can change now with the addition of Anthony Edwards and D'Angelo Russell. They are an exciting trio and could cause problems for opposition defenders.
Edwards was selected with the first overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft and is showing his worth. Although he struggled to shoot the ball, he had a stellar rookie season and made the All-Rookie team.
So far this season, Anthony Edwards has been the best player for the Wolves. There have been nights when he has cooled off but he is still one of the better players on the court for them.
Edwards is averaging 22.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.4 steals in 17 games played. Compared to his rookie season, he is a much better shooter, with a three-point percentage of .360 while shooting 43.4% from the field.
The competition in the Western Conference is stiff, but the Wolves can make the playoffs. Despite the NBA returning to its 82-game schedule, they still retained the play-in tournament. It means that the Wolves will have an opportunity to fight for a spot even if they finish outside the top six.