Although the Timberwolves dug their way out of a walk-off victory for the Warriors, their efforts weren’t enough. A preposterous first quarter gave the Warriors command of the entire game. However, the opening period is where the game was lost according to coach Flinch. Among the mistakes in the first quarter included “losing Curry” as the Wolves coach mentioned. But how hard can it be to cover one man? Ideally, not a tedious task. But what Anthony Edwards saw blew his mind.
Ant-Man spent time with Curry in Paris and even got close to the Chef due to his infectious mannerisms. Likewise, he has all the respect for the living icon. But when it comes to denying him the ball, Edwards felt helpless not because of his insane motor. It was because each of Curry’s teammates’ first instinct was consistent.
“I think it’s because of his teammates it’s not because of him. It’s hard to deny somebody when four other players are trying. They trying to give him the ball… I don’t think it’s so much on Steph because everybody knows how great he is at moving without the ball but I think his teammates play a huge role in that too. Every time they touch the ball they are like where he at,” Anthony Edwards told the reporters.
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via Imago Jan 15, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) reacts in the second half against the Golden State Warriors at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
And well, it is true. The Warriors system is based on the effect Stephen Curry tends to have on the opposition. It’s impossible to slag off on him since he plays off the ball. Hence, even though he is their chief scorer, his time per possession is merely 4.4 seconds, half of that of Jalen Brunson.
Without collaboration, such a system is probably impossible to run. It’s a unique way to operate with an ace. However, Steve Kerr and the Warriors trust Curry to make the right. Tonight, he did so, supplying 31 points and also throwing 9 dimes in the thrilling win against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Why can’t Anthony Edwards and the Wolves do the same?
This season there has been a revolution with Anthony Edwards. The slashing guard who made the rim cry is averaging 9.9 three-point attempts per game, the fifth most in the league. In addition, he also leads the charts in threes made. So with such a lethal weapon at their disposal, why can’t the Wolves run a system such as the Warriors?
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“We don’t have Steph Curry,” Edwards laughingly admitted. “I can’t run around all day like that man. You gonna see me pass out in the second quarter running like Steph. No sir,”.
With a greater range of scorers around him, Ant-Man doesn’t have to be the only player the Wolves look for. They play far differently than a shooting-heavy tactic such as the Warriors. However, there is something the team can do to improve and find success with their new-looking team.
“It took us too long to find that gear. But once we did, we figured some things out. We scored 30, 36, 37 in the last three quarters. But we didn’t start the game with the same type of urgency,” Chris Flinch said after the game.
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It’s no surprise the Wolves feel this way. They were unenergetic in the first quarter, scoring just 12. It’s the lowest mark for them in any quarter this season. Since then, they managed to beat the Warriors in every single quarter. However, escaping a 24-point deficit from the very beginning is a tough ask no matter the quality of players.
Do you think the Wolves can gain consistency having learned a hard lesson tonight? Let us know your views in the comments below.
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