Anthony Edwards’ Fearless 43 Gives Timberwolves 3-1 Lead over Lakers

Prior to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers’ first round series, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce on Garnett’s KG Certified podcast debated whether Edwards, 23 years old and full of superstardom and oozing confidence, would stand up emotionally to LeBron James and Luka Doncic. Would Edwards be celebratory, would he show his emotions outward?

After Sunday’s Game 4, the answer is an emphatic yes. If it wasn’t clear already. 

Edwards scored 43 points (9 rebounds, 6 assists) on 12-for-23 from the field, made five of his 10 attempts from 3-point range, and got to the line 17 times, making 14. He hit clutch buckets down the stretch and his aggressiveness drew a late foul on LeBron James that allowed the Timberwolves to retain possession of the ball up 114-113 with 10.1 seconds remaining. Replay showed that James slapped Edwards on the wrist. Edwards went to the line and knocked down two free-throws. At the other end, the Wolves clamped on Luka Doncic and James. Austin Reaves was open for a chance to tie. No good. 

After being outscored 36-23 in the third quarter, the Wolves outscored the Lakers 32-19 in the fourth. In addition to Edwards’ 43, Julius Randle played a solid game with 25 points and 7 rebounds (9-for-22). His aggression early was key. Jaden McDaniels continued his superb play this series - he scored 55 total points in Games 1 and 2 - with 16 points and 11 rebounds on 6-for-11 shooting. Off the bench in 20 minutes, Naz Reid was 4-for-7 (2-for-4 from distance) for 12 points. Edwards played 44 minutes, Randle 43. 

Doncic and James both played 46 minutes - Doncic pouring in 38 points on 13-for-28 but registering just two assists and one rebound. James scored 27 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and dished out 8 assists, and 15 of his points came at the free-throw line (18 attempts). Rui Hachimura, 9-for-16 in 41 minutes, was 5-for-10 from downtown and scored 23 points. Reaves, like Doncic, was 5-for-12 from deep, and scored 17 points on 6-of-14 overall. 

The Lakers shot 45.0%, the Timberwolves 42.2%. The Lakers made 19 of their 47 attempts from 3-point range, the Timberwolves made 14-of-36. The Lakers were 22-for-25 from the line, the Timberwolves 26-for-33. The Lakers were outrebounded 49-41 and turned the ball over one more time (10 to 9) than the Timberwolves. 

The Lakers, with two of the game’s most dynamic superstars and competitors, cannot be counted out of this series. So far though, the Timberwolves’ youth and their bench seem to be the difference, aside from the performance of Edwards, who has scored 22, 25, 29, and 43 in the four games thus far. 

In Detroit, Karl-Anthony Towns hit a tough fadeaway jump shot and a step-back triple in the final moments to clinch a 94-93 victory in Detroit, giving the New York Knicks a 3-1 series lead over the Detroit Pistons. 

On the final sequence, Jalen Brunson missed a layup, but at the other end Tim Hardaway Jr., releasing a corner three, looked like he had been fouled but there was a no call on the play. 

Jalen Brunson put up a line of 32-11-5 (13-for-26, 4-for-7) while Towns scored 27 points with 9 rebounds (10-for-23, 5-for-7). Josh Hart was 4-for-9 for 14 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals, the type of performance that we have come to expect from such a complete player. OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges shot a combined 6-for-25, and the Knicks as a team shot 37.4%, though they did make 15-of-33 from downtown. 

The Knicks were outrebounded 54-38 thanks to Jalen Duren’s 17 (11 in the first half) and Cade Cunningham’s 10 (Cunningham also had 10 assists to go along with 25 points, shooting 11-for-23 from the field. Tobias Harris was 6-for-15 for 18 points, while Hardaway Jr. scored 14 points (5-for-16 shooting).  Malik Beasley was 5-for-12 off the bench for 13 points. 

The Pistons shot 42.9% and only seven triples in 29 attempts. Despite their success this season and the star quality of Cunningham, they might just be a couple of years away. 

The Boston Celtics are also one game away from the second round due to their 107-98 win over the Orlando Magic on Sunday. 

Jayson Tatum scored 37 points and grabbed 14 rebounds (10-for-25, 3-for-10 from deep) as the Celtics shot an uncharacteristic 29% from downtown (9-for-31) and shot 43.6% from the field. Jaylen Brown grabbed 11 rebounds (21 points on 6-for-18) and Kristaps Porzingis scored 19 and Derrick White 18 (7 assists, 7 rebounds). 

The Magic shot a similar 43.2%, led by Paolo Banchero who missed 20 of 32 shots but scored 31 points with 7 rebounds. Franz Wagner was 10-for-22 (2-for-7 from deep) for 24 points, 7 assists, and 6 rebounds. Wendell Carter Jr. grabbed 11 rebounds, and veteran guard Cory Joseph scored 12 points on 5-or-8 shooting with 6 assists. Anthony Black off the bench was 4-for-7 for 10 points. 

The Indiana Pacers need one more victory to close out the Milwaukee Bucks, courtesy of a dominant 129-103 win in Milwaukee. The win was the sixth 20-point playoff road victory for the Pacers since 1976-77. The Pacers outscored the Bucks 66-51 in the second half.

The top scoring game for Rick Carlisle’s group belonged to Myles Turner, who produced 23 points and 5 rebounds on 9-for-13 shooting. Tyrese Haliburton was spectacular with 17 points, 15 assists, and 8 rebounds on 6-for-11. Maybe he saw the player poll where he was voted most overrated player in the league. Andrew Nembhard was 8-for-14 (4-for-8 from downtown) for 20 points, and Aaron Nesmith was 5-for-8 for 14 points. 

The Pacers tallied 45 bench points, with T.J. McConnell going 7-for-10 for 15 points with 6 assists, Obi Toppin hitting 3-for-4 from deep for 13 points, and Jarace Walker going 4-for-5 from 3-point range for 12 points. 

Giannis Antetokounmpo has averaged 33.8 points, 14.3 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in the series, and on Sunday was masterful yet again with 28 points, 15 rebounds, and 6 assists (9-for-20, 10-for-11 from the line). Kevin Porter Jr. off the bench went for 23 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds (9-for-17, 5-for-7) and Bobby Portis was 6-for-10 for 14 points, but out of the starting group it was only Antetokounmpo who performed up to standard. Brook Lopez tallied just one rebound and scored 6 points, and did not start the second half, replaced by Portis. In 15 minutes, Lopez committed four fouls. 

The tragedy for the Bucks and more importantly for one of their superstars happened just minutes into the game. With 6:12 remaining in the opening quarter, as he lunged to poke at a ball that misfired off the rim, Damian Lillard batted the ball to Gary Trent Jr. in the corner and then fell to the floor grabbing at his left foot. Lillard missed the rest of the game, helped off the floor by assistants as he put no pressure on his leg. A report from Chris Haynes postgame said that Lillard is feared to have suffered a torn achilles. 

Lillard had just recovered from deep vein thrombosis (blood clots) in his shoulder and returned for Game 2. That circumstance makes his Achilles injury particularly devastating. Lillard will be 35 in July, and faces a battle in his recovery. More than the Bucks’ season, which appears to now be over in due time, the injury to the all-star point guard is one that you hate to see. 

Game 5 of the Bucks-Pacers series is Tuesday, as are Game 5’s in New York and Boston. The Timberwolves will have to win Game 5 in Los Angeles, which tips on Wednesday.