Wolves Ignore Edwards’ Warning, Fall Flat in 38-Point Game Two Loss

Before Wednesday night’s Game 2, Anthony Edwards issued a warning to his Minnesota Timberwolves teammates about starting slow after a road win. Edwards had told them, “The natural tendency for teams that steal the first game, the away team, they get blown out in Game 2. We can’t come out cool.”

The Timberwolves came out in San Antonio and, by Edwards’ own account, played “cool” in a 133-95 blowout defeat that evened the Western Conference semifinals at one game apiece. Minnesota scored 17 points in the first quarter and 18 in the second, committed 22 turnovers, and trailed by 24 points at halftime. The deficit swelled to 47 at one point in the game, settling at 38 points before the final buzzer.

Afterward, Edwards admitted, “We came out cool. Look what happened. My momma used to tell me that a hard head make a soft ass. That’s what happened tonight.”

Head coach Chris Finch didn’t hold back in his assessment, telling the team afterward that “we just got punked.” Edwards reacted, “Punked is crazy. But, I mean, just look at the film and see what we can gain from it.”

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Finch’s review of the game highlighted San Antonio’s approach, which was marked by aggressive and physical defense. The Spurs pressured the Timberwolves full court, attacked their dribble, and used selective double-teams on Edwards once he crossed half court. This forced the ball out of his hands and disrupted his rhythm.

“They was playing crazy, right?” Edwards said of the Spurs’ defensive effort. “Watch film, find the holes in it. We didn’t make enough shots to get them out of it.”

Finch said he was displeased with how his team handled San Antonio’s pressure and scheme. “Got to get off of it,” Finch said. “Got to use it as a catalyst for ball movement, what it should be. I thought we dribbled to tough spots. I thought we were late getting off it. I thought our spacing around it wasn’t really good.”

Minnesota finished 9-of-30 from three-point range and missed 26 of 44 shots in the paint. They struggled to finish possessions against Victor Wembanyama’s presence inside and racked up 22 turnovers. “We got to go somewhere [with the basketball],” Finch said. “We are kind of dribbling and going nowhere.”

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Asked about the “dribbling to nowhere” remark, Edwards deferred to his coach’s judgment. “I don’t know. I got to watch the film. But he’s the head coach. I’m with whatever he says. So if that’s what he said, that’s what we were doing.”

Finch has referenced similar issues before during difficult stretches of the Timberwolves’ offensive play. The team’s scoring leaders, Edwards, Julius Randle, and reserves such as Bones Hyland and Terrence Shannon Jr., have sometimes reverted to isolation-heavy possessions.

Randle noted, “Getting the ball in bad spots. Getting trapped in bad areas. I got to get a better position where I’m receiving the ball.”

Jaden McDaniels provided solid minutes but was again limited by early fouls, playing only 20 minutes. In Game 1, he was also benched in the first half after three fouls in the opening 15 minutes. Edwards said, “You need Jaden on the floor at all times. Him being off the court is going to hurt us every time. We know it. He knows it. The whole gym knows it. Their team knows it. When he get in foul trouble, they get happy. He know he can’t foul. We’re not going to win if he’s not on the floor.”

In Game 1, Edwards played 25 minutes nine days after suffering a hyperextended left knee and bone bruise. He came off the bench to manage his workload. In Game 2, he played 24 minutes and sat out the fourth quarter due to the lopsided margin. Edwards said afterward that his knee “feels good” and that he was ready to play regular minutes as the series continues in Minneapolis.

“That’s not up to me,” Edwards said of a potential return to the starting lineup. “If it’s required. Whatever’s required.”

The Timberwolves had stunned the 62-win Spurs in the first game of the series. San Antonio returned the favor in Game 2. “They won by 40,” Edwards said. “I would have a lot of belief. … I tip my hat to those guys. They came out, they played hard, they were the more desperate team, they wanted it. We’ll see where it goes from here.”

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