Having played them in the offseason means Anthony Edwards is very well acquainted with the Los Angeles Lakers. And such familiarity means that as he prepares for the series, Ant knows exactly whom to look out for ahead of their upcoming Playoffs series. But Ant might surprise you with whom he’s most wary of. And the methods Minnesota is employing to get its players ready may shock you even more.
Following a team practice, Ant took the time to field some questions from the media. One media member asked Ant how the Lakers may approach him tactically. And in response, Ant revealed exactly how the Lakers may deal with him and who they may put on him.
“Jaxson Hayes, he may be in a high wall. He may blitz me. He may be in a drop. So, just like I said, just reading and reacting, then they sub him out. Vando, they may blitz me or be heavy in the gaps. Like I said, just being able to trust my teammates. It’s kinda similar to the Phoenix series last year. Like, they was overly doubling me and stuff, and I didn’t let it bother me,” said Ant.
So it’s not LeBron James or Luka Doncic. Instead, Ant is wary of Jaxson Hayes and Jarred Vanderbilt and how they can shut down his game. You see, the Lakers have a tendency. When they don’t have a true big on the floor, they tend to play heavier in the gaps. However, when they do have someone like Jaxson Hayes, they tend to play more of a drop coverage. It’s tricky for a lot of teams to deal with, especially for a player like Anthony Edwards.
Feb 21, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) reacts after scoring a basket during the second quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
You see, despite his growth as a shooter this year, Ant’s game is based around dominating the rim. He’s made it a habit of posterizing every player who gets in his way. However, doing it against the 7-foot Jaxson Hayes, who has a 7-foot-3 wingspan, will be challenging. It’s also what he means by Hayes being in a high wall. And Hayes is one of those players who’s excellent at using his size and length to pressure the rim. This is bound to present Edwards with a few problems.
But thanks to his experience last year, Ant knows exactly how to deal with the threat they pose. “Just passing the ball, letting the game come to me, and then finding my spots as I go,” Ant says, will suffice. Ant found out last year that the quickest way to open up his own game was to get his ex-teammate, like Karl-Anthony Towns, involved. And it worked out like gangbusters because Ant ended the 3-1 series, averaging an incredible 31 points, 8 rebounds, and 6.3 assists.
Anyway, we’ll only find out if he’s right when it’s time for the Lakers to play the Minnesota Timberwolves. Although in this downtime that they have, it’s all about practicing and working out any kinks in the Timberwolves’ armor. In that vein, Ant revealed an unusual way that his coaches help him work on his game.
Anthony Edwards reveals how coaches got mad at him and how it helped him
Every athlete can have an off day. After all, you can’t be at your best every day. But the best coaches know how to get the most out of their players, even if they’re a little behind on that particular day. And it seems the Minnesota coaching staff has it down to a science. Their secret? Getting mad at the players. But believe it or not, it works. And this tactic may prove crucial in keeping the T-Wolves competitive as the pressure mounts during the Playoff series against the Lakers.
Anthony Edwards revealed how he felt a little rusty during the practice today. And the way his coaches pulled him out of his funk is nothing less than shocking. “Today, I was a little rusty turning the ball over, and they was heavy in the gaps. So I was a little rusty today, and coaches get mad at me. So it helps a lot. It makes me knock the rust off,” said Ant.
Now, if this sounds familiar to you, don’t worry, you’re not imagining things. The Timberwolves’ coaches used the same tactic to help their players make a comeback against the Milwaukee Bucks at the end of the regular season. “We got cussed out at halftime, especially myself, about my effort on defense,” Anthony revealed to the media post-game. And it wasn’t just Chris Finch or another coach doing the cussing. When asked about who did it, Ant said, “All of them. All of them.”
It seems the tempers are flaring within the Minnesota Timberwolves locker room. But believe it or not, that’s a good thing! At least as far as the players’ preparation goes. With players like LeBron James and Luka Doncic staring you down, perhaps some tough love is in order for the T-Wolves to help them gain steely nerves for this upcoming series. However, the jury’s still out whether it’ll help them have the same success in the Playoffs that they did last year. But who knows? Perhaps getting these players riled up is the answer.
The post Not LeBron James but Anthony Edwards Is Wary of This Lakers Star Amid Temper Tantrums in Timberwolves Locker Room appeared first on EssentiallySports.