With the Wolves heading to OKC for tonight’s Conference Finals opener, all eyes were on Anthony Edwards to see if he can be the superstar everyone expects him to be and get his team over the hump. A win on the road would give the Minnesota team a massive edge against the West’s top seeded team. But Ant-Man failed to answer the call. He got locked down by Thunder’s elite defense and was limited to just 18 points on 5 of 13 shooting. As a result, the Wolves got blown out by 26 points.
After the brutal loss, Edwards revealed the strategy Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Co. used to limit his offense, “I mean, they clog the paint. That’s what they do. They don’t got much size down there, so they bank on us not making shots I guess.” Yes, running downhill and attacking the paint is one of Ant-Man’s biggest strengths. However, he cannot do it if multiple defenders are clogging the lane and giving him no room to operate.
“Yeah, I guess they just be clogging the paint. They put like five-four bodies in the paint, make you kick it out. So, just keep making the right play.” He added. Moreover, this is not the first time opposing teams have used this strategy against Edwards. Back in December, he was bothered by the same issue and made a public confession about his struggles, “If you watch the game, it’s nothing for me to do when I get downhill. Everybody wants me to get downhill. I know that’s my strength. I get to the rim, lay the ball up, dunk the ball. But I can’t do that if there’s no lanes, if it’s not open.”
The Thunder’s strategy did wonders for them tonight, as Anthony struggled massively, especially toward the end of the game. He was scoreless in the fourth quarter, which allowed OKC to extend their lead and ensure an easy Game 1 victory. Despite the setback, Edwards aims to come out stronger in the next game.
Anthony Edwards says he will be ready for Game 2 as he decodes Thunder’s defense
It was clear that OKC’s defense caused major problems for Ant-Man tonight and even left him puzzled at times, “Yeah, I mean it was hard to process cause he right, it was different. It was different every time. I mean, heavy in the gaps, sometimes trap the ball screen, sometimes don’t. Sometimes just run and jump.” Obviously, Thunder is a very versatile team, both offensively and defensively, which makes them extremely hard to read and strategize for.
Jan 11, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) looks on in the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
However, Edwards seems to have decoded their style of play after tonight’s encounter, “It’s kind of similar to like AAU. It reminds me of like an AAU defensive team, just run and jump, fly around. It’s pretty good.” Now that he knows what he is up against, he is looking forward to come more prepared when they meet again, “Good to get it out our system in Game 1 you know. So, we’ll be ready for it in Game 2. We should be ready.”
Well, the Wolves have two days to make the right adjustments and figure out a strategy to get Edwards and other players more open looks and easier lanes to the basket. So, the next film session will be extremely crucial for them. Do you think they can correct tonight’s mistakes and even the series on Thursday?
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