The Minnesota Timberwolves have had a rough stretch lately - a three-game slide that included a blown 40-point night from Anthony Edwards against the Suns, a frustrating loss to the Kings, and a late-game collapse in Oklahoma City. But this weekend, something shifted.
After grinding out a win over the Celtics on Saturday, the Wolves followed it up with arguably their most complete fourth-quarter performance of the season on Sunday. And, fittingly, Edwards was right in the middle of it - rewriting the franchise record books in the process.
Anthony Edwards: Timberwolves’ New Scoring King
There’s a certain buzz that comes with a 40- or 50-point explosion. But in the NBA, greatness isn’t just about the fireworks - it’s about consistency. And right now, no one in Timberwolves history has delivered 30-point nights more often than Anthony Edwards.
With his 32-point outing against the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday, Edwards logged his 102nd career game with 30 or more points, breaking a tie with Karl-Anthony Towns for the most in franchise history. He did it in just 397 games - a blistering pace compared to Towns’ 573 and Kevin Garnett’s 970.
For context, Garnett - the face of the franchise for over a decade - hit that 30-point mark just 82 times. That’s not a knock on KG, who dominated in other ways, but it underscores just how prolific Edwards has become as a scorer.
And it wasn’t just a milestone night. Edwards was the engine behind a dominant 36-19 fourth quarter that helped Minnesota pull away from San Antonio and secure a much-needed win. He finished with 32 points, six assists, and four made threes - the kind of all-around line that’s becoming routine for him.
Carrying the Load - and the Expectations
Edwards is averaging a career-best 28.7 points per game this season, and it’s not just about getting buckets. The Timberwolves didn’t make major moves this offseason, which means the weight of expectations sits squarely on his shoulders. He’s not just the go-to scorer - he’s the tone-setter, the closer, the guy who has to make the big plays when the game’s in the balance.
And that’s where the pressure really starts to mount. We saw it in the loss to Phoenix, where the Wolves let a winnable game slip away late.
But Sunday’s finish - a composed, aggressive, team-wide push - showed what this group is capable of when they lock in. Edwards didn’t just score - he led.
At 12-8, Minnesota is still in the thick of the Western Conference race, and they’re inching closer to the top five. The upcoming back-to-back against the Pelicans - both games in New Orleans - will be a chance to keep building momentum. But if this team is going to make a serious run, especially come playoff time, it starts with Edwards continuing to evolve into the kind of star who doesn’t just score - he elevates everyone around him.
The Timberwolves have never made the NBA Finals. If that’s going to change, it’ll be because Anthony Edwards took them there. Nights like Sunday suggest he just might have that in him.