After a 117-95 win over the Denver Nuggets in March, Anthony Edwards mentioned Luka Doncic unsolicitedly after scoring 29 points and six assists.
“I watch a lot of Luka, seeing how he attacks the double team,” he said. “Even though we play at different paces, just seeing his strategy to beat the double team, I think that helps me a lot.”
Earlier in the season, the budding superstar complained about the number of double teams he had faced.
After a hot start to the season, during which he averaged over 28 points per game in October and November, he fell to 20.5 points per game in December. The increase in double teams affected his stats and focus around the game.
“Them doubling me, definitely it’s like, ‘Bro, what is going on?’” he said after a January 3 game against the Boston Celtics. “I’m trying to figure it out … I don’t know what to do, honestly, but it’s not fun. I don’t want to look like I’m not trying or not as good as I am, because I am, but I can’t show it because I’m getting double-teamed.
“It’s definitely frustrating to see these guys cooking us, and I can’t cook them.”
When a reporter asked if he would pass out of double teams in early January, Edwards seemed less than willing.
“That’s a good brand of basketball, but it’s not how I want to play, of course,” he said. “I’m only 23, I don’t want to just be passing the ball all night. … But the way that they’re guarding me, I think I have to.”
Edwards may not have wanted to pass out of double teams earlier in the season. Ironically, he has seemingly learned how to become the playmaker and facilitator when faced with these double teams while watching Luka Doncic.
Wolves fans know just how effective Luka has been when doubled. Flashbacks of the Western Conference finals come to mind when Doncic manipulated Minnesota’s defense in a gentleman’s sweep.
The Timberwolves could be concerned about Doncic passing out of double teams in this series. Instead, they are guarding Luka one-on-one on the perimeter, preventing him from driving and kicking to open perimeter shooters.
Instead, they have stuck with the one-on-one matchup more often than not. While this has allowed Luka to have explosive first quarters in every game, it has tired him out near the end of the game. He finished with only one assist in Game 1 and two in Game 4.
On the other hand, Edwards’ new approach has yielded massive success. He’s averaging almost six assists and only 1.5 turnovers a game.
Entering the series, the main question surrounding Anthony Edwards and, in turn, the Wolves, would be how he would approach double teams. We have seen Edwards force shots that weren’t there in the past. Instead, in this series, Edwards has shown a high level of maturity, trusting his teammates with better looks.
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Throughout the series, his teammates have repaid his trust. Jaden McDaniels has been incredible this series, building on the second half of the season, when he seemed to have finally taken the much-awaited offensive jump.
Naz Reid has been equally incredible down the stretch. He hasn’t missed a shot the entire first quarter while hitting two massive threes in Game 4 to cut LA’s lead and then later take the game.
Most impressively, Edwards has kept his aggressive mentality despite looking to pass out of double teams. Now, instead of forcing up shots, he will look to lock in on defense and make his opponent’s life hell on the other side of the court. In this series, Edwards’ commitment to defense has been the difference between him and the Lakers’ stars.
He has also been letting the Lakers know whenever he has hit clutch shots. Think back to Game 1 when he was in Luka’s face after hitting a three.
Most people thought Edwards had “poked the bear,” like when Doncic went off after Devin Booker chirped him. Instead, Edwards has become the “bear.” He’s the monster Luka created after Edwards learned how to beat double teams by watching his tape.
Now, the Wolves are up 3-1 in a series that no ESPN analysts picked them to win. Edwards is largely why Minnesota is winning, and he learned how to beat LA by watching Doncic’s tape.