Game 1 from the Minnesota Timberwolves vs Golden State Warriors series was not what many expected. First of all, the Warriors came off less than 48 hours of rest and looked like the more prepared team. The Timberwolves came out flat and sloppy while the Warriors looked locked in and aggressive. Even after the Warriors’ star Stephen Curry strained his hamstring and was unable to continue playing, the Timberwolves still couldn’t mount a comeback. One of the biggest red flags from the Wolves’ loss was the shooting from their whole roster, but especially from their star Anthony Edwards. Anthony Edwards’ shooting has been on a downward trajectory these playoffs, and it could be time for fans to worry.
This Anthony Edwards Trend Should Have Wolves Fans Worried
Timberwolves’ Historically Bad Shooting
The Timberwolves’ shooting woes were the big storyline in their Game 1 loss to the Warriors, falling 99-88 at home. Despite entering the series with rest and home-court advantage, Minnesota’s offense sputtered, especially from beyond the arc. The Wolves missed their first 16 three-point attempts and finished just 5-for-29 from deep, a continuation of their historically poor stretch from the end of the Lakers series. Over their last two games, Minnesota has shot a combined 12-for-76 from three-point range, the worst two-game stretch in NBA playoff history.
Key players like Edwards (1-for-16 over two games), Donte DiVincenzo (3-for-19), and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (2-for-11) all struggled, despite being reliable from deep during the regular season. Even after Curry exited early with a hamstring injury, the Wolves failed to find rhythm or spacing, and their inability to hit outside shots doomed any comeback hopes. Still, Edwards’ shooting struggles are the most jarring.
ANT’s Three-Point Shooting This Season
Edwards was one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA this season. He vaulted from being a decent three-point shooter on reasonable volume to a super-efficient high-volume three-point shooter. Edwards shot 39.5% from three this season, a career-high, and ended the season with the second-most made three-pointers in the league. This is the Edwards that many were expecting to see in these playoffs.
Instead, Edwards has seen quite a drop in three-point efficiency these playoffs. So far, he is only shooting 32.1% from three on 8.8 attempts per game. He was attempting more than 10 threes a game during the regular season.
Anthony Edwards’ Shooting Needs to Improve
It has only been six games, but an almost 8% shooting dip for the playoffs is not a great sign. What is even more concerning is that Edwards only took five attempts from three in Game 1 against the Warriors. This is after his shocking 0-for-11 shooting night in the Timberwolves’ close-out game in Los Angeles. Is Edwards’ poor shooting making him afraid to let it fly from deep? The last time Edwards had five or fewer attempts from three was in early March.
On the other hand, Edwards not forcing up threes when the shots aren’t falling is a sign of maturity. Edwards is a great player, and this is more than likely just a small shooting slump. Wolves’ fans shouldn’t worry yet, but they’ll need Edwards to find his shot soon if they want to advance to the next round.
Featured image: © Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
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