Anthony Edwards is the future, and the transformation was broadcasted Saturday night.
The Nuggets suffered only their second loss in their last 15 home playoff games, losing the opener 106-99 in the Western Conference semifinals. As fans left Ball Arena, it was clear that the Minnesota Timberwolves are much better than the complaining Lakers.
First, it's clear that the Nuggets won't advance if Jamal Murray, dealing with a sore left calf, can't regain his explosiveness and scoring. And this problem is amplified by their opponent.
Looking at the bigger picture, the Timberwolves won because the Nuggets defense provided little resistance in the second half. Minnesota made 27 of 38 shots, an impressive 71% from the field. During warmups and the game, it's hard to find stretches with such precision. Edwards, Karl Anthony-Towns, Naz Reid and Mike Conley all scored in double figures.
“If we allow four guys to perform like that, we will be eliminated quickly,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone admitted. “We have to do a much better job. I don’t think we had what we needed, and I will leave it at that.”
It's easy to sell the idea that it was a defensive lapse — a team relaxing. The more concerning thought for the Nuggets can be summarized in two words and a hyphen: Ant-Man.
He has several moves. Has springs in his legs. And Prestone in his veins. The Nuggets lost homecourt advantage in this series when Edwards scored a 14-foot jumper with 1:36 remaining, stretching Minnesota’s lead to 102-91. There was no response on this night.
Edwards is the kind of player who leaves adjectives trembling. There is little room left when describing his game. He scored a playoff career-high 43 points, his second straight 40-point night in the postseason.
In front of an energetic full crowd, Edwards resembled a prime Kobe Bryant. A young Michael Jordan. The Nuggets have to defeat this guy four times? This is going to be a problem.
Edwards goes by the nickname Ant-Man, but he delivered a performance that overshadowed everyone else. After their slow start, the Nuggets limited the Timberwolves to 22 points over the final 25 minutes of the first half. It would seem to be a significant lead. However, Denver led 44-40. Edwards refused to let the Nuggets pull away. He scored 25 first-half points on 10-of-17 shooting.
“I just felt good. That was the main thing. And my teammates found me for some easy baskets,” Edwards said. “I have never gotten that many easy buckets.”
There was a moment when cinema came alive as he crossed over Aaron Gordon and then hit a fadeaway jumper to push Minnesota ahead 84-81. Wasn’t that a scene in the “Hustle” movie on Netflix? Before Saturday, mentioning Edwards in the same breath as legends was solely based on his scoring. He makes shots from all distances, and his dunks are breathtaking. I am pretty sure Edwards could make buttering toast look exciting.
What deepened the comparison in Game 1 was his defense. Jordan and Bryant made everything personal on both ends of the court. So, it was interesting to see Edwards start the game guarding Murray. This was unexpected and unusual, but it shows how much his skillset has expanded beyond his jumper.
Murray did not score in the first half. Edwards did not defend every shot, but he was involved in restricting the Nuggets’ second-highest scorer. Murray ended up with 17 points and a minus-22 rating while he was playing.
Edwards genuinely respects Murray. He calls him the best closer in the NBA. The problem with that role? There needs to be a game to end. Edwards was more than happy to dominate the Nuggets in the final quarter. He scored 12 points after doing cardio in the third quarter.
“Playing against the best player in the world (Nikola Jokic). Playing against the best team in the world. It's always enjoyable,” Edwards stated. “It's not just about me personally. It's about everyone. We have faith in each other. I have faith in my teammates.”
There is nothing Edwards cannot do. Jokic acknowledged this, calling him a “special player.”
It was only one game. But it's scary because Edwards looks like him.
