The intensity of games in the NBA playoffs paves the way for engrossing encounters among teams. This reaches a new extreme when the star players from each side bring their ambitions to the floor. A similar instance occurred during Game 4 between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Phoenix Suns. In this elimination clash, Anthony Edwards locked horns with Devin Booker to limit him to under 50 points to ensure a series sweep.
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The 22-year-old embraced this responsibility as he kept a close eye on the Suns’ guard throughout the game. Despite his persistence, Booker showcased excellence by scoring 49 points, as per StatMuse, with one possession yet to be played. This laid the foundation for an exciting end to the clash, with the spectators staying on the edge of their seats.
During the final possession, Ant came from behind to block Booker’s layup attempt with assistance from his teammate, Rudy Gobert. It aided in him eventually fulfilling his personal goal on the night. Following this favorable outcome, he even took matters to the next level while directing stern words toward his opposition. As per the leaked audio uploaded by LegendZ on X (formerly Twitter), Edwards told D-Book, “Get that sh*t out of here, n****. Yeah!”.
Amidst the celebrations, Booker’s 49 on the night still marked his highest-ever individual score in a playoff game. On top of this, his overall gameplay, consisting of 5 rebounds, and 6 assists, while scoring 60% from beyond the arc as per StatMuse, became a headache for the opposition. However, his endeavors failed to make a major difference as the Suns lost 116-122 at home, putting an end to their playoff run.
This justified the reaction of Edwards, taking into account his influence in deciding the outcome of the series. With 124 points in 4 games, the Georgia-born left the floor as the highest scorer in the series, while going 51.2% from the field, as per Basketball Reference. Alongside this, he led his side in assists (25), steals (8), and blocks (3) to ensure the series sweep.
This playoff series held a special place for Anthony Edwards
Throughout this first-round clash, Edwards had to step up against his childhood idol, Kevin Durant. From scoring against him to attempting to block his shots, the duo went back and forth on numerous occasions during the series. Eventually, Ant came out victorious in the battle, helping his team progress to the conference semi-finals.
Following the conclusion of Game 4, Edwards consequently looked back on the events during a post-game interview with NBA on TNT. Expressing his honor to feature against KD, he mentioned, “I watch every last one of his games since I have been about five. So, I love that guy man. I’m excited to play with him this summer, talk a little trash let him know I sent him home”.
Interestingly, Durant responded to these words with grace. In the post-game conference, the 2x champion declared, “So impressed with Ant. My favorite player to watch. Just grown so much since he came into the league…Love everything about Ant. Everything”.
This mutual respect between the NBA stars certainly warmed the hearts of the listeners. With the duo potentially gearing up for the Paris Olympics 2024 soon, the supporters are bound to keep a close eye on how their relationship develops over time.
