Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals was a “win or go home” clash for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Down 3-1, they desperately needed some revitalizing Antman energy — but things couldn’t have gone much worse. The Wolves, including superstar Anthony Edwards, simply didn’t get the memo.
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The first quarter of Game 5 ended with the Timberwolves managing just 9 points as a team. They shot a dismal 3-for-20 from the field and looked completely outmatched by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the top-seeded Thunder.
What’s worse is that Edwards looked like he was moving in slow motion, playing well below his usual superstar level. Some fans online have even speculated whether the 23-year-old is dealing with an injury to explain his poor play.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t appear to be the case.
The entire OKC squad has been swarming Edwards with double—and at times triple—team coverage. Through just 12 minutes of play, he already looked like he’d gone through a double-overtime thriller. A clip of him has since surfaced online, captioned to highlight just how “exhausted” Ant appeared.
Anthony Edwards walks back to the bench after OKC is up 17 in the first quarter
Ant looks exhausted, and we got 3 more to go. OKC is having a THUNDERBOLT purge right now. pic.twitter.com/7H70nuXjpv
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) May 29, 2025
Fatigue has been an issue for Edwards in the past. Just a year ago, the Wolves found themselves in a similar spot in the Western Conference Finals, where Edwards was tasked with guarding future Hall of Famer Kyrie Irving.
He didn’t just put the moves on him—he wore him out so much that Reggie Miller called him out for it. And that was just Game 1.
Ant does deserve some credit. He’s clearly the primary target of OKC’s swarming defense, and it has completely thrown off his rhythm. The blame can’t fall solely on him.
Even Julius Randle, who played lights out against the Lakers and Warriors, hasn’t looked like the same player in this series. He just doesn’t seem to have the same juice he did in those first two rounds.
With the Thunder up by more than 30 heading into the final quarter, only a historic comeback can stop them from reaching their first NBA Finals since 2012.
The best team in the league has made these playoffs look easy, barring a few tough battles against the defending champion Nuggets.
Will Edwards grow from these humbling performances? Or is this inconsistency a sign that he still needs more offensive help? Either way, scoring just 9 points in the first half of an elimination game won’t do much for Ant’s “Face of the League” pursuit.
