Going up against the Los Angeles Clippers may be a task to dread for a majority of the players in the league, and justifiably so. After all, with them still standing among the best in the NBA, matching up against the likes of Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and James Harden very much seems like a nightmare. However, after a recent game between the Timberwolves and the Clippers, Anthony Edwards shockingly revealed that he enjoyed this task. After the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Clippers, Edwards was left deeply proud of his impressive defensive performance.
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Edwards put up a very impressive 33 points, while also grabbing 9 rebounds, and 6 assists, in his 38 minutes of action, a big contributing factor to a 109-105 victory. As always, Ant was exceptional with the rock in his hands. However, it was his display on the other end of the court that was praiseworthy.
Throughout the 38:13 minutes of game time that Edwards took on the hardwood, the combo guard played incredible defense, his assignment constantly shuffling between James Harden, Paul George, and Kawhi Leonard. With the three superstars combining for only 56 points, it is evident that the Wolves’ slasher did a great job guarding them.
Edwards even spoke about the excellent defensive display that he put up. During the postgame press conference, the All-Star admittedly that he very much relished chances to go up against heavy-isolation teams such as the Los Angeles Clippers. Performing against elite iso players, Ant-Man took it as a challenge to “stand them up”.
“It’s like one of the best things in basketball, going against the Clippers. That’s why I look forward to playing against them all the time, because regardless of whether I’m in front of Kawhi, PG or James, they’re going to try to iso you. So you’ve got to take pride in that challenge and try to stand ‘em up,” Anthony Edwards said.
Anthony Edwards when asked about playing heavy-isolation teams, like the Clippers (and the Celtics):
“It’s like one of the best things in basketball, going against the Clippers. That’s why I look forward to playing against them all the time, because regardless of whether I’m in…
— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) January 15, 2024
Even though he has only been averaging 1.3 steals and 0.6 blocks per game this season, the former Georgia Bulldog has been the second-best defensive guard overall, according to his defensive rating. Trailing only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Edwards leads all the other guards across the league with a sensational defensive rating of 108.8. Edwards has already proven that he can potentially be the best two-guard in the entire NBA. In fact, he has done so well, that even some of his best opponents have lauded him in recent times.
Paul George has often lauded Anthony Edwards
Anthony Edwards is one of the most exciting, young talents in the league. Improving all aspects of his game consistently, several enthusiasts and pundits have expressed their admiration for the Minnesota Timberwolves leader. Paul George is one of the many supporters who has often showered the 22-year-old with lofty praise.
During this past off-season, as the highflying guard asserted his dominance at the international level, PG spoke highly about Edwards. After Ant led Team USA to mount a comeback win against Germany in an exhibition game, the Los Angeles Clippers star recognized Edwards’ potential of being a superstar. Revealing that he was a fan of the #1 pick of the 2020 Draft, George said:
“It’s pretty special with who he’s becoming… You put him amongst the young stars he’s gonna be competing with for the next 10-15 years and now he’s becoming the Alpha of them… That Germany game was special. He basically put USA on his back. To be able to do that at that age is tough, bro,” Paul George said on his podcast.
Despite disastrous performances in the 2022-2023 campaign, the Minnesota Timberwolves have established themselves as one of the best teams in the league this season. Holding onto a 28-11 record, Chris Finch’s boys are sitting at the top-most position of the Western Conference standings. While Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert having learned to co-exist has helped massively, Anthony Edwards’s performance has been a huge reason behind the team’s success.
With the All-Star trio of Edwards, Towns, and Gobert, dominating on both ends of the floor, the Minnesota Timberwolves now have a great shot at lifting the 2024 Larry O’Brien trophy. However, whether or not they can keep performing at the same level in the postseason remains to be seen.
