“Seeing Old Michael Jordan”: Skip Bayless Sends Message to Anthony Edwards Ahead of Game 5 in Minnesota

The Minnesota Timberwolves kept their season alive with a 105-100 win over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals. The two teams will now head to Minnesota for Game 5 with both teams having it all to play for. Ahead of the do-or-die game at home for the Timberwolves, Skip Bayless sent a strong message to guard Anthony Edwards.

On Undisputed, the analyst demanded that he not show weakness like in Game 2 when he briefly exited the contest to use an oxygen tank to help recover from fatigue,

“If you have any remote similarities to Michael Jeffrey Jordan, you can’t go into the tunnel in the fourth quarter to get oxygen at Minnesota. I don’t want to hear it, I don’t want to see it. I don’t want anyone to give the tired excuses after the game… You are way better than that. Are you hyperventilating? Are you feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders because the Keyshaw Johnson’s of the world are saying,’I’m seeing young Jordan!’ I’m saying, ‘I’m seeing old Jordan there.'”

Edwards’ exceptional performance in these playoffs has earned him comparisons to Michael Jordan, however, he has tailed off since the Timberwolves’ Game 7 win over the Denver Nuggets. In the four-game stretch between their win in Denver and the first three games of the Western Conference Finals against the Mavericks, he shot 28-of-81 from the field, a dismal 34.6% conversion rate. He also had a 117 defensive rating in that span, showcasing he struggled on defense too.

Edwards’ downturn in form could be attributed to fatigue. The Timberwolves’ Game 3 loss was the guard’s 102nd game since last August. He played all eight games in Team USA’s FIBA World Cup campaign, appeared in 79 regular season games, and featured in each of Minnesota’s 14 playoff games until then.

The heavy workload would take a toll on even the most seasoned and conditioned players in the NBA, let alone a 22-year-old star embarking on his first deep playoff run. However, Edwards showcased in Game 4 that he isn’t willing to down his tools yet and earned plaudits from Bayless for his performance.

Skip Bayless praises Anthony Edwards for keeping the Timberwolves alive

The stage was set for the Mavericks to win Game 4 and seal their place in the NBA Finals in front of their home fans, but Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves pulled off a victory to keep their season alive. The guard finished the game with 29 points in 11-of-25 shooting from the field and impressed Bayless with his energy, who said,

“[In Game 4, Anthony Edwards] hurt [the Mavericks] with his energy and his aggression. He took it to them. He kept getting in their kitchen… Anthony Edwards had a great quote right after the game on the floor in which he said about the fourth quarter, ‘I didn’t run to the corner, I didn’t shy away from the basketball.’ Good for you, young man. Because you can’t. You are Ant-Man. You gotta set the tone. You gotta establish your energy and aggression and he did that.”

While it was a job well done for Edwards, it’s far from over. The Timberwolves are down 1-3 and need to win three straight to advance to the NBA Finals. No team in league history has overturned an 0-3 deficit, but there’s always a first and the young guard is looking to make sure it’s his team.