Anthony Edwards may be having a debut season of ups and downs, but in a lottery team that can overcome mistakes, the highlights of his first year in the NBA were something to see. On Friday, he gave us his best highlight.
It came with the final seconds of the third quarter clock. With the Timberwolves leading 61-58 over the Toronto Raptors, DeAndre Bembry stumbled when Edwards grabbed a pass on the wing. With a clean lead to the basket, Edwards attacked, climbed into the sky, found Yuta Watanabe on the edge and, well … it happened.
This is what happens when you combine an athlete worthy of a general selection # 1 with a clear path to the rim and a defense that lacks a rim protector. All the ingredients for an all-time poster were in place and Edwards answered.
It was practically the only time Edwards had a submission in the game, when he hit 3 of 14 on the field on a seven-point night. He has had many similar nights, as he pitched below 35 percent of the field in his first 16 games. He apparently corrected the problem with an average of 20 points per game in his last six games, but nights like this are inevitable among newbies. They are rarely consistent contributors to winning.
A positive debut year is usually one that presents moments of greatness. This was one of them. Edwards is a rare athlete and top scorer, and every now and then, this will pay off moments like this.