Anthony Edwards Matches Kobe Bryant Feat In Game 1 vs. Nuggets

The Minnesota Timberwolves drew first blood on the Denver Nuggets in Game 1 of their Western Conference semi-finals series thanks to a career night from budding franchise superstar Anthony Edwards. After dropping 40 points to eliminate the Phoenix Suns from the playoffs, Edwards scored a playoff career-high 43 points to lead the Timberwolves to a 106-99 victory on the road in Game 1.

With his outstanding performance on Saturday night, Edwards joined late Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant as the only two players 23 years old or younger to notch consecutive 40-point games in the playoffs.

“It Was The Anthony Edwards Show”

Timberwolves shock the defending champs in Game 1

The defending champion Denver Nuggets did not know what hit them in Game 1. Well, a flurry of Anthony Edwards smacked them in the mouth early on, as the All-Star guard scored 25 of his 43 points in the first half. But the barrage didn’t stop there as Edwards gave them the knockout blow in Game 1.

Nuggets head coach Michael Malone tipped his hat to Edwards for his terrific performance in the series opener.

Edwards was cooking from the jump as he scored 16 of his 25 first-half points in the opening frame. With the game still hanging in the balance late in the fourth, the two-time All-Star went to work and made some big plays down the stretch, including a clutch Kobe Bryant-esque fadeaway jumper to give the Timberwolves a 102-91 lead with 1:36 to go.

Edwards was certainly feeling himself, but he did credit his teammates for helping him get easy looks throughout the night. He shot 17-of-29 from the field, including 3-of-7 from beyond the arc.

While Edwards’ one-on-one magic down the stretch provided the put-away punches for Minnesota, his timely cuts to the basket throughout the night also played a part in helping them secure Game 1. That is a testament to his growth as a player and why the Timberwolves are deadlier this time around.

A Different Anthony Edwards This Time Around

The Nuggets are dealing with a different beast compared to last year

If his outstanding first-round series against the Suns wasn’t enough to convince you that Anthony Edwards has arrived, perhaps his special Game 1 performance versus the defending NBA champions will. Surely, the 22-year-old is growing up before our very eyes.

Timberwolves lead assistant Micah Nori, who manned the sidelines for Minnesota with Chris Finch sitting on the bench with an injury, praised Edwards’ growth and development from his previous postseason runs.

Denver beat Minnesota in five games in the first round last year en route to the NBA championship. With the way Edwards and the Timberwolves showed up in Game 1, it seems like the defending champs will have their work cut out for them if they want to repeat as champions.

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