Anthony Edwards knew the rust would eventually fall off with additional playing time and, based on his performance in his season debut with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the No. 1 overall pick appears to finally be in a rhythm on the court.
Edwards scored 15 points, four rebounds and four assists on Wednesday to help the Timberwolves to a 111-101 win over the Detroit Pistons. He became the ninth Timberwolves rookie to produce a double-digit outing in his NBA debut, and the first since Karl-Anthony Towns in 2015.
The 19-year-old contributed 11 points alone in the first half, including seven in the opening period. He helped provide a spark off the bench as the Timberwolves trailed for much of the first half.
“I feel like I played really, really good,” Edwards said after the game. “I feel like I just came off the bench and changed the intensity of the game. That’s really it.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfiVB1-wAno
The play of Edwards earned praise from head coach Ryan Saunders afterward. Saunders loved the poise that Edwards played with and the way he was able to find his teammates on the floor.
Saunders pointed to a recent film study that helped Edwards make the correct reads on certain plays. Edwards made those plays, and made them quickly, something Saunders noticed early on.
“I was really impressed,” Saunders said. “I have been fortunate to have been around a number of young rookies and the poise that I thought he played with and letting the game come to him was really impressive. He plays with so much force but he is also playing with more poise.”
Edwards thought portions of the game on Wednesday were easy, which proves just how comfortable he is now on the court. His ability to pick things up quickly will go a long way in the Timberwolves finding success this season but it appears as though he could be in for a strong rookie year.
Minnesota returns to action on Saturday vs. the Utah Jazz.
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