Anthony Edwards returned to playoff motion Saturday and acknowledged the bodily and psychological challenges after the Minnesota Timberwolves fell 116-105 to the Denver Nuggets in Sport 1 at Ball Enviornment.
“Yeah. No, I felt good. I imply, a bit of fatigued,” Edwards mentioned. “I haven’t performed in like a month, month and a half, so a bit of fatigued, however that was anticipated. Aside from that, I felt good.”
The All-Star guard completed with 22 factors, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists, however pointed to late-game execution because the deciding issue.
“A pair simply psychological errors within the recreation that we’re going to right going into the following recreation,” he mentioned. “Yeah, a pair turnovers that we shouldn’t have had.”
Minnesota erased a double-digit deficit and minimize the margin to a one-possession recreation within the fourth quarter, but couldn’t shut.
“I really feel like we did. I really feel like we fought again,” Edwards mentioned. “I feel we minimize it to love two perhaps. However yeah, only a couple recreation plan errors that we shouldn’t have had.”
Edwards dismissed fatigue as a taking pictures issue regardless of going 7-of-19 from the sphere.
“No, it didn’t have an effect on my shot. Simply didn’t fall,” he mentioned.
The Timberwolves generated robust ball motion early, however it declined after halftime as Denver took management with a 17-2 third-quarter run.
“I don’t know. Yeah, I acquired to go watch the movie,” Edwards mentioned. “I assumed the ball was nonetheless type of transferring, however Finchy mentioned the identical factor.”
The 24-year-old additionally addressed the bodily nature of the sport, which featured 42 fouls and a 30-19 free-throw disparity.
“No, not likely. I imply, we anticipated it to be a recreation like this,” Edwards mentioned. “If that’s the case, then we wasn’t mentally prepared.”
He added, “We knew the way it was going to go and yeah, they’re going to get foul calls and we’d not get none and that’s okay.”
Denver’s defensive scheme compelled the ball out of Edwards’ arms, resulting in elevated playmaking duty.
“They play me, decide and roll, two on the ball. If I attempt to iso, two on the ball,” he mentioned. “So, simply making an attempt to get off of it.”
Edwards embraced that adjustment, noting his help whole.
“I really feel like I moved the ball fairly good. Discovered my teammates,” he mentioned. “I feel they simply did a fairly good job of stopping our runs.”
He additionally highlighted Jamal Murray’s affect, significantly on the free-throw line.
“He shot on what, 19, what number of free throws he didn’t shoot? 16 for 16 from the free throw line,” Edwards mentioned. “So, I imply, that helped him so much.”
Defensively, Edwards contributed three early blocks and emphasised effort throughout the ground.
“My shot wasn’t falling, so I used to be making an attempt to do different issues,” he mentioned.
Regardless of the loss, Edwards confused the long-term outlook of the sequence.
“It’s recreation one,” he mentioned. “It’s an extended sequence. It’s first to win 4 video games, not one.”
Minnesota will look to regulate in Sport 2, with Edwards emphasizing composure and execution.
“We needs to be prepared subsequent recreation to return out right here and do what we acquired to do to get a win,” he mentioned.
