SALT LAKE CITY — One thunderous dunk offered an ideal snapshot of Anthony Edwards’ second-half dominance Monday night time.
Edwards threw down a monster slam over John Collins of the Utah Jazz within the third quarter, serving to the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 114-104 victory however leaving each gamers banged up after the play.
“I used to be considering I used to be going to overlook it as a result of I wasn’t near the rim, however someway God willed it in for me,” mentioned Edwards, who scored 25 of his 32 factors after halftime.
The play instantly went viral on social media. Timberwolves veteran level guard Mike Conley mentioned it may need been one of the best dunk he has ever witnessed in particular person.
“He is like a cat nearly,” Conley mentioned. “He simply retains going ahead and lands on his ft. Stuff like that’s what makes him who he’s and why he can maneuver within the recreation how he does.”
Edwards mentioned he grew up idolizing gamers corresponding to Vince Carter who have been recognized for his or her dunking capability and that dunking the way in which they did has all the time been a aim for him.
His slam on Monday definitely put him in that class.
“It offers me chills, man, as a result of I all the time dreamed of dunking on anyone like that,” Edwards mentioned.
Collins and Edwards have been each injured on the play.
Edwards dislocated his left ring finger after his hand collided with Collins’ cheekbone. He raced again to the locker room throughout a subsequent timeout, popped the finger again in place, acquired it taped up and returned to motion.
Collins was dominated out for the complete fourth quarter whereas being evaluated for a attainable concussion. His harm was later confirmed to be a head contusion.
Edwards’ dunk gave a short-handed Minnesota crew an emotional enhance throughout a important stretch. The Timberwolves misplaced Naz Reid to a first-half head harm, they usually already have been enjoying with out injured starters Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Cities.
“It offers me chills, man, as a result of I all the time dreamed of dunking on anyone like that.”
Anthony Edwards
“It offers everyone vitality,” Edwards mentioned. “It makes everyone need to defend, need to get stops. It makes the sport extra thrilling.”
Edwards additionally totaled 8 assists, 7 rebounds and a couple of blocks over 38 minutes. His relentless vitality on each ends of the court docket put the Jazz on their heels all through the second half.
“That is who he’s,” Utah coach Will Hardy mentioned. “He is an All-Star. He is a hell of a participant.”
Edwards has had three consecutive 30-point video games. He averaged 31.5 factors in back-to-back wins over Utah on 58% capturing from the sector.
“He is all the time been a man who can actually flip a recreation round,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch mentioned. “Is aware of when to lift it. Is aware of when to make the large play. Can generally make it out of nothing. However now, he is like far more polished with what he is doing. He is slightly extra composed, not speeding it as a lot.”