After another signature performance in the first round, one of the league’s brightest young stars soaked it all in.
On Wednesday night, the Minnesota Timberwolves went into Los Angeles and beat the Lakers in Game 5 to secure a 4-1 series win. After entering the series as a rather sizeable underdog, Minnesota dominated from start to finish to advance to the second round for the second straight year.
While many have had doubts about the Timberwolves’ ability to contend for a title, their series against a highly praised Lakers team could change that opinion. Of course, for them to reach their goals and get back to the conference finals, it will be up to Anthony Edwards.
While it is still unknown whether Edwards and Minnesota will face the Houston Rockets or Golden State Warriors in the next round, there is no shortage of confidence from the fifth-year star. After beating Kevin Durant and Nikola Jokic in the playoffs last year, his win over LeBron James this season might be his favorite yet.
“It means a lot,” Edwards said. “We beat the best player in the world, the best player ever.”
James has been anointed the best to ever play the game by many throughout his career, and his peers haven’t shied away from calling him that over the years. Edwards is one of many to consider James the best, and he understands what a huge accomplishment it is to beat him in a postseason setting.
James entered this postseason hoping to lead the Lakers to a title run alongside Luka Doncic. However, at 40 years old, James didn’t seem to have enough in the tank to keep up with Edwards and his explosive young squad.
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Edwards averaged 26.8 points, 8.4 rebounds and 6.2 assists against James’ Lakers in the first round and was the best player on the floor for most of the series. Considering Edwards believes the best is out of the way, the sky is the limit for this Timberwolves team as it awaits the start of the second round.
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