In the days ahead of the Game 4 matchup against the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards declared that his team would avoid a first-round playoff sweep.
Edwards and the Timberwolves backed up that stance by outlasting the top-seeded Nuggets in overtime 114-108. After the contest, the All-Star guard voiced that he never wants that fate to be part of his career.
“I don’t ever want to say I got swept in my career,” Edwards said Sunday night via ESPN. “So I definitely took it personally tonight.”
Minnesota appeared to be cruising to the Game 4 win, holding a 12-point lead with 2:52 remaining in regulation. However, the Nuggets used a 12-0 run to force overtime.
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The Timberwolves responded in the extra period behind Edwards, who notched a team-best 34 points on 12-of-27 shooting from the floor. The 21-year-old voiced that he will alter his point of attack to better guide Minnesota toward extending the first-round series.
“If we’re up six or eight with three minutes, I’m definitely getting downhill to the rim or getting a midrange shot,” Edwards said. “I’m not going to settle. I settled for three bad, bad, terrible 3s, and it won’t happen again.”
The Timberwolves need Edwards to lead the charge, especially efficiently scoring. He’s been the offensive driving force, averaging 32.3 points on 48.3% shooting from the floor and 40.5% shooting from beyond the arc.
The ball is in the Nuggets’ favor to close out the series at home with reigning back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic leading the charge.