Although the NBA‘s regulations are upheld, it is evident that exceptional players frequently receive special treatment. Anthony Edwards has stated that he now belongs to that exclusive group of players.
With 10:49 remaining in the fourth quarter, Edwards was flagged for his fifth foul. He was forced to sit for a few minutes but managed to play the remaining 13 minutes of regular and overtime without getting fouled out. It was then asked of him if he had to give up on defense in order to stay out of foul trouble.
“No way. In a manner reminiscent of Michael Jordan, Edwards replied, “They don’t want to see me foul out.” That was my perspective on it. I’m telling [head coach Chris Finch] that it’s their fault if they foul me out. It seems like they don’t want me to fail. Thus, I continued to play aggressively.”
Edwards finished with nine rebounds, seven assists, and 38 points. After Minnesota defeated the Boston Celtics 114-109 at Target Center, he scored eight points in overtime.
One of the few NBA players with a supermax contract, Karl-Anthony Towns, is an interesting case in point since he didn’t receive star treatment. With 3:56 remaining in OT, he fouled out after picking up three fouls early in the second quarter.
Edwards is off to a scorching start, averaging 28.2 points on 52% shooting in six games, including 47.2% from three-point range. In addition, he adds 4.7 assists and 6.7 rebounds a game.
When the Wolves’ top defense faced Boston, the team was 5-0 and scoring 126.4 points per game on average. Prior to being thoroughly upset by Minnesota last week, Denver was likewise unbeaten.
When Edwards and the Wolves host Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, they will face yet another challenging opponent.